2014 King Estate Pinot Gris

2011 Exitus Red Blend

2016 Smoke Tree Rosé

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Syrah 6th Sense

Locations AR-6

2015 Chloe Wines Rosé Monterey County

 

 

 

2014 King Estate Pinot Gris – $13.89

This is 100% Pinot Gris that was fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel.  The wine was bottled after 4 months sur lie aging.  This wine was produced primarily from the best selection of grapes from the estate’s certified organic vineyards with some purchased from a handful of other sustainably farmed vineyards throughout Oregon

 

The wine is a light golden yellow color.  The captivating nose has green apples, white peach, flinty minerals, melon, orange blossoms and lemon zest.  This has medium body with good acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate tart apples, white peach and melon quickly grab your attention with minerals and orange blossoms coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with tart lemon zest leading you to grab another sip.  Not a lot of complexity but a tasty wine to enjoy on its own or with a light meal on a sunny day.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Exitus Red Blend – $9.49

A local wine store had this opened for a tasting.  The wine had a suggested price of $25.99, which far exceeded its value.  To me the wine was simply an easy drinking wine to enjoy with friends at the end of an evening.  For their event price of $9.99, the wine seemed to be fairly priced, so I grabbed a couple bottles.

 

This wine is a blend of 60% Syrah from Monterey, 31% Merlot from Monterey and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon from California.

 

The wine was a deep ruby to purple color.  The comforting nose has blackberries, roasted herbs, cherries, white pepper, licorice and subtle earthiness.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate ripe fruit and spice jump out first with roasted herbs coming in later.  The finish has decent length with a touch of earthiness entering the picture.  The wine leaves a slightly sweet final impression on the palate.  The wine has 13.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle was sealed with an artificial cork.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2016 Smoke Tree Rosé – SRP $21.99

This is a sample that was provided to me for review purposes by the Susan Magrino Agency.

 

The majority of the fruit for this vintage came from the rolling hills of the Redwood Valley in Mendocino County, San Juan Creek in Paso Robles and Madera County. Smaller percentages from Mendocino and the Red Hills of Lake County provide an accent of high elevation fruit to its elegant core.  This blend of primarily Grenache and Zinfandel with smaller percentages of Carignan, Tempranillo, and Mouvedre.

 

The wine is a light, pale pink color.  The easy going nose has cherries, white peach, dusty minerals, orange blossoms and watermelon with hints of leafy herbs and dry roasted nuts.  This has light to medium body with nice acidity and just a trace amount of lingering sweetness.  On the palate cherries, minerals and white peach grab your attention on the front end with watermelon and orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a nice green herb element and a hint of roasted nuts providing depth along with a bit of orange pith.  This is easy to sip and enjoy.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Syrah 6th Sense – $12.99

This wine is mostly Syrah with a touch of Petite Sirah.  The winery likes to add a bit of Petite Sirah to most of their wines.  I was jokingly told they would add it to their Chardonnay if they could.  This wine was aged 12 months in French oak barrels.

 

The winery is one of the “big boys” in Lodi.  The family has been growing fruit and vegetable in the region since the 1850s and have been growing grapes for nearly 100 years.  With an eye to the future the winery has adopted some of the most progressive sustainable farming practices in the state.  All of the 750 acres of family vineyards are third party certified as being sustainably farmed.  Since the 2011 vintage, 100% of the Lodi grown fruit crushed at the winery has been certified as sustainably farmed.

 

Much more information on the winery is available on their website.

 

From the winery:

The Phillips brothers planted one of the first Syrah vineyards in California in 1982. With Michael’s son Kevin continuing the Phillips grape growing tradition into the 6th generation, this Syrah vineyard was one of the first he tended to as our Vineyard Manager. If you turn the bottle around you will see Kevin’s eye looking out from the inside of the bottle, making sure the wine is being enjoyed!

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The intoxicating nose has blackberries, blueberries, asphalt, dark chocolate, fresh ground espresso beans, dry underbrush, licorice, violets and black pepper.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  This has massive berries and ground espresso beans on the front end with underbrush, dark chocolate and a big floral note coming in on the back end.  The finish is long and lingering with black pepper coming into play.  Not a lot of subtlety here but the big fruit and nice structure makes for a worthy companion for something hot off the grill.  This has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  This is a steal for the price.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Locations AR-6 – $16.48

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

 

First off, the AR in the wine’s name stands for Argentina, not Arkansas.  This is a non-vintage wine since it can include grapes from multiple vintages as deemed necessary by Dave Phinney to make the best wine possible.  I don’t know the exact blend for this bottling, but earlier editions were mainly Malbec with some Cabernet Sauvignon from the Uco Valley in Mendoza.  This is Locations wine’s fourth release of a blend from Argentina.

 

Much more information on Dave Phinney and Locations Wine is available on their website by clicking here.

 

The wine is an inky purple color.  The big and bold nose is full of blackberries, plums, fresh ground espresso beans, dry earth, roasted herbs, baking spices and dried wildflowers.  This has a full body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  This is rich and velvety on the palate with loads of blackberries and plums quickly grabbing your attention on the front end with espresso beans, dry earth and baking spices coming in later.  The finish has nice length with roasted herbs and a dried floral note providing some depth.  For the massive fruit and overall size this could use a bit more backbone to hold everything together.  I’d drink this while it’s young before it gets bogged down from the shear size.  This has 15% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2015 Chloe Wines Rosé Monterey County – $8.62

This is a Pinot Noir based blend that was fermented at a cool temperature.  I don’t know about the distribution of Chloe Wines but I see a fair amount at my local Total Wines store and it appears to be available online at Amazon.  I should note, the Total Wine price is considerable better than Amazon’s pricing.

 

The wine is an orange-pink color.  The brooding nose has strawberries, melon, dry earth, leafy green herbs and orange zest.  This has medium body with decent acidity and it seems to be just about totally dry.  On the palate strawberries, melon and subtle dry earth come through on the front end with leafy green herbs coming in later.  The finish has decent length with some orange zest entering the picture.  This is starting to taste a little tired, I’d open and kill off this vintage in the next couple of months.  This has 13.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (85 pts)

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  You probably noticed some of the wines in this post were purchased from the site.  All of these wines were purchased at a big discount.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2017 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

2014 Amici Cellars Pinot Noir Olema

2014 Homage to Heritage Pouilly-Fuissé H to H

2009 Bodega Numanthia Termes Toro Termes

2009 Ridge Lytton Springs

2016 Tormaresca Calafuria Puglia IGT

2011 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard

 

 

 

2014 Amici Cellars Pinot Noir Olema – $16.77

This 100% Sonoma County Pinot Noir comes is comprised of 50% Russian River Valley, 25% Sonoma Coast and 25% Sonoma County grapes.  After fermentation the wine was aged 12 months in 35% new French Oak barrels.

 

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The invigorating nose has black cherries, scorched earth, cranberries, white pepper, underbrush, baking spices and plums.  This has medium body with soft tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate black cherries, cranberries, baking spices and white pepper quickly come through on the front end with underbrush and plums coming in later.  The finish has decent length with a touch of scorched earth providing some depth.  This has nice, bold flavors but could use a bit more acidity to help hold everything in check, as is it gets a bit soft and flabby on the back end and finish.  Not bad for a week night Pinot or a bottle to open with a cheese platter with friends.  This has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Homage to Heritage Pouilly-Fuissé H to H – $15.99

There is just about nothing about this wine on the internet.  This appears to be a “winery direct” wine imported by Total Wine and on the shelf at my local store.  As expected (and probably mandated) by the region, this is 100% Chardonnay.

 

The wine is a bright yellow color.  The inviting nose has apples, white peach, flinty minerals, orange blossoms, lemon zest and ripe melon.  This has medium body with nice acidity.  On the palate tart apples, minerals and white peach jump out on the front end with melon and orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has decent length with a nice shot of mouthwatering lemon zest providing depth.  This doesn’t offer much complexity but it is tasty.  This would be a nice glass to pair with a light meal or to simply sip with friends over a nice conversation.  This has 13% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Bodega Numanthia Termes Toro Termes – $18.99

This is a wine that I generally like in almost all vintages but it’s not a wine I hunt down.  If I can find it at a good price I’ll grab a few bottles.

 

The wine is an inky ruby red.  The sexy nose has black cherries, tobacco, blackberries, white pepper, dried flowers, mocha, vanilla and a touch of earthy underbrush.  This has a fairly full body, moderate tannins and nice acidity.  Intense red and black fruit grabs your palate slowly allowing pepper and mocha to slip in.  On the back end vanilla and some building earthiness enter the picture.  The finish has good length and veers solidly into the earthy spectrum with just a touch of an herbal note coming into play.  This has 15% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Ridge Lytton Springs – $37.99

I can never pick a favorite between Ridge’s Lytton Springs and Geyserville blends.  This vintage is a blend of 71% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah and 6% Carignane

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The invigorating nose has blackberries, melted licorice, dusty minerals, raspberries, cedar, charred wood, dry underbrush, dry dill, espresso beans and wild flowers.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  This is voluptuous and rich on the palate with berries, minerals, raspberries and cedar coming through on the front end and dry underbrush, charred wood and licorice coming in on the back end.  The finish has great length with dry dill, espresso beans and a floral note providing very nice depth.  This has nice richness but with a solid backbone.  This has the balance and stuffing to last in the cellar for several more years.  This kept getting better as the evening wore on.  This wine has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2016 Tormaresca Calafuria Puglia IGT – SRP $16.99

This is a sample that was provided to me for review purposes by the Susan Magrino Agency.

 

This is made from the Negroamaro grape.  I’ve had red wines from the grape but this will be my first Rosé.

 

The wine is a deep pink salmon color.  The fresh and lively nose has strawberries, dry earth, cherries, melon, lemongrass, watermelon and chalky minerals.  This has light to medium body with nice acidity and just a hint of residual sweetness.  On the palate bright red fruit and minerals come through on the front end with dry earth and melon coming in later.  The mouthwatering finish has nice length with watermelon and lemongrass providing depth.  This is very easy to sip on a warm, sunny day but it would also pair nicely with a light meal or appetizer platter.  This has 12% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard – $38.50

This wine is a blend of 87% Zinfandel and 13% Mixed Black Varieties (Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah, Grand Noir, Peloursin, Trousseau noir, Tempranillo, Muscadelle, Malvasia, Muscat, and over 30 other varieties).  The vineyard was planted in 1927.  The winery has undertaken the time consuming job of identifying the variety of every one of the 6000 vines in the vineyard.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The intoxicating nose has brambly berries, black peppercorns, licorice, warm baking spices, pencil shavings, stony minerals, black cherries, scorched earth and violets.  This has a full body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate waves of dark fruit, minerals, baking spices and pencil shavings immediately grab your attention with black pepper and scorched earth coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with licorice and violets providing great depth.  This is a rich, lush and powerful Zinfandel that has great balance.  There is no hurry with this wine, it will drink very nicely through at least the end of the decade, probably even longer.  This has 15.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2017 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

 

 

2016 Steven Kent Lola Ghielmetti Vineyard

2014 Steven Kent Cabernet Franc BDX Collection

2014 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard Series Ghielmetti

2013 Steven Kent Lineage

 

 

 

 

I was recently lucky and grateful to receive some wine samples from the Steven Kent Winery.  These are my first samples from the winery in a few years.  In the past these wines were top notch offerings that would make any meal a special event.

 

 

 

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 at 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, Livermore Valley was already far ahead of its Napa Valley neighbor in specializing in the Bordeaux varieties.  The 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 at 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:

 

 

 

2016 Steven Kent Lola Ghielmetti Vineyard – SRP $24

This wine is a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillion from the winery’s Ghielmetti Vineyard in California’s Livermore Valley.  This wine is a crowd pleaser that will be enjoyed by casual wine drinkers it has the crispness and complexity to please an experienced wine lover’s palate.

 

The varietals were fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks separately for three months before being blended.  The wine did not go through malolactic fermentation so it would retain the fresh, crisp personality of the grapes.  There were only 476 cases produced in this vintage.

 

The wine is a pale yellow with a slight green tint.  The exuberant nose has green apples, lime zest, orange blossoms, white peach, crushed stone minerals, ginger and a hint of green leafy herbs.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity.  On the palate tart green apples, lime zest and crushed stone minerals quickly grab your attention with white peach and ginger coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with orange blossoms and a touch of leafy green herbs providing depth.  This is a very nice, crisp wine perfect for a lighter meal on a sunny day.  This is very easy to enjoy.  This has 13.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Steven Kent Cabernet Franc BDX Collection – SRP $48

All the fruit for this wine comes from a 3.73 acre block in the winery’s Ghielmetti Estate Vineyard.

 

After a 5 to 7 day cold soak and fermentation, the wine had an extended 14 day maceration.  After fermentation, the wine was aged for 20 months in French oak barrels with 30% being new.  The total production was 249 cases.

 

The wine is a nice garnet red color.  The sexy nose has black cherries, plums, dried leafy herbs, sandalwood, dark chocolate, warm baking spices, dry underbrush, licorice, dusty minerals and dried wild flowers.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate nice bright fruit and baking spices quickly grab your attention with dried leafy herbs, sandalwood and dusty minerals coming in on the back end.  The nicely lingering finish is highlighted by dark chocolate, a dried floral note and dry underbrush.  This is the full package for a Cab Franc, nice upfront fruit with spice and herbs on the mid-palate.  This tastes great now but a year or two in the cellar will be warmly rewarded.  This has 13.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard Series Ghielmetti – SRP $65

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the winery’s Ghielmetti Estate Vineyard in the Livermore Valley.

 

After a 5 to 7 day cold soak and fermentation, the wine had an extended 14 day maceration.  After fermentation, the wine was aged for 24 months in mostly new French oak barrels.  The total production was meager 212 cases.

 

The wine is a deep ruby red to maroon color.  The enticing nose has cassis, cherries, spicy oak, baking spices, plums, dried leafy herbs, crushed stones, licorice, scorched earth and violets.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the open and very expressive palate cassis, cherries, baking spices, crushed stones and spicy oak quickly grab your attention on the front end with plums and dried herbs coming in later.  The finish has great length with scorched earth and a nice floral note providing very nice depth.  This tastes great now with some air but some cellar time will be rewarded.  This is a top notch cabernet that will rival any Napa cabernet that costs twice this price.  Needless to say, I love this wine.  This has 13.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Steven Kent Lineage – SRP $155

This vintage of Lineage is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec from the Ghielmetti Estate & Home Ranch Vineyards in the Livermore Valley.  Even though 2013 was one of the best vintages in the Livermore Valley in the past 20 years, extreme sorting and sampling lead to the “declassification” of 95% of the Bordeaux varietals.  This meant the total production of 2013 Lineage was a miniscule 3300 750ml bottles (mine was number 3112).  There were also 60 magnums, 5 double-magnums and 5 five-liter bottles produced.

 

Each vintage of Lineage begins with the evaluation of individual lots of wine after malo-lactic conversion is finished in late winter the year after harvesting. This process will take many months as each barrel in each lot is tasted blind several times before it is deemed of great-enough quality to be considered as part of the Lineage blend. Scores of mock blends later, the final assemblage is made, rebarreled for about six months so that the wine’s components have an opportunity to marry into an elegant whole, then bottled.

 

10 of 13 barrels included in this blend were new French oak (Taransaud, Le Grand, and François Frerès.)  Total aging time was 24 months.

 

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to maroon color.  The incredible nose is full of cassis, warm baking spices, dried herbs, dusty minerals, cedar, violets, dry underbrush, dark bittersweet chocolate, cherries, road tar and freshly ground espresso beans.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and outstanding acidity.  On the palate cassis, minerals, baking spices and dried herbs quickly grab your attention with cedar, cherries, dry underbrush and espresso beans coming in later.  The finish is long and nicely layered with dark chocolate and violets providing good depth.  This wine is a stunner even at this very young period in its evolution.  This wine deserves a year or two in the cellar, even more time will be rewarded.  This is a WOW wine.  This has the balance to age and improve for a long time.  The wine has 14.4% alcohol and the heavy duty, premium bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  I loved this wine, without a doubt my favorite wine this year.  (96 pts)

 

 

 

Conclusions

Across the board these were some of the best wines I have enjoyed this year.  The Lola is a wonderful white wine to enjoy in the waning days of Summer but would also be fantastic any time of the year.  The three red wines, especially the Lineage, would benefit from some cellar time, but with some air would be a welcome addition to your dinner table in the upcoming holiday season.  It was the winery’s aim to showcase the Livermore Valley as a world class region, and in my judgment, they have succeeded.

 

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2017 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

Guy Brunot Champagne Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru

2006 Saxum Syrah Broken Stones

2013 Myriad Cellars Sémillon Tofanelli Vineyard

2008 Scherrer Winery Zinfandel Old and Mature Vines Alexander Valley

2010 Ledge Syrah Adams Ranch Vineyard

2013 Bedrock Wine Co. Albarino Abrente

 

 

 

Guy Brunot Champagne Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru – $28.02

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

In this case, this was a Last Bottle $15 mystery bottle from one of their Marathons.

 

The wine is a light golden yellow color with several streams of pinpoint sized bubbles.  The festive nose has ripe apples, roasted nuts, lemon zest, orange blossoms and stony minerals.  On the palate the front end is dominated by apples and minerals with roasted nuts and orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has decent length with a touch of lemon zest providing some depth.  This bottle seems a bit tired and a little past its prime.  I have one bottle left and will be opening it in the next couple of months in case this is the case.  This has 12% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (85 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Saxum Syrah Broken Stones – $45

This was purchased from Saxum before the winery exploded after one of their wines was named the Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator.  Even before this time, the wines were highly allocated and available only via their mailing list.  Within a couple years the prices escalated to a level more appropriate their quality level.  The ride was fun while it lasted, but prices doubling or tripling within a couple years was a hard pill to swallow.  This is a blend of 63% Syrah, 24% Grenache and 13% Mourvedre.

 

The wine is a deep, inky purple color.  The intense and flamboyant nose is full of blackberries, licorice, crushed stones, scorched earth, violets, raspberries and roasted meat.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  Waves of flavor greet the palate starting with blackberry jam, crushed stones and scorched earth with roasted meat and raspberries slipping in later.  The finish is very long and nicely layered, every sip shows a new nuance.  This isn’t for the faint of heart but the great complexity will convert all but the most die-hard low alcohol fanatics.  This wine was from just before Saxum grabbed the wine world by their palate and their popularity exploded.  Thankfully I was a buyer before the frenzy and subsequent price escalation.  This has 16.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (96 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Myriad Cellars Sémillon Tofanelli Vineyard – $25

This is another winery mailing list I joined in their early days.  Early on, they produced some outstanding Syrah and Cabernet wines but eventually branched out to include a few white wines, such as this one.  This is 100% old vine Sémillon from Vince Tofanelli’s Napa vineyard.  As with most of these mailing list only wines, production was miniscule.  In this case there were only 48 cases produced.

 

The wine is a bright yellow color.  The very fragrant nose has apples, white peach, honeysuckle, lemongrass, lime zest and beeswax.  This has medium to full body with crisp acidity.  On the palate tart apples, white leach and lemongrass jump out quickly on the front end with white peach and honeysuckle coming in later.  The finish lingers nicely with lime zest and beeswax providing good depth.  This is drinking very nicely right now but since this is Sémillon, which tends to age very gracefully, I bet it will last in the cellar through the end of the decade or longer.  This has 14.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Scherrer Winery Zinfandel Old and Mature Vines Alexander Valley – $20

I used to split a friend’s Scherrer allocation in their “Futures Program” when I lived in Wisconsin.  In this program, you paid for the wines early in the year before they were even bottled.  The advantage was you got the wine at a BIG discount.  Usually around $20 for a wine that would sell for $30 to $35.  I used to get three bottles of this wine and three bottles of their Shale Vineyard Zinfandel.  I miss getting these wines at those prices.  The Scherrer zinfandels aren’t big and bold zins, they are much more mild mannered and balanced.  These zins age like a Bordeaux blend.

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The expressive nose has blackberries, tobacco, cedar, baking spices, crushed stone minerals, scorched earth, dried wildflowers and a touch of licorice.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate berries, minerals and baking spices jump out on the front end with cherries, tobacco and dried earth coming in later.  The finish has great length with a nice dried floral note and a hint of cedar providing good depth.  This has great balance and still has a few years in a great drinking window.  No hurry opening this gem.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Ledge Syrah Adams Ranch Vineyard – $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.

 

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

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The very inviting nose has blackberries, crushed stone minerals, smoke, raspberries, baking spices, 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 hang on forever.  This still seems a touch on the young side but already a stunning wine.  This will be a nice one to follow over the next decade, maybe even longer.  This wine has 14.5% abv and is sealed with a natural cork and wax coating.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Bedrock Wine Co. Albarino Abrente – $22

This  was the 5th vintage of this wine made by Michael Havens (the first person to make Albarino in the New World) and Morgan Twain-Peterson.  The wine comes from two sites in the far southern part of Napa Valley.  This vintage consists of almost 60% grapes from the Watson Vineyard, which is planted in limestone.  The fruit from this vineyard adds density and perfume.  This was fermented and aged in stainless steel tank, with no malolactic.

 

The wine is a nice straw yellow color.  The invigorating nose has ripe apple, dusty minerals, lemon zest, white peach, under ripe melon and orange blossoms.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity.  On the palate apples, lemon zest and white peach take control on the front end with minerals and orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a bit of melon joining the apples and lemon zest.  This has great citrusy acidity with enough apple and peach to balance the tartness.  The couple years in the cellar have been very kind to this wine but I’d advise consuming this one over the next year or two.  This has 13% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  You probably noticed some of the wines in this post were purchased from the site.  All of these wines were purchased at a big discount.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2017 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

2014 La Clarine Farm Syrah Sumu Kaw Vineyard

2015 Domaines Arnaud Cuvee Finesse South of France Rosé

2014 Two Hands Shiraz Angels Share

2013 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2012 Casey Flat Ranch Capay Valley

2012 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard

 

 

 

2014 La Clarine Farm Syrah Sumu Kaw Vineyard – $25

This wine comes from a ridgetop vineyard at an elevation of 3000′ planted in volcanic loam soil.  The grapes were harvested in two passes to ensure good ripeness.  After 100% “foot crushing” of the whole clusters, the wine was fermented in open top vats.

 

The wine is a medium garnet color.  The open and giving nose has blackberries, crushed stones, scorched earth, dark roast coffee beans, plums, white pepper, Asian spices and potpourri.  This has medium body with soft tannins and tart acidity.  On the palate tart berries, minerals and plums come through on the front end with white pepper, scorched earth and tart cherries coming in later.  The finish has nice length with dark roast coffee beans and Asian spice providing some depth.  This is lacking some richness and body on the back end and finish, perhaps another year in the cellar will allow the wine to fill out and put on some weight.  This starts out promising but comes up a bit short at this time.  Give this one another year or two in the cellar.  This has 14.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2015 Domaines Arnaud Cuvee Finesse South of France Rosé – $10.19

I can’t find any information on this wine.  This may be a special one time offering with very limited distribution.

 

The wine is a light pink salmon color.  The bright and refreshing nose has strawberries, cherries, crushed stones, white pepper, melon and a touch of green herbs.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and seems to be almost totally dry.  On the palate tart cherries, strawberries and minerals jump out immediately with melon and white pepper coming through later.  The finish has decent length with a hint of green leafy herbs and lime zest providing some depth.  The great acidity makes this a perfect companion to a lighter dinner preferably in a sunny location on a warm day.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Two Hands Shiraz Angels Share – $22.99

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

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The hypnotic nose has blackberries, plums, white pepper, crushed stone minerals, charred wood, dark chocolate, baking spices, wild flowers and dried herbs.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate crushed berries, minerals, baking spices and white pepper quickly take control with wild flowers and charred wood coming in later.  The finish has nice length with dark chocolate and a floral note providing depth.  This is a big, rich Shiraz that doesn’t offer a lot of complexity but is loaded with fruit and spice.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2013 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – $16.99

This 100% Pinot Noir is sourced from several vineyards in the Sonoma Coast region.  The coastal region’s boundary begins at the Mendocino County border, continues along the western coastal edge of Sonoma County through the mouth of the Russian River Valley; and extends to the Los Carneros region on the southern Sonoma/Napa border.

 

The wine is a light to medium ruby color.  The expressive nose has cherries, baking spices, minerals, raspberries, underbrush, white pepper, slight herbal note and cola.  This has a medium body, soft to moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, spice and minerals carry the majority of the load.  There is good length on the finish with some earthiness entering the picture.  This doesn’t offer much in the complexity department but it is a tasty week night pinot.  This wine has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Casey Flat Ranch Capay Valley – $11.50

It was a sad day when I heard the winery closed their doors.  The only saving grace was that Last Bottle Wines swooped in and bout everything that had.  Besides the bottled wines (like this one) they also bought the barrels that were aging at the winery.  Being able to stock up at great prices will allow me to follow the wines in the coming years.

 

This wine is a blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The very open and inviting nose has blackberries, crushed stone minerals, dark roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, scorched earth, cassis, baking spices, cedar and dried violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  The mouth filling palate has spicy blackberries, minerals and dark roast coffee on the front end with scorched earth, cassis and dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish has good length with cedar, baking spices and a dried floral note providing great depth.  This was an absolute steal from Last Bottle.  I would have been happy to get this wine for triple the price.  I will enjoy following this wine over the next several years.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard – $46

This wine is a blend of three Pinot Noir clones, 115, 667, 777.  The wine was aged for 10 months in 100% French oak, 33% new.

 

The wine is a dark ruby red color.  The voluptuous nose is full of black cherries, plums, flinty minerals, black tea leaves, dried wildflowers, blueberries, white pepper and dry earth.  This has a full body with moderate silky tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate waves of fruit and white pepper quickly take control with tea leaves and dried flowers coming in later.  The finish has very good length with blueberries and dry earth providing great depth.  As always, Brian provides his unique interpretation of the Pinot Noir grape.  I know his style turns off some of the purists, but personally, I love his wines…in moderation.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  You probably noticed some of the wines in this post were purchased from the site.  All of these wines were purchased at a big discount.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2017 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

Boisset Saint-Reine Rosé Brut

2012 Terra d’Oro Winery Petite Sirah

2013 Bogle Vineyards Phantom

2014 Château Martinat Blanc Côtes de Bourg

2015 Pierre Chavin Côtes de Provence Pierre & Paul

2012 Murrieta’s Well The Spur

 

 

 

Boisset Saint-Reine Rosé Brut – $11.21

This is a nice pink salmon color with a steady stream of pinpoint bubbles.  The festive nose has strawberries, cherries, orange zest, toasted yeasty bread, lemongrass and a touch of minerality.  This is light and crisp and seems to be mostly dry with great inner mouth effervescence.  On the palate bright strawberries and cherries quickly grab your attention with orange blossoms and a bit of minerality coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a touch of lemongrass providing some depth.  This isn’t the most complex bubbly out there but for the price this offers great QPR.  Pop a cork of this with friends and have a great time.  This has 12.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Terra d’Oro Winery Petite Sirah – $10.19

The winery’s 12 acre Petite Sirah vineyard was planted in 2000 in their Burke Ranch vineyard.  After fermentation is completed the wine is aged for 12 months in second use French and American oak barrels.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The bold nose has blackberries, black peppercorns, baking spices, crushed stone minerals, charred wood, cherry and dried wildflowers.  This has medium to full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate spicy blackberries, pepper, baking spices and minerals quickly jump out on the front end with charred wood and cherries coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a floral note providing some depth.  This isn’t a big and bold style of Petite Sirah but that’s not a bad thing.  For a Petite this is well mannered and very easy to drink.  This has nice balance to pair with a wide variety of food.  I wouldn’t stash this away in the back of the cellar, open this one in the next year or two to enjoy the nice fruit and spice.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Bogle Vineyards Phantom – $16.99

This is another “red blend” that is a palate-pleaser when you want to try “something different”.  This is a blend of 39% Zinfandel, 38% Petite Sirah and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon from vineyards in Lodi, Clarksburg and Amador.

 

The wine is a dark ruby color.  The outgoing nose has crushed berries, mint, cherries, baking spices, white pepper, toasty oak and dried violets.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  Waves of fruit and spice immediately grabs your attention on the palate with white pepper and a touch of mint coming in later.  The finish has nice length with the fruit and spice joined by toasty oak.  This is a take no prisoner style of wine loaded with flavor.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Château Martinat Blanc Côtes de Bourg – $19.80

This is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sauvignon Gris from the commune of Teuillac.  The vines have an average age of 20 years.  The total production was a meager 5,000 bottles.

 

The wine is a very light yellow color with a green tint.  The fresh and appealing nose has apples, lemon zest, a spritz of grapefruit, crushed stones, leafy green herbs and white flowers.  This is barely medium body with great acidity and seems to be totally dry.  Tart apples, lemon zest and crushed stones greet the palate on the front end with grapefruit and a touch of green herbs coming in on the backend.  The long finish leaves your mouth watering for another sip.  A superb bottle of wine.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2015 Pierre Chavin Côtes de Provence Pierre & Paul – $12.99

The is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Cinsault and 20% Syrah.  Besides having “made with organic grapes” prominently on the label in a bold font, there is also an oval sticker on the lower portion of the bottle with “organic wine” featured.  I guess they are attempting to catch the latest trend with some wine buyers.

 

The wine is a light peach color.  The fresh and lively nose has strawberries, white peach, dusty minerals, dry earth, leafy green herbs and melon.  This has light to medium body with nice acidity and seems to be totally dry or very close.  On the palate strawberries, minerals and white peach grab your attention on the front end with leafy herbs and melon coming in later.  The finish has decent length with a nice bitter note joining the picture.  This doesn’t offer a lot of complexity but it is very tasty.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a fake, foamy closure.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Murrieta’s Well The Spur

For this vintage, this perennial personal favorite is a blend of 33% Petite Sirah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec and 3% Merlot.  There were 430 barrels produced so this wine should be available in most areas.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, black cherries, warm baking spices, scorched earth, plums, licorice, black peppercorns and a touch of vanilla bean.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate blackberries, baking spices and plums pop out quickly on the front end with scorched earth, plums and black peppercorns coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with licorice and vanilla providing some depth.  This is starting to get a little shallow on the back end and finish so I’d probably open this one in the next year or two.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2017 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

2016 Estate Crush Albariño Lodi

2016 Klinker Brick Albariño Lodi

2016 Mettler Family Vineyards Albariño Estate Grown

 

 

This post is based on samples that were provided to me.

 

These wines were provided to me for International Albariño Day which was on August 1st.  Since Lodi always raises the bar a notch or two, they turned the day into a long weekend.  Six Lodi wineries, Bokisch Vineyards, Dancing Coyote Wines, Estate Crush, Klinker Brick Winery, Mettler Family Vineyards and Oak Farm Vineyards hosted festivities and special tastings from August 4th to the 6th.

 

Albariño [al-bah-ree-nyoh] is one of the major grape varietals grown in Spain.  The Rias Baixas region is the “home base” for the grape.  The grape occupies 90% of the 8,650 acres of vines planted in Rias Baixas by thousands of independent growers.  This is a thick skinned grape that creates fragrant and floral wines with crisp acidity.

 

Even though the Lodi region is a long way from Rias Baixas, the wines produced here retain the characteristics of their Spanish counterparts but with a touch more ripeness while at the same time maintaining the crisp acidity that allows the wines to be served with a wide range of dishes.  The wine shines when paired with fish and shellfish.

 

For a great, all inclusive look at Lodi, visit the Lodi Wine site.

 

 

Here is my line-up for this tasting:

 

 

 

2016 Estate Crush Albariño Lodi – SRP $18

The grapes for this wine come from the epicenter of Albariño in Lodi, Bokisch Vineyards.  The vines are 12 years old and planted in volcanic, gravelly grey loom.  After fermentation, malolactic fermentation was blocked to retain the fresh, crisp acidity.  The wine was aged in 100% stainless steel.  The total production was a miniscule 84 cases.

 

Estate Crush is a custom winemaking operation in downtown Lodi that handles growers desires to make wines from their grapes.  They can process anything from one barrel of wine up to 20 ton lots.  The facility was founded in Spring 2009 and opened in December 2011 and is currently the “home” of 35 brands and 88 wines.

 

More information on the facility is available on their website by clicking here.

 

This is a light yellow color with a slight green tint.  The fresh and vibrant nose has green apples, white peach, unripe pineapple, orange blossoms, melon, fresh leafy herbs, lavender, lemon zest and a touch of sea breeze.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and seems to be totally dry.  On the palate tart green apples, pineapple and orange blossoms grab your attention on the front end with white peach and lavender coming in later.  The finish has great length with leafy herbs and mouthwatering lemon zest providing nice depth.  This is a really nice Albariño that would be perfect on a warm, sunny day.  This is very easy to kick back and sip.  This has 13.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2016 Klinker Brick Albariño Lodi – SRP $15

The grapes for this 100% Albariño come from the Mokelumne River appellation in Lodi and were harvested on August 11, 2016.

 

Klinker Brick is owned by Steve and Lori Felten, fifth generation grape growers in the Lodi region.  In the early days, the grapes were picked and packed in boxes that were shipped to the east coast and Canada for home winemakers.  In the late 1980s the winery upgraded their processes and equipment to reduce yields but greatly increase the quality of their grapes.  A few years later the family added winemaking to their resume and released their first vintage of wine.

 

Much more information on Klinker Brick and the Felten family is available on their website by clicking here.

 

The wine is a pale greenish yellow color.  The bright and lively nose has green apples, white peach, lemon peel with some pith, dusty minerals, melon, tangerine and a touch of leafy green herb.  This has light to medium body with great acidity.  On the palate tart green apples, minerals and melon jump out quickly with lemon zest and minerals slipping in on the back end.  The mouthwatering finish has very good length with tangerine, lemon pith and a touch of leafy herb providing very nice depth.  The bright citrus makes this a delightful wine to sip alone or with a light meal on a sunny day.  I liked the slight bitter bite on the finish.  I’d love to kick back and sip this on the deck during the upcoming eclipse.  This has 13.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2016 Mettler Family Vineyards Albariño Estate Grown – SRP $20

The winery says this wine “pairs perfectly with a good time”, I have to wholeheartedly agree.

 

The Mettler family have been growing grapes in the region for six generations.  The family’s organically farmed vineyards have produced many great wines over the years and their sustainable practices mean continued quality in the coming years.  The Mettler family have roots in the wine industry dating back into the 1770s.  The family planted their first vineyard in Lodi in late 1800s.  As with most Lodi grape growers, for most of their history the grapes were sold to other producers but in 2001 the family produced and released their first estate wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

One of my stops in a visit to Lodi last year was at the winery.  These are top notch grape growers and winemakers but more importantly they are friendly and knowledgeable first class people.  Much more information on the winery, the Mettler family and their history is available by clicking here.

 

The wine is a light yellow color.  the outgoing and vibrant nose has green apples, pears, chalky minerals, lime zest, spring flowers, melon and a touch of fresh leafy herbs.  This is barely medium body with crisp acidity and seems to be totally dry.  On the palate tart apples and pears are joined by minerals on the front end with melon and a nice floral note coming in on the back end.  The finish lingers nicely with a hint of leafy herbs and a nice jolt of mouthwatering lime zest.  This has enough body to stand up to a slightly heartier dish but with enough acidity to keep it bright and lively.  In my case, it paired wonderfully with pasta tossed with some garlic olive oil topped with a few slices of baked tomatoes that were topped with some fresh basil and oregano.  I really like this wine.  This has 13.8% alcohol and the bottle (which is one of the nicer I’ve seen) is sealed with a twist off closure.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

Pairing Suggestion

Here is a quick and easy meal that pairs nicely with any of these wines.

 

Slice a vine ripened tomato into 1/2″ slices.

Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the slices and sprinkle with fresh basil, oregano and garlic.

Bake the slices in a 350 degree over for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle a touch of cheese over the slices and return to the oven for 3 minutes to melt the cheese.

Place the tomatoes over pasta that was tossed with some olive oil (and any juice from the baked tomatoes)

Serve with some shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a slice of garlic bread to soak up the juice and olive oil.

 

For added garlic flavor we prefer to use a garlic-olive oil.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion and recommendations

In my opinion, Albariño has found a new home in Lodi.  The perfect growing conditions allow the grapes to ripen at their pace allowing them to be harvested with great flavor and concentration but with the crisp acidity the wines need to be fresh and vibrant.  These are very easy to enjoy wines that pair very nicely with a wide array of lighter, warm weather meals.  These are all wines made with pride by families who either grow their own grapes or buy them from “friends”.  The over riding thing I learned during my visit is this region performs like one big team.  Everyone from the grape growers to the winery owners are equals when it comes to producing these world class wines.  The wines in this post are generally not available at you local wine store.  They are available via the winery’s websites or from the Lodi Wine & Visitor Center.

 

 

If you want to plan a trip to Lodi, which I highly recommend, your first step should be to visit the Lodi Wine Site.  If you find yourself in Lodi and want to sip some wine, buy some wine or look for recommendations, I encourage you to visit them at:

Lodi Wine & Visitor Center

2545 West Turner Road

Lodi, CA 95242

Phone: (209) 367-4727

Email: lwwc@lodiwine.com

 

This is also a great place to buy Lodi wines.  They have an extensive inventory of wines that you can have shipped to your home.

 

 

 

 

 

Lodi Information

Lodi is just east of San Francisco and has provided grapes for producers all over the world since the 1800’s.  The Lodi area has provided grapes for producers all over the world for decades, and many families in Lodi have been growing grapes for six and seven generations.  Today, there are approximately 85 wineries and tasting rooms, over 750 growers and more than 100,000 acres planted to vineyards.  The wines we tasted commemorate the heritage of Lodi and are not only exquisite, but tell a narrative.

 

It is a well-known fact that Lodi is predominantly a red wine region, proudly holding the self-proclaimed title of “Zinfandel Capital of the World”.  What is lesser known is that Lodi’s unique Mediterranean climate allows for over 75 different varietals to thrive.

 

Tons of great and useful information is available on the Wines of Lodi, LOCA website.  I highly encourage you to read about the area by clicking here.  You can also follow Lodi on Twitter at @Lodi_Wine.

 

 

Lodi Green Program

The Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing is California’s first 3rd party-certified sustainable winegrowing program.  Originally launched in 2005, over the past two years the program went through and extensive review to update and make standards more rigorous.

 

The Lodi Rules takes a comprehensive approach to farming that goes beyond just pest management to promote practices that enhance biodiversity, water and air quality, soil health, and employee and community well-being.  This allows us to produce higher quality wines more reflective of the places and people that grow them.  It gives you the opportunity to promote responsible farming by enjoying the great wines from these vineyards.

 

When you drink a certified sustainably grown Lodi wine, you are supporting a farmer, a vintner, and a community that embraces its responsibility to take care of the environment.

 

Visit the Lodi Certified Green site for more information on the region’s sustainable winegrowing.

 

 

 

 

Calhoun & Company enjoys a diverse portfolio of wine and spirits clients. From family owned to corporate managed, luxury to everyday priced, small lot wines to nationally distributed, Napa to Oporto, we thrive on the varied media opportunities each of these categories presents. We are exceptionally proud of the breadth and depth of our practice, as illustrated by this partial list of brands we have worked with over the past 13 years.  For more information, visit their website.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2017 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

2015 Parducci True Grit Reserve Chardonnay

2013 Parducci True Grit Reserve Red

2015 Parducci True Grit Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

(This is based on samples provided by the winery or an entity acting on their behalf)

 

 

 

About Parducci and Mendocino Wine Company

 

This years marks Parducci Wine Cellar’s 85th anniversary, the longest running winery in Mendocino County.  The Thornhill family own and operate the winery, as with any family owned business, dedication to the land and people associated with the operation is the number one priority.  For example, the head winemaker, Bob Swain, is celebrating his 20th year in the position.

 

The Thornhill family continues the tradition of sustainable wine growing and land use practices.  They have created an example for how to leave the world a little better than they found it.  In recognition of their leadership, the State of California three times (2007, 2009 & 2014) awarded Parducci Wine Cellars with the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA), California’s highest environmental honor.

 

 

 

“Boldly expressive of rich character, True Grit RESERVE wines are the product of very selective fruit sourcing and hands-on winemaking.  Each vintage gives the full range of expression for a fearlessly distinct wine.”

 

The True Grit line of reserve wines use only the best fruit from the finest vineyards in Mendocino County.  This is the 10th vintage for the True Grit Reserve line of wines.

 

 

Here is my line up for this tasting:

 

 

2015 Parducci True Grit Reserve Chardonnay – SRP $17.99

This wine is 100% Mendocino County grown Chardonnay.  The wine was aged in 93% new French oak and 7% stainless steel tanks.

 

The wine is a straw yellow color.  The sexy nose has apples, pears, dead wood embers, lemon zest, spring flowers and a touch of spicy oak.  This has medium body with crisp acidity and a slightly creamy mouth feel.  This has nice upfront white fruit and spicy oak with spring flowers and a bit of charred wood coming in later.  The crisp and lingering finish is highlighted with mouthwatering lemon zest.  This has the body and acidity to be a very nice accompaniment to a wide range of dishes.  I’m not a big fam of oaky Chardonnay wines but in this case the spicy oak provides nice depth and spice without stealing the spotlight from the bright fruit.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Parducci True Grit Reserve Red – SRP $19.99

This is a red blend that uses some decidedly “outside the box” varietals.  This is a blend of 29% Carignan, 28% Zinfandel, 16% Grenache,  10% Syrah, 9% Petite Sirah, 4% Souzão, 2% Tinto Cão and 2% Touriga Nacional.  The grapes are 100% from Mendocino County.  The wine was aged for 12 months in 40% seasoned oak barrels and 60% neutral tanks.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The mysterious nose has plums, black cherries, tobacco, crushed stone minerals, dark chocolate, blueberries, baking spices, coconut and dry underbrush.  This has medium to full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate dark fruit, tobacco, baking spices and tobacco jump out on the front end with dark chocolate, blueberries and dry underbrush coming in later.  The finish has nice length with dark chocolate and a touch of coconut providing depth.  This is a fairly big and bold wine that would go nicely with something hot off the grill.  I wouldn’t stash this in the cellar, open this over the next few years and enjoy the dark fruit and spice.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2015 Parducci True Grit Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – SRP $19.99

This 100% Mendocino wine includes 1% Petit Verdot.  The wine was aged for 6 months in French oak, 35% new.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The expressive nose has cassis, scorched earth, cherry, eucalyptus, freshly ground espresso beans, chalky minerals, dark chocolate and a touch of licorice.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cassis, chalky minerals, espresso beans and scorched earth quickly jump out on the front end with cherry and dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with scorched earth and chalky minerals moving into the foreground with the fruit in the background providing nice supporting sweetness.  This could use a bit of time in the cellar or some air and a nice piece of grilled meat.  This is a very nice bottle of Cabernet for around $20.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

Conclusion

These are all very nice, well balanced wines that are reasonably priced.  Any would be a welcome addition to your dinner table.

 

 

 

 

About Balzac

BALZAC is a marketing communications agency with a no-nonsense approach to combining the strategies and tactics of marketing, public relations, advertising and graphic design to achieve the marketing goals of our clients.

 

The experience, creativity and determination of our staff distinguish BALZAC from our competition. We use these assets to develop and execute cost-effective campaigns which have won international communications awards.

 

The results speak for themselves.

 

The agency is located in Napa, California, and provides services to national, regional, and local companies based in Northern California and throughout the world.

 

For more information on Balzac, please click here.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2017 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

2014 Giesen Sauvignon Blanc

2007 Agharta Wines Black Label

2016 Villa Creek Rosé

2012 Kessler-Haak Pinot Noir Ohana

2012 Columbia Crest H3 Les Chevaux

2006 Rudius Syrah Spirit Rock Alder Springs

 

 

 

2014 Giesen Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough – $11.04

This wine is made from a blend of grapes from 60 vineyards spread across the length and breadth of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley.  This vintage also has a small selection of fruit from the more southern Awatere Valley.

 

The wine is a pale yellow with a green tint.  The invigorating and refreshing nose has tart green apples, lemongrass, lime zest and a hint of green pea.  This has light body with crisp acidity and seems to be totally dry.  On the palate tart apples, lemongrass and a touch of green pea come through on the front end with lime zest coming in later.  The finish has nice length with lemongrass and crisp lime zest leaving your mouth watering for another sip.  This may not be loaded with complexity but the bright flavors and crisp acidity make it a winner on a sunny day.  This is very easy to sip.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Agharta Wines Black Label – $75

First some info for the wine geeks from the winery:

This wine spent 57 months in barrel, 55% was new French oak.  The final selection process yielded only a 20 barrel-lot, which is composed of 100% Alder Springs fruit.  Eleven of the selected barrels were new in 2007, from coopers Darnajou, Ermitage, François Frère & Meyrieux, the remaining barrels were of varying ages, but all were essentially neutral when the wine went into them.  Four of the barrels were co-fermented with Viognier and they were clearly loaded with a succulent lift in their aromas.  Only two of the barrels came from fruit that was de-stemmed.  The freshest and most concentrated barrels included 100% whole-clusters, with some of the more open knit and exotic barrels having received some partial de-stemming, giving them some more evolved and exotic characteristics, that worked well in the final blend.

This is 98% Syrah and 2% Viognier.  85% were whole-cluster.

 

The wine is a deep, inky purple color.  The sexy nose has blackberries, blueberries, charcoal, dark bittersweet chocolate, road tar, plums, violets, licorice and black pepper.  This has a full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  A barrage of berries, charcoal, dark chocolate and road tar quickly engulf your palate on the front end with plums, charcoal and black pepper coming in later.  The long finish adds licorice and a nice floral note.  This is a loaded wine but with the structure and savory notes that keep it out of the “fruit bomb” category.  This isn’t for you if you are looking for a lighter style of nuanced wine.  This will last in the cellar for several more years but I wouldn’t plan on cellaring it for an extended length of time, this needs opened before the acidity and tannin levels decrease to the point they can’t support the body and flavor, figure 5 to 7 more years.  This has 15.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2016 Villa Creek Rosé – $19.20

Villa Creek (as well as Bedrock) are the two wineries that always receive an order from me for their Rosé wine.  Villa Creek is a personal favorite winery of mine.  They are located in Paso Robles and utilize some of the “big name” vineyards in the region as well as their own vineyards.  To me, they make some of the best, reasonably priced red wines coming out of Paso Robles.

 

This vintage is a blend of 75% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache and 5% Carignan from Luna Matta and Denner Vineyards in Paso Robles.

 

The wine is a salmon pink color.  The intoxicating nose has cherries, strawberries, crushed stone minerals, wildflowers, peaches, subtle dry earth and orange zest.  On the palate red fruit and minerals quickly grab your attention with peaches and wildflowers coming in later.  The juicy finish has very good length with nice depth being provided by orange zest and a hint of dry earthiness.  The is crisp, clean and dry, perfect for a warm afternoon lunch or lighter dinner on the deck or patio.  This has 13.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Kessler-Haak Pinot Noir Ohana – $25

This is a new winery for me.  I would take the review below with a grain of salt, even though the bottle didn’t show serious leakage, there was a distinct “red line” extending the length of the cork it may have been subjected to some heat.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The deep and mysterious nose has black cherries, blackberries, earthy underbrush, dark chocolate, white pepper, baking spices, dead wood embers and dried flowers.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate dark fruit, baking spices and earthy underbrush quickly jump out on the front end with dark chocolate and wood embers coming in later.  The finish has nice length with white pepper and a dried floral note providing some depth.  This would be hard, if not impossible, to guess it was a Pinot Noir.  This could use a bit more acidity to help keep the big body and flavors in check.  This has 14.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Columbia Crest H3 Les Chevaux – $12.74

This wine is a blend of 60% Syrah, 27% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Viognier, 2% Malbec and 3% Other Varietals.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The open and giving nose has blackberries, black cherries, plums, baking spices, scorched earth and roasted leafy herbs.  This has medium to full body with soft tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate dark fruit and baking spices come through on the front end with scorched earth coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a roasted herb note providing some depth.  This doesn’t offer a lot in the complexity department but the big flavors and the low price point make this a winner to serve to a gathering of friends or a leisurely weeknight meal.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Rudius Syrah Spirit Rock Alder Springs – $45

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.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The deep and dark 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 drinking very nicely right now but a touch of alcohol pokes through at times so I’d advise opening this one in the next couple of years before it becomes more prominent.  This has 15.7% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  Some of the wines in this post may have purchased from the site.  All of these wines were purchased at a big discount.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2017 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

2009 August Kesseler Riesling R

2012 Robert Hunter Vin Rouge of Field Four

2014 Angeline Winery Pinot Noir Reserve

2013 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer

2011 Evening Land Vineyards Pinot Noir La Source Seven Springs Vineyard

1992 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese Fuder #8

 

 

 

2009 August Kesseler Riesling R – $11.39

Riesling is my favorite white wine, by a wide margin.  This versatile grape can produce wines that range from crisp dry wines with steely acidity to rich and luscious sweet wines.  The natural acidity and sweetness mean these wine will age elegantly in your cellar for decades.

 

The wine is a light yellow to straw color.  The fresh smelling nose has apples, juicy peaches, minerals, orange blossoms, lemon zest and a touch of petrol.  This has light to medium body, crisp acidity and just a bit of residual sweetness.  On the palate the apples and peaches jump out first with minerals coming into the picture followed by some nice tart citrus zest.  The finish is very tasty but a touch short.  This does not offer a lot of complexity but is still very tasty.  A nice German Riesling for just a bit over $10.  This has 10.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Robert Hunter Vin Rouge of Field Four – $15

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

In this case, this was a Last Bottle $15 mystery bottle from one of their Marathons.

 

This is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot that was 18 months in French oak barrels.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The deep and dark nose has blackberries, black cherries, crushed stone minerals, baking spices, roasted herbs and dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has a full body with soft tannins and low acidity.  On the palate dark fruit, baking spices and minerals grab you on the front end with dark chocolate and roasted herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length but gets soft.  This really could use a serious jolt of acidity to help hold the big flavors in check.  This would be a hit at a party to sip over conversation with friends that don’t like big tannins or acidity.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (85 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Angeline Winery Pinot Noir Reserve – $12.85

Angeline is owned by Courtney Benham and is a “sister” winery to Martin Ray and Courtney Benham.  The winery was founded in 1990.  This wine is 100% Pinot Noir with 40% of the grapes from Mendocino County, 35% from Sonoma County and 25% from Monterey County.

 

This wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The inviting nose has black cherries, white pepper, blackberries, dry underbrush, crushed stones and dried violets.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate black cherries and dry earthy underbrush jump out on the front end with white pepper and cranberries coming in later.  The finish has decent length with crushed stones and a floral note providing some depth.  This doesn’t offer a lot in the complexity department but for the money this will work nicely with a weeknight meal. This has 13.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer – SRP $27.99

Zind-Humbrecht is one of the major produces in the region.  The family has been growing grapes since the 17th century.  This wine comes from a gravelly vineyard on the valley floor.  The vines average 44 years old.

 

The wine is a bright yellow color with a slight green tint.  The stunning nose has peaches, lychee, honey, leafy green herbs, pink grapefruit, orange blossoms, lemon zest and crushed stone minerals.  This has medium body with a bit of residual sweetness and nice acidity.  Lychee, peach, pink grapefruit and orange blossoms greet the palate on the front end with honey, minerals and leafy herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with zippy lemon zest balancing out the lingering sweetness.  This is a rich and luxurious wine that is drinking very nicely today but will last in the cellar until at least the end of the decade, probably longer.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Evening Land Vineyards Pinot Noir La Source Seven Springs Vineyard – $28.71

The vineyard where the grapes are grown are comprised of a blend of old vines and new that are farmed organically & biodynamically in rocky, shallow soil.  The grapes were hand-picked, hand-sorted, de-stemmed and began to ferment naturally after a 4-5 day cold soak in our open top oak and concrete fermenters. There were twice-daily gentle punch-downs throughout the fermentation to help the soft extraction of the tannins.  After fermentation, the wine was aged in French oak barrels (30% new) for 16 months.   This wine was then bottled unfined on April 15, 2013.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The enticing nose has cherries, baking spices, earthy underbrush, white pepper, wild flowers, wet stone minerals, black raspberries and roasted leafy herbs.  This is barely medium body with soft to moderate silky tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, baking spices and wet stones quickly take hold on the front end with white pepper and earthy underbrush coming in later.  The finish has very good length with roasted herbs and black raspberries entering the picture.  This tastes great now with some air but will be better in a year or two.  This has outstanding balance and is built to age.  The wine has 12.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

1992 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese Fuder #8 – $38.61

As is usual for a lot of the smaller, European wineries, not a lot of information seems to be available on the internet.  It’s not everyday you can sip a 25 year old white wine, especially one as pristine as this bottle.

 

The wine is a medium golden yellow color.  The fresh smelling nose has apples, pears, honey, petrol, minerals, Spring flowers, pineapple, lemon zest and a touch of spice.  This has light to medium body with very nice acidity and a ton of richness.  The sugar and acidity have melded into a very nice, rich, silky wine.  On the palate the rich, honey dipped apples and pineapple are joined with minerals and a touch of spice with a bit of citrusy acidity coming in on the back end. The finish has nice length and ends with a touch of flinty minerality and citrus zest.  Very nice and at a peak drinking window.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  You probably noticed some of the wines in this post were purchased from the site.  All of these wines were purchased at a big discount.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!