2011 Elyse Zinfandel Morisoli Vineyard

2015 Gérard Bertrand Cote des Roses

2013 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Blanc Reserve En Bonbonne

2004 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah

2014 Bedrock Wine Co. Mourvedre Ode to Lulu Old Vine Rosé

2013 Cosa Obra Pinot Noir

 

 

 

2011 Elyse Zinfandel Morisoli Vineyard – $17.31

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.

 

This wine is a blend of 87% Zinfandel, 13% combination of Alicante Bouschet, Carignane, Durif, Grand Noir, Muscat Hamburg, Négrette, Syrah, and Valdiguié.  Elyse has been making Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard since 1986 and have been the only producer using these grapes since 1988.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The captivating nose has brambly berries, black peppercorns, dusty minerals, scorched earth, baking spices, dark chocolate, cherries, violets and just a hint of roasted leafy herbs.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate brambly berries, baking spices and dusty minerals immediately jump out with spicy oak, black pepper and cherries coming in later.  The finish has nice length with some subtle earthiness joining a floral note and dark chocolate to add solid depth.  This is a well balanced, food friendly Zinfandel to enjoy over the remainder of the decade.  This wine has 14.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2015 Gérard Bertrand Cote des Roses – $11.49

This is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah.

 

The three grape varietals are harvested separately when they reach the desired level of ripeness, not all at the same time.  The grapes are machine harvested and contains a built-in sorting system.

 

The wine is a bright pink salmon color.  The tantalizing nose has raspberry, white peach, white pepper, cherries, minerals, orange zest and a hint of leafy herbs.  This has medium body with a creamy texture and nice acidity.  On the palate bright fruit and minerals take control on the front end with white pepper and leafy herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a bit of orange zest providing some depth.  Not a lot of complexity but tasty.  This would be perfect for a light lunch on the deck or patio on a sunny day.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a glass stopper.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Blanc Reserve En Bonbonne – SRP $50

This was a sample provided by the winery or a company working on their behalf.

 

This wine is a blend of 55% Roussanne, 26% Grenache Blanc and 19% Picpoul Blanc and is the winery’s homage to the complex blended wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

 

The wine is a very light yellow color with a slight green tint.  The intriguing nose has apple, honeysuckle, lemon zest, pears, chalky minerals, beeswax, orange blossoms and a hint of leafy herbs.  This is creamy and medium bodied on the palate with enough acidity to keep it lively.  On the palate apples, pears and chalky minerals quickly grab control on the front end with orange blossoms and lemon zest slipping in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with a leafy herb note providing depth.  This is in a very nice drinking window right now and it should hold for another few years.  This has 14.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.   (92 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah – $28.80

This has been a favorite Petite Sirah since I first visited the winery well over a decade ago.  I always encourage friends to visit the winery since a visit usually includes barrel tasting at least a few of their wines.  On one visit, we must have tasted wines from a dozen different barrels.

 

This is the winery’s “signature” wine.  It is a blend of several different blocks that surround the winery.  I’ve always felt a winery’s best looking vineyard was the one around the winery and tasting room, this is, in most cases, a person’s first impression of the winery.  Great looking and well maintained vineyards will greatly improve a potential buyer’s impression of the winery.  Conversely, if the vineyard and grapes don’t look appealing, a person’s first impression may be a negative one.

 

The wine is a dark purple to black color with no signs that it’s 13 years old.  The intoxicating nose has blackberries, black pepper, warm baking spices, cedar, well worn leather and just a hint of adhesive tape.  This has medium to full body, moderate tannins and good acidity.  The palate is dominated by spicy, peppery berries on the front end with a touch of cedar coming in late.  The finish has very good length with a hint of adhesive tape.  The wine does seem to have a touch of brett but only in a good way, like a lot of the Rhone wines.  This still seems to have years of life left if stored in a decent cellar.  This has 14.8% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Bedrock Wine Co. Mourvedre Ode to Lulu Old Vine Rosé – $19.00

This rosé comes from vines planted before 1940.  The grapes were picked specifically for rosé and was not created to “beef up” a red wine, a practice at some wineries.  The majority of this wine is old vine Mourvedre with small amounts of Cemetary Vineyard Carignane and fruit from Evangelho Vineyard.  This is one of my Go-To rosé wines every year.

 

The wine is a deep pink salmon color.  The very inviting nose has strawberry, cherry, crushed stone minerals, white pepper, orange blossoms and just a hint of dry earth.  This is barely medium body with very nice acidity.  On the palate nice red fruit and minerals  quickly grab your attention with white pepper and orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has good length with just a hint of earthiness providing depth.  This is one of my go-to Summer sippers.  This has 12.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Cosa Obra Pinot Noir – $22.40

This 100% Pinot Noir is a blend of 56% Carneros and 44% Russian River Valley.  The wine was aged for 12 months in 100% French oak, 30% new.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The slightly shy nose has cherries, baking spices, white pepper, tobacco and dry underbrush.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  This is much more open on the palate with cherries, white pepper and minerals on the front end with tobacco and baking spices coming in later.  The finish has decent length with cranberries and dry underbrush entering the picture.  This wine has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2013 Bokisch Vineyards Tempranillo

2014 Mettler Family Vineyards Pinotage Lodi

2011 Bokisch Vineyards Garnacha Terra Alta Vineyard

2014 Macchia Sangiovese Amorous Lodi

2015 Michael Klouda Wines Hatterle Zinfandel Lodi

2014 Ironstone Vineyards Cabernet Franc

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Syrah 6th Sense Lodi

2012 Uvaggio (L’Uvaggio di Giacomo) Barbera Lodi

2013 Borra Vineyards Old Vine Barbera

 

 

This post includes a mix of wines from my cellar that I purchased and samples that were provided to me.  I have the samples clearly stated as samples and show the suggested retail prices.  Some were from my cellar, some were purchased during my recent tour of Lodi and some were purchased after I returned.  I write about wines but I am also a collector and wine consumer.  I may write about some wines that are provided to me but I buy the wines I want to drink.  Here are some of the wines from Lodi that are now part of my cellar.

 

 

I had the extreme good fortune to be invited on a Press Trip to Lodi last September and it was a wonderful trip.  I had been a fan of Lodi Wines before the trip but now I am a fan of the people of Lodi.  The growers are outstanding people with a true dedication to tending to their vines and producing some of the best grapes in the world.  The winery owners and winemakers treat the grapes with the respect they deserve and produce some of the best wines in the world.  If you think Lodi means big, burly red wines, you owe it to yourself to revisit the area.  Besides the big red wines, the area produces outstanding, lighter bodied, nuanced red wines and some of the best white and rose wines in the world.

 

 

 

2013 Bokisch Vineyards Tempranillo – SRP $23

This is based on a sample provided to me but this is a personal favorite.  I have a couple bottles in my cellar that I purchased before this sample arrived.

 

This wine includes a touch of Graciano.

 

Bokisch Vineyards is one of my favorite Lodi wineries.  The winery specializes in Spanish varietals.  If you ever find yourself in Lodi, I highly recommend a stop at Bokisch.  Besides their top notch red wines, they make some of the best white wines anywhere.  Much more information is available on the Bokisch website.

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The exotic nose has black cherries, crushed stone minerals, baking spices, blackberries, dry underbrush, roasted leafy herbs, wildflowers, white pepper and a touch of dark roast coffee beans.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  Tart black cherries, baking spices, underbrush and wildflowers immediately grab your attention on the palate with minerals, tart berries and roasted herbs coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with dark roasted coffee beans and white pepper providing nice depth.  This has great balance and is very easy to enjoy.  Who says Lodi only makes big, bold red wines?  This is full of subtle nuances with no rough edges.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Mettler Family Vineyards Pinotage Lodi – SRP $25

Pinotage is an rare grape in California.  In the entire state there are only 58 acres of Pinotage vines and the Mettlers have 4 of these acres.

 

The Mettler family has been growing grapes for 8 generations and in Lodi for over 5 generations.  The grapes the family produced were sold to other well known wineries.  In 2001 the family started the winery and released their inaugural wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon.  Much more information on the family, the winery and their history is available on their website.

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The inviting nose has crushed berries, underbrush, baking spices, dark roasted coffee beans, dried herbs, cherries and dry loam soil.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate crushed berries, underbrush, coffee beans and dried herbs take over on the front end with loamy soil and baking spices coming in later.  The finish has good length with berries and earthiness lingering nicely.  With out a doubt one of the best Pinotage wines I have ever tasted.  It seems like the grape could have a future in Lodi.  This is a nice wine, not a novelty.  This has 14.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Bokisch Vineyards Garnacha Terra Alta Vineyard – $12.12

This bottle was purchased 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.

 

Markus Bokisch was raised in California but spent his childhood summers in Spain with his family.  In 1992 Liz & Markus Bokisch moved to Spain and worked in the Spanish wine industry.  Upon returning to California, they quickly purchased the Terra Alta Vineyards property.  Using the connections they formed while living and working in Spain, they began importing “budwood” and planted the Las Cerezas Vineyard.  They produced their first vintage under the Bokisch label on 2001.

 

The wine is a bright red color.  The enticing nose has cherries, crushed blackberries, baking spices, white pepper, crushed stone minerals, dried violets and dry underbrush.  This has medium body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate ripe cherries, berries and white pepper come through on the front end with dried flowers, baking spices and minerals coming in later.  The finish has good length with cherries and dry underbrush carrying the load.  This is in a prime drinking window and should hold for a few years.  This is another wine that shows the diversity and quality of wines being produced in Lodi.  This wine is a steal at the SRP of $20.  This wine has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Macchia Sangiovese Amorous Lodi – $21.99

This is another wine from Lodi I picked up at Total Wine in Columbia after returning from my trip to Lodi.  I loved my visit to Macchia and highly recommend trying any you may see on a shelf.  I’m thankful the local Total Wine carries several Macchia wines.

 

Besides the usual Lodi wine suspects, Macchia produces several wines from Italian varietals.  A stop at the “man cave” tasting area at Macchia should be on your short list of places to visit in Lodi.  Additional information about the winery is available on their website.

 

This wine is a fairly deep ruby color.  The sexy nose has cherries, warm baking spices, raspberries, dry earthy underbrush, violets, dusty minerals and a touch of licorice.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate this wine is full of rich fruit, spices and earthiness on the front end with minerals and a nice floral note on the back end.  The long, lingering finish closes with a hint of orange zest.  This is nothing like an Italian Sangiovese but the wine world would be a boring place if every wine made from a specific grape tasted the same no matter where it was grown.  This demands a hearty meal, think pasta with a meat sauce or a pizza with plenty of pepperoni and sausage.  This has 16.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2015 Michael Klouda Wines Hatterle Zinfandel Lodi – SRP $26

This “own rooted” vineyard was planted in 1930, Mr Hatterle has been farming the vineyard for almost 50 years.

 

I’ve now had the opportunity to try a couple Michael Klouda wines and both have left me VERY impressed.  In my opinion, we will hear more about the winery in the coming years.  More information on Michael, the winery and the wines is available on their website.

 

The wine is a garnet color.  The sensuous nose has brambly berries, black peppercorns, baking spices, scorched earth, violets and licorice.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart berries, black pepper and baking spices take control on the front end with scorched earth coming in later.  The finish has very good length with a nice floral note providing some depth.  This is a stylish and refined Zinfandel, not a burly beast.  This food friendly and balanced wine would be a nice companion with your dinner.  I like this style of Zinfandel more than the ones that push the ripeness levels to the extreme.  This has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Ironstone Vineyards Cabernet Franc – $9.49

Ironstone Vineyards is a family owned winery that we visited during our Lodi excursion.  The Kautz family were gracious hosts during the visit.  I enjoyed their entire line-up of value priced wines.  The quality of the wines far exceeded the “low price of admission”.  To me, their Petite Sirah and this Cabernet Franc were the standouts.  I like the wine enough to include a few bottles in the case I bought soon after returning home.  Visit the Ironstone Vineyards website for a ton more information on the winery, family and the wines.

 

This wine is 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alta Mesa and Sloughhouse AVAs in Lodi.  The wine gets a brief two month aging in new French oak.

 

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The very approachable nose has crushed berries, stony minerals, dried leafy herbs, vanilla, cedar and wild flowers.  This has medium body with soft tannins and good acidity.  On the palate juicy berries, vanilla and dried herbs dominate the front end with toasty cedar coming in on the back end.  The fruit laden finish has nice length.  This isn’t a wine to lay down, I’d drink this one on the younger side while the fruit is crisp and fresh.  Open this one with a juicy burger hot off the grill or even better with a platter of cheeses and meats with a few friends.  This wine is a steal if you can find it for around $10.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an artificial cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Syrah 6th Sense Lodi – $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)

 

 

 

2012 Uvaggio (L’Uvaggio di Giacomo) Barbera Lodi – SRP $25

The Proprietor and Winemaker for Uvaggio is Jim Moore.  You may not have heard of Jim, but there is a good chance you have tasted some of his wines over the years.  While working for Robert Mondavi winery, Jim envisioned and developed La Famiglia di Robert Mondavi in California.  Jim was also instrumental in helping to launch the partnership between Robert Mondavi Winery and Frescobaldi family of Florence to launch the Luce and Lucent labels from Tuscany.

 

This wine is 98% Barbera from the Leventini Vineyard and 2% Primitivo from the Bella Vigna Vineyard.  The wine was fermented with a yeast strain isolated in Barolo.  After fermentation, the wine was aged for 9 months in 27% new French oak, 13% once or twice used French oak and the reminder in fairly neutral oak.

 

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

 

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The very inviting nose has cherries, black cherries, dry sandy loam, roasted herbs and wild flowers.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart cherries and dry earth take control on the front end with roasted herbs and a nice floral note coming in later.  The finish has very nice length and is loaded with fruit.  This doesn’t offer a lot in the complexity department but the front loaded fruit makes it easy to drink and enjoy.  No hurry on this one, it may even show some improvement with another couple years in the cellar.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Borra Vineyards Old Vine Barbera – SRP $25

I was able to attend a tasting at the winery’s Gill Creek Ranch in late September and loved the “alternative” wines they served.  Their white wines were crisp, light and mineral driven.  I was able to sample this specific wine at a large Barbera tasting with several wineries participating.  This was one of the standouts (for me) at the event.  The winery has a “second label” called Markus, these wines must be tasted, they are truly outstanding.

 

This is 100% Barbera from over 40 year old vines from the vineyard planted around their tasting room in Lodi’s Mokelumne River AVA.  The winemaker, Markus Niggli (Swiss born) uses native fermentation of only free-run juice.  After fermentation, the wine is aged for 22 months in 35% new French oak.  Total production was a miniscule 120 cases.

 

If you ever make it to Lodi, a stop at Borra Vineyards is a must.  If you’re lucky enough to meet Markus, you’ll be impressed with his forward vision and old-school approach to wine making.  Much more information about the winery, people and wine is available on their website.

 

The wine is a nice garnet color.  The seductive nose has black cherries, crushed stone minerals, baking spices, cola, scorched earth and dried wild flowers.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate black cherries, minerals and spice quickly jump out with cola and dry earth coming in on the back end.  The lingering finish adds a nice dried floral note.  This won’t be mistaken for an Italian Barbera, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  I liked this wine…a lot.  This has 15.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist-off cap.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

Conclusion and recommendations

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.

 

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!

 

 

2004 Bodegas AAlto Ribera del Duero AAlto

2014 King Estate Pinot Gris

2009 Brassfield Estate Winery Eruption Volcano Ridge

2013 Myriad Cellars Sémillon McGah Family Vineyard

2014 Bird Song Hill Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley

2013 Bedrock Wine Co. Godello Abrente

 

 

 

2004 Bodegas AAlto Ribera del Duero AAlto – $31.67

This wine is 100% Tempranillo (Tinto Fino) from my favorite wine region in Spain, Ribera Del Duero.

 

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The stunning nose has blackberry liqueur, melted licorice, warm baking spices, cedar, dark bittersweet chocolate, earthy underbrush and a nice floral note.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the wine is rich and plush with spicy berries, dark chocolate and some earthiness.  The finish is long and loaded with spicy fruit and dark chocolate.  This is in a very good drinking window and should hold for several years.  This has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2014 King Estate Pinot Gris – $13.89

This wine was fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks with 4 months sur lie aging before bottling.

 

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)

 

 

 

2009 Brassfield Estate Winery Eruption Volcano Ridge – $14.24

This is a blend of 37% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre, 14% Grenache, 10% Petite Sirah and 9% Malbec, from the High Valley AVA in the eastern part of Lake County in California.

 

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The sexy nose has blackberries, Asian spices, black pepper, smoked meat, dark bittersweet chocolate, plums, some eucalyptus and a hit of earthiness.  This has a fairly full body, soft tannins, and decent acidity.  The palate has a nice initial hit of fruit and dark chocolate that is joined by some building spice and earthiness.  The finish has nice length and is joined by a touch of spicy oak.  This wine is holding on at this time and tasting good but I think the wine will start a downward trend in the next year.  Drink this on up in the next year, maybe two.  The wine has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Myriad Cellars Sémillon McGah Family Vineyard – $25.00

This wine is 100% Sémillon from the McGah Family Vineyard in Rutherford.

 

The wine is a light, pale straw yellow color.  The sexy nose has melon, pineapple, lemon zest, spices, orange blossoms and dusty minerals.  This has medium body with good acidity.  On the palate nice up front fruit is balanced with spice, orange blossoms and minerals.  The finish has great length with tart lemon zest urging you to grab another sip.  This is one of the best Sémillon wines I have had the pleasure to drink.  This has nice richness with good acidity providing very nice structure.  This has 14.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Bird Song Hill Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley – $10.19

Bird Song Hill Vineyards is located in the Columbia Valley across from Red Mountain.  This family owned winery was established in 1999.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The inviting nose has cassis, cedar, dried herbs, baking spices and licorice.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, spices and dried herbs jump out on the front end with cedar coming in later.  The finish has decent length.  This doesn’t offer a lot of complexity and a little excess oak pokes through at times, that said it is a decent week night Cabernet.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Bedrock Wine Co. Godello Abrente – $23.00

This was the first release of this wine and it got off to a rocking start.  Well, actually a shaking start.  There were only 75 cases produced but the earthquake in the summer of 2014 caused some of those cases to be destroyed.  The wine was already in short supply so the winery put out a plea to everyone who had requested the maximum purchase of 2 bottles.  If you would give up one of your bottles, the winery would replace it with any other bottle they had in stock.  Even though I really wanted to try the wine, I gave up one of my bottles to allow another wine lover to sample this initial vintage.  Off the top of my head, I can’t remember the specific wine I received in place of my bottle.

 

The wine is a very light yellow color.  The exuberant nose is full of tart pears, lemon zest, white peach, chalky minerals, orange blossoms and lemongrass.  This has medium body with nice acidity.  On the palate pears, lemon zest, white peach and minerals quickly jump out on the front end with orange blossoms and lemongrass coming in later.  The finish has good length with lemon zest leaving your mouth watering for another sip.  This is drinking very nicely today but I wouldn’t hold onto it for more than a year, maybe two.  This has 14.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 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!

 

 

2009 Loring Wine Company Brut Rosé Late Disgorged

2008 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard

2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Heirloom Wine Pagani Ranch

2005 Mitolo Shiraz Reiver

2013 Taken Wine Co. Taken

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc Kick Ranch

 

 

 

2009 Loring Wine Company Brut Rosé Late Disgorged – $55.00

This wine is from the 2009 vintage but was not “disgorged” until May 2015.

 

The wine is a fairly deep salmon pink color with several streams of very persistent pinpoint sized bubbles.  The very inviting nose has cherries, apples, toasted yeasty bread, strawberries, crushed stones, roasted nuts and lime zest.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of lingering sweetness.  On the palate bright red fruit, toasted bread and minerals quick take control with apples and crushed stones coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a hint of roasted nuts and mouthwatering lime zest entering the picture.  This is a nice, festive bubbly perfect with a gathering of friends.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an old school crown cap.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard – $59.00

Alpine Vineyard lies between 1200 and 1490 feet above sea-level 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean.  The vineyard is broken down into 16 blocks, each only .5 acre in size.  Each block is planted with a different clone, 12 are different selections of Pinot Noir and 4 are different selections of Chardonnay.

 

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The sensuous nose has black cherries, earthy underbrush, minerals, charred wood, warm baking spices, raspberries, cola and white pepper.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate black cherries, underbrush, charred wood and baking spices quickly grab your attention with raspberries, minerals and white pepper coming in later.  The finish has great length with waves of fruit and savory notes seeming to linger forever.  This has great balance will probably improve over the next few years and drink very nicely for another decade.  This is a very stylish and refined Pinot that isn’t made to wow you with up front fruit, that said, it will wow you.  This has 13.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

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

This is a field-blend of Zinfandel, Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir de la Calmette, Petite Sirah, and Lenoir.

 

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

 

 

 

2005 Mitolo Shiraz Reiver – $20.59

Mitolo is one of the premiere wineries in Australia.  The winemaker, Ben Glaetzer, is one of the Australian superstars in the wine business.  This is an Aussie Shiraz that someone lost money on.  The release price was well north of $40 but I bought a case and a half for a touch over $20 a bottle from the local wine store.  This is my last bottle from that purchase.

 

The grapes for this wine come from a single vineyard in Greenock in the northern part of the Barossa Valley.

 

The wine is a deep, dark purple color, almost black.  The very deep and inviting nose is locked and loaded with blackberries, smoked meat, baking spices, vanilla, dark chocolate, cherries, charcoal, dried herbs and black pepper.  This has a fairly full body, solid, velvety tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate big fruit and spice quickly take hold allowing dried herbs, chocolate, and vanilla to slowly slip into the picture.  The finish is long with cherries and a big blast of black pepper adding considerable interest.  The wine has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a Stelvin twist-off cap.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Taken Wine Co. Taken – $24.64

This is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.  The wine spent 16 months in 50% new French oak barrels.

 

This is a deep purple color.  The explosive nose is full of blackberries, dark chocolate, vanilla, espresso beans and plums.  This has medium to full body with soft tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate blackberries, plums and dark chocolate quickly grab your attention with vanilla and espresso beans coming in later.  The finish has nice length and is totally fruit driven.  This is a fairly soft Cab blend that would be nice after dinner or to share with friends over conversation and a platter of appetizers.  I’d have liked a bit more structure and backbone.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc Kick Ranch – $22.00

This wine is from the Rincon Valley in Sonoma County.  The wine is fermented using native yeasts entirely in barrels, with 5% being new Acacia wood.

 

The wine is a bright straw yellow color.  The open and expressive nose has apples, gooseberry, spice, lemon zest, orange blossoms, minerals, light leafy herbal notes and a hint of roasted nuts.  This has medium body with crisp acidity.  On the palate tart apples, spice, slate minerals and gooseberry jump out on the front end with orange blossoms and a slight herbal note coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with orange blossoms and tart lemon zest leaving your mouth watering for another sip.  This is drinking wonderfully today and it should hold for another year or two.  This has 14.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 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 Michael Klouda Wines Mourvedre Lodi

2012 Freelance Wines Coup de Grace

2013 M2 Vintners Zinfandel Old Vine Soucie Vineyard

2013 Klinker Brick Petite Sirah Lodi

2014 St. Amant Winery Petite Sirah Mohr-Fry Ranch

2014 Jeremy Wine Company Zinfandel Old Vine Lodi

2015 McCay Cellars Rosé

2015 Fields Family Wines Cinsault Bechthold Vineyard

2014 Macchia Primitivo Meticulous Vista Luna Vineyard

 

 

 

It’s time to revisit some new wines from Lodi!

These are mostly samples that were provided to me.  I have the samples clearly marked and supply the suggested retail price for the wines.  Some of the wines were from my cellar, I write about wines but I am also a collector and wine consumer.  I may write about some wines that are provided to me but I buy the wines I want to drink.

 

This is my third post on Lodi Wines.  If you missed my previous posts, they are available by clicking here or here.

 

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

 

 

 

2014 Michael Klouda Wines Mourvedre Lodi – SRP $26

This is based on a sample provided by Lodi Wine and the winery.

 

This small block of Mourvédre is farmed by Ron Silva in the Alta Mesa AVA of Lodi.  The vineyard only produces about 4 tons per acre.  Mourvédre tends to take its time to ripen, they waited around till the end of October for this one.  This was my the winery’s first time working with this fruit and it was not an easy go of it; however, with a lot of love and late night punch downs they was able to create a wine that they really enjoy.  The wine spent 16 months in 100% French oak barrels.

 

More information on the winery and their wines is available on their website.

 

The wine is a saturated ruby color.  The appealing nose has black cherries, blackberries, baking spice, crushed stone minerals, dry underbrush, black pepper, dried leafy herbs and dried violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate dark fruit, baking spices, black pepper and minerals quickly grab hold with dried underbrush and a touch of dried herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with a pleasant dried floral note adding depth.  This has great balance and the understated ripeness provides nice finesse allowing the nuances to shine through.  This is a unique interpretation of the Mourvedre grape and based on this wine, the grape may have a nice future in Lodi.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Freelance Wines Coup de Grace – SRP $28

This is based on a sample provided by Lodi Wine and the winery.

 

“A Merciful End to All Red Blend Competitors!”

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

2013 M2 Vintners Zinfandel Old Vine Soucie Vineyard – SRP $30

This is based on a sample provided by Lodi Wine and the winery.

 

I visited M2 Wines in September and had a wonderful visit, and lunch.  If you make it to Lodi, M2 should be on your must-visit list.  The outgoing and friendly Layne Montgomery is the Winemaker/Founder of the winery and is one of the “characters” in the region.  During the trip to Lodi, another one of our stops was a visit with Kevin Soucie at his Soucie Vineyard.  You could easily see Kevin’s pride in his eyes as we listened to him and Layne talk about the meticulously maintained vineyard.  As they say, the wine is made in the vineyard, and in Lodi the vineyards all receive the attention they deserve.  This vineyard was planted in 1916 making this truly an “old vine” Zinfandel.  More information on M2 is available on their website.

 

This wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The stunning nose has brambly berries, black pepper, dusty minerals, dry loamy soil, baking spices, dark bittersweet chocolate, freshly ground espresso beans, violets and black cherries.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate berries, black pepper and dusty minerals jump out early with baking spices, espresso beans and black cherries coming in later.  The long and lingering finish adds dark chocolate and dry loam.  For a wine with 15.6% alcohol the wine has the stuffing to keep it totally buried and the nice acidity actually makes it light on its feet.  A very nice bottle of wine, highly recommended.  This has 15.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Klinker Brick Petite Sirah Lodi – SRP $26

This is based on a sample provided by Lodi Wine and the winery.

 

Steve and Lori Felton, the owners of Klinker Brick, are the 5th generation of the family to grow grapes in Lodi.  After years of growing and selling grapes, the couple started Klinker Brick in 2000, producing an Old Vine Zinfandel.  Much more information on the winery, people and their wines is available on their website.

 

The wine is a deep dark purple color.  The flamboyant nose is full of blackberries, blueberries, dark chocolate, black peppercorns, vanilla, dead wood embers, dry earth and wild flowers.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate the berries, dark chocolate black pepper and wood embers quickly grab control grudgingly allowing vanilla and dry earth to slip in on the back end.  The lingering finish has a nice floral note entering the picture.  This is a big bruiser that demands a hearty piece of grilled meat.  I’d recommend drinking this on the younger side and enjoying the peppery berries and chocolate while they are young and vibrant.  What this wine lacks in subtlety it makes up for with in your face flavor.  This has 15% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2014 St. Amant Winery Petite Sirah Mohr-Fry Ranch – SRP $21

This is based on a sample provided by Lodi Wine and the winery.

 

St. Amant Winery is a family owned winery located in Lodi, California that prides itself in producing handcrafted wines of superb quality. Founded in 1979 by Tim and Barbara Spencer, St. Amant crafts distinctive wines from Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian varietals in addition to California’s own Zinfandel.  When his father passed away in 2006, Stuart Spencer took over the winemaker duties.  Having personally met Stuart, he is a well spoken man that dons many hats, not just involving the winery but in many other arenas dealing with Lodi and wine.  The winery’s website contains a wealth of information and should be visited.

 

Only four barrels of this wine was produced from the vineyard that is planted in sandy soil in the heart of Lodi.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The hypnotic nose has blackberries, blueberries, fresh ground espresso beans, dead wood embers, scorched earth, licorice and dusty minerals.  This has medium to full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  Crushed berries, espresso beans and scorched earth coat the palate on the front end with minerals and charred wood coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with a touch of licorice providing some depth.  This could use a year in the cellar to allow some complexity to develop.  This is a very tasty, fruit forward Petite that provides a lot of drinking pleasure even at this early stage in it’s development.  This will be best in the first 5 years while the fruit is fresh and exuberant.  This has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Jeremy Wine Company Zinfandel Old Vine Lodi – SRP $20

This is based on a sample provided by Lodi Wine and the winery.

 

Jeremy Wine Company is owned by the husband and wife team of Jeremy & Choral Trettevik.  In their first harvest the couple barely had 5 tons of grapes, but that has grown to become over 70 tons.  More information on the small family owned winery is available on their website.

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The pleasurable nose has blackberries, black cherries, warm baking spices, black peppercorns, dusty loamy soil, dark chocolate, fresh ground espresso beans, licorice and wild flowers.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate crushed berries, black cherries, baking spices and espresso beans jump out on the front end with dusty soil and licorice coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length a nice floral note providing some depth.  This is a graceful and nuanced Zinfandel that carries no overly ripe notes or excess weight.  This is very easy to enjoy.  Drink this one over the next few years to enjoy the youthful fruit.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2015 McCay Cellars Rosé – $16.20

We met Michael MaCay and his Syrah grower Phil Abba and had a “side of the road” tasting at Phil’s Abba Vineyard.  Just like every grower we met you could “feel” Phil’s dedication and pride in the grapes that come out of his vineyard.  I bought this wine as well as McCay Cellars’ Syrah and Grenache wines make from the fruit from Abba Vineyard.  This was fantastic on the side of the hot, dry and dusty road and I could not wait to open a bottle to sip at home.  This is a bottle that I bought and is not a sample.

 

McCay Cellars is owned by Michael McCay.  McCay moved to Lodi in the mid 1980s and started to grow grapes.  He started making wine in 1994 and launched McCay Cellars in 2007.  Much more information is available on the winery, history and most importantly their wines by visiting the McCay Cellars webpage.

 

This wine is mainly Carignane (from 102 year old vines) with Grenache.  The wine was produced with a “native fermentation” in stainless steel.  The wine is a bright salmon color.  The fresh smelling nose has strawberries, peaches, dusty minerals and lime zest.  This has a medium body with good acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate strawberries and minerals immediately grab your attention with peaches in the background.  The finish has nice length with a hint of lime zest leading you to grab another sip.  This has just a hint of sweetness making it an easy to enjoy companion to a warm day in the sun.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2015 Fields Family Wines Cinsault Bechthold Vineyard – SRP $24

This is based on a sample provided by Lodi Wine and the winery.

 

Fields Family Wines is Russ Fields, the owner, and Ryan Sherman, the winemaker & Partner.  Along with their wives this is truly a “Family” winery.  Besides using some purchased grapes, like in this wine, the winery grows Syrah, Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, Grenache Blanc & Vermentino.  More information on the winery and their wines is available on their website.

 

Located on the west side of Lodi but still within the Mokelumne River AVA- the famed and historic Bechthold Vineyard planted own-rooted in 1886, it is believed to be the oldest Cinsault vineyard in the world.

 

The wine was produced with 100% whole-cluster, semi-carbonic, Native/Ambient fermentation & ML.  It was pressed into neutral French oak barrels late August 2015 and bottled early March 2016 to capture its vibrancy.

 

The wine is a light ruby red color.  The enticing nose has cherries, raspberries, stony minerals, rose water, orange zest, white pepper and a hint of smoke.  This is barely medium body with good acidity and soft tannins.  On the palate this shows red fruit and minerals on the front end with orange zest and white pepper coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with the red fruit and white pepper stealing the show.  The is a lighter body, nuanced wine that shows great balance and grace.  I’d open this one in the next couple of years to enjoy the vibrant red fruit.  This has 12.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Macchia Primitivo Meticulous Vista Luna Vineyard – SRP $28

This is based on a sample provided by Lodi Wine and the winery.

 

In Italian, Macchia, means “the spot”.  The owner/winemaker for Macchia is ever dapper, Tim Holdener.  We had a great visit to the winery which included tastes of several barrel samples.  Tim hosted a “Barbera tasting” that included several wineries in his outdoor tasting area which would be better called a “man cave”.  The area was outstanding.  During the event, when asked about the aging potential of Lodi Barbera wines, Tim grabbed a bottle of his 2003 Barbera from his personal stash.  Spoiler alert – it was outstanding.  I highly recommend a visit to the winery (and tasting area) if you ever make it to Lodi.  Much more information is available on the Macchia website.

 

This wine is a deep garnet color.  The big and bold nose is full of crushed blackberries, white pepper, baking spices, freshly ground espresso beans, dark chocolate, dry loamy soil, licorice and wildflowers.  This has a full body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate this is like a slice of berry pie with white pepper on the front end with espresso beans and loam coming in later.  The finish has good length with a nice floral note providing some depth.  This is a big boned monster in a take no prisoner style, in other words an old school California zin.  This would be a perfect match to a piece of barbecue.  This has 16.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

Conclusion and recommendations

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.

 

 

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.

 

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!

 

 

 

2013 Orin Swift D66

2009 JC Cellars Syrah Fess Parker Vineyard

2009 World’s End Merlot Little Sister Reserve

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard

Paul Bara Champagne Grand Cru Brut Réserve

2005 Château La Garde Pessac-Leognan

 

 

 

2013 Orin Swift D66 – $29.29

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle Wines, see below for information and a link to sign up with a $10 credit.

 

This is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 10% Carignan from the Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes region in France’s Roussillon area.  This wine was aged for 18 months is 30% new French Oak and then bottle aged 5 months prior to release.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The bold nose is full of blackberries, plums, cassis, black pepper, baking spices, charred wood, violets and dark roasted coffee.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate waves of fruit with pepper and charred wood quickly take control with baking spices and dark roast coffee coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a floral note providing some depth.  Not a lot of complexity but loads of up front fruit.  This has just enough structure and spice to keep it from getting boring.  This has 15.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2009 JC Cellars Syrah Fess Parker Vineyard – $18.99

I loved the Rosenblum wines crafted by Jeff Cohn and have never been disappointed by the ones he has produced under his own label.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The inviting nose has smoky, earthy berries, dark bittersweet chocolate, minerals, meat juices, black pepper, dried herbs, warm baking spices and just a touch of road tar.  This has a fairly full body, moderate to full tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the juicy, smoky berries grab hold, slowly allowing dried herbs, black pepper, and meaty elements to slip through.  The finish has nice length with some earthiness and dark chocolate being added to the mix.  This is in its’ prime drinking window and should hold for a couple of years.  Another winner from Jeff Cohn.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2009 World’s End Merlot Little Sister Reserve – $19.48

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle Wines, see below for information and a link to sign up with a $10 credit.

 

This is a deep ruby red color.  The captivating nose has black cherries, charred wood, plums, crushed stone minerals, cocoa powder, dried herbs, vanilla bean and violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate black cherries, cocoa powder, minerals and plums quickly jump out on the front end with charred wood and dried herbs coming in later.  The finish has nice length with vanilla bean and violets providing additional depth.  This is drinking very nicely right now and should hold for three to five more years.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard – $46.00

I love Brian Loring’s Pinot Noirs, actually I love all the wines of his that I have tried.  Loring’s Pinot Noirs are very Californian in style, which I do not say in a bad way.  Brian’s pinots are usually ripe and bold and very tasty.  If you are looking for a Burgundian style, look elsewhere, if you are looking for a very tasty bottle of wine you’re in the right place.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The intoxicating nose has blackberries, minerals, baking spices, black cherries, licorice, raspberries, a touch of smoke, and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium to full body, moderate tannins, and very good acidity.  Loads of spicy berries and minerals dominate the front end with black cherries and earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length but does show just a touch of alcohol, but not enough to take away from the wine.  This is a very nice combination of a big, rich California Pinot but with plenty of tannins and acidity to provide support and balance.  This is an outstanding effort.  This has 14.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with the usual Loring twist off closure.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

Paul Bara Champagne Grand Cru Brut Réserve – $29.29

This was picked up at a Last Bottle Marathon, always a great source for special wines at every day prices.  See below for information on the site and a discount on your first purchase.

 

I can’t find, with 100% confidence, the exact blend of grapes for this wine but it appears to be 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay.  I should note, I have even seen this noted as 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir.  This means, your guess is as good as mine.

 

This is a light golden straw color with a steady stream of pinpoint sized, persistent bubbles.  The festive nose has tart apples, lemon zest, stony minerals, toasted yeasty bread, orange blossoms, white peach and a hint of berries.  This has light to medium body with great effervescence, crisp acidity and just a touch of sweetness.  On the palate apples, minerals, orange blossoms and lemon zest quickly take control with a hint of white peach and berries slipping in on the back end.  The finish has good length and is crisp and clean thanks to lemony acidity.  This is a joy to sip on its’ own or with a light meal.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Château La Garde Pessac-Leognan – $19.99

I don’t have the exact break down of the grapes used to produce this wine, but the vineyard is comprised of 62% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, so the final blend is probably close to these percentages.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The appealing nose has black cherries, cassis, dusty minerals, baking spices, scorched earth, violets and pencil shavings.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, cherries, minerals and spices immediately jump out with scorched earth and a hint of spicy oak coming in later.  The finish has nice length with pencil shavings and violets providing nice depth.  This is probably as good as it gets, which is still pretty good.  Pop this one over the remainder of the decade.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork (my cork broke and split as it was being pulled).  (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!

 

 

This is based on samples provided to me by the winery or a company representing the winery.

 

 

2014 Crocker & Starr Sauvignon Blanc

2014 Crocker & Starr Malbec Casali 7th Edition

2014 Crocker & Starr Cabernet Franc

2014 Crocker & Starr Cabernet Sauvignon Stone Place

 

 

 

I was invited to attend an “online tasting” with Pam Starr and taste a few of the wines produced by Crocker & Starr.  I had never tried these wines but I knew of the winery.  They were always on my personal list of wines I had to sample.  Thankfully the day had come for me to experience these wines.

 

In 1997, Charlie Crocker and Pam Starr established Crocker & Starr on the Crocker Estate in St. Helena, resurrecting a world-class vineyard with roots dating back to the 1870s. Charlie is co-owner with Pam, the winery manager and winemaker. Between Charlie’s historic estate that has grown grapes for over 140 years and Pam’s winemaking expertise, vision, and business acumen, the partners proved to be a spectacular match.

 

Tons of information on Charlie and Pam, the vineyard, winery and most importantly their wines is available on their website by clicking here.

 

 

My line up for this tasting

 

 

 

2014 Crocker & Starr Sauvignon Blanc – SRP $34

My sample was a 375 ml bottle.

 

This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, 87% from the winery’s Crocker Estate Vineyard with the remaining 13% from Oak Knoll’s Las Trancas Vineyard.  The wine was fermented in stainless steel (68%), used French oak (20%) and concrete egg (12%).  The wine was aged sur lees for 8 to 9 months before blending and bottling.  A total of 1200 cases were produced.

 

The wine is a pale, light yellow with a slight green tint.  The fresh and vibrant nose has pear, melon, lime zest, vanilla bean, chalky minerals and a hint of baking spices.  This has medium body with crisp acidity and seems totally dry.  On the palate tart pears, melons, minerals and a hint of baking spices pop out early with lime zest and vanilla bean coming in later.  The finish has great length with lime zest and minerals providing a nice counter balance to the pear and melon.  Don’t serve this too cold, it really sings when it’s just on the cool side.  I’d love to have this with a nice lobster roll or some freshly grilled shrimp.  This has 14.4% alcohol.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Crocker & Starr Malbec Casali 7th Edition – SRP $80

My sample was a full sized, 750 ml bottle.

 

This wine is a blend of 92% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot from the winery’s sustainably farmed vineyard in St. Helena.

 

The grapes were harvested between September 17 and October 3.  After small lot fermentations, the wine was aged for 17 months in French oak with 55% being new.  There were 553 cases produced.

 

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The dazzling nose has blackberries, plums, dark roasted coffee beans, baking spices, dark bittersweet chocolate, dusty minerals, vanilla bean, licorice and scorched earth.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  Crushed berries, plums, coffee beans and dark chocolate jump out on the front end on the palate with baking spices, minerals and licorice coming in later.  The finish has very good length with vanilla bean and scorched earth providing nice depth.  This has great balance and is built to age.  This tastes great now with some air, but a couple years in the cellar will be greatly rewarded.  This will be outstanding in a couple of years and last through at least then end of the next decade.  This has 14.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Crocker & Starr Cabernet Franc – SRP $80

My sample was a 375 ml bottle.

 

This wine has 1% Petit Verdot added to the Cabernet Franc.

 

After small lot fermentations the wine was aged for 20 months in French oak with 80% new.  There were 548 cases produced.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The stunning nose is full of cassis, black cherry, dried leafy herbs, plums, warm baking spices, freshly ground espresso beans and scorched earth.  This has medium body with solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate cassis, dried herbs, ground espresso beans and black cherries quickly take control on the front end with black cherries, baking spices and scorched earth coming in later.  The finish has great length with a nice blend of fruit and savory elements.  Some time in the cellar will be greatly rewarded but this tastes great now with some time in the decanter.  This has the depth and balance to age very gracefully for two decades.  I love Cabernet Franc wines and this is probably the best I have ever tasted.  This has 14.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (96 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Crocker & Starr Cabernet Sauvignon Stone Place – SRP $120

My sample was a 375 ml bottle.

 

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is from 38+ year old vines from the winery’s sustainably farmed Crocker Estate Vineyard in St. Helena.  The grapes came from the oldest plantings on the property, Block 3.

 

After being hand harvested on October 7 & 8, and small lot fermentation, the wine was aged 20+ months in French oak, 90% new.  There were 572 cases produced.

 

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to purple color.  The intoxicating nose has blackberries, cassis, warm baking spices, vanilla bean, dried rosemary, stony minerals, dark chocolate and a touch of cedar.  This has medium to full body with solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate blackberries, baking spice, eucalyptus and vanilla bean quickly jump out immediately with minerals and dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish is extremely long with a touch of cedar entering the picture.  This is drinkable now but a couple years in the cellar will be rewarded and is greatly recommended.  The great tannic backbone and acidity as well as the superb balance guarantee a long and graceful life.  If you open this in the next couple of years, give is a lot of air.  This has 14.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

Conclusion

These are world class wines that will appeal to everyone.  These have the great taste that will appeal to infrequent wine drinkers but offer outstanding complexity with enough minerality and savory notes to cause a true wine enthusiast to grab the bottle to see what they are drinking.  Every one of these wines would be a welcome addition to my dinner table and you should give them a shot, you will be equally amazed.

 

 

 

About Charles Communications Associates

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

 

For more information, visit the CCA website.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

2013 Bogle Vineyards Phantom

2014 Jean Edwards Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Dalla Gasperina Vineyard

2014 Two Hands Shiraz Angels Share

2010 Ruffino Modus Toscana IGT

2011 Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino

2004 Casanuova delle Cerbaie Brunello di Montalcino

 

 

 

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 Jean Edwards Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Dalla Gasperina Vineyard – $22.40

This is the first white wine produced by Jean Edwards Cellars.  This is a blend of 92% Sauvignon Blanc and 8% Semillon.

 

The wine is a pale straw yellow color.  The enticing nose has apples, lemon zest, white pepper, leafy herbs, pineapple, dusty minerals, apricot, orange blossoms and anise.  This has medium body with mouthwatering acidity.  On the palate tart apples, white pepper, lemon zest and an herbal streak immediately take control on the front end with apricot and orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with anise and dusty minerals joining the tropical fruit and white pepper.  The crisp acidity will leave your mouthwatering for another sip.  A great initial white wine effort from this formerly red wine only winery.  This is very drinkable now but will last for at least two or three years, maybe longer.  This wine has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 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)

 

 

 

2010 Ruffino Modus Toscana IGT – $19.99

This is a blend of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot.

 

Modus was first produced in 1997 from grapes selected in the vineyards of the Tuscan Estates of Ruffino.  It was not, though, a new wine in the real sense of the term.  Ruffino had, in fact, been experimenting with the cultivation of non-traditional grape varieties on Tuscan soil since the eighties.  Some of the most encouraging results had been obtained with Cabernet and Merlot.

 

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The mesmerizing nose has black cherries, blackberries, dark bittersweet chocolate, dark roast coffee, warm baking spices, tobacco, smoke, subtle earthiness and dried flowers.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  The palate features up front fruit and spice with dark chocolate and toasty oak coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with the dark chocolate, dark roast coffee and some earthiness.  This still tastes young but it will be hard to resist after just one sip.  This has 13.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino – $18.99

This 100% Sangiovese comes from vineyards in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, at elevations of 150-350 metres on well-exposed hillslopes south-east of Montalcino.  The wine was aged in a mix of Slavonian and French oak barrels for a minimum of 8 months followed by a minimum of 3 months of bottle aging before it is released.

 

The wine is a light ruby red color.  The intriguing nose has cherries, dusty minerals, dried thyme, baking spices, raspberry, leather and a touch of underbrush.  This is barely medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very good acidity.  Cherries, minerals and spice initially take hold on the palate with dried thyme and leather coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with just a touch of earthiness entering the picture.  This is drinking very nicely right now and should continue for a couple years, at least.  This wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Casanuova delle Cerbaie Brunello di Montalcino – $25.34

The wine is a red to ruby color with a touch of brick at the edge.  The appealing nose has raspberries, cherries, baking spice, earthy underbrush, dried flowers, roasted herbs, minerals, mushrooms and a touch of mint.  This has medium body, slightly chalky tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the baking spices, red fruit and earthiness kick in first with oak, minerals and more earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a touch of mint adding a nice closing element.  This is drinking very nicely right now and should hold for a few more years.  This wine has 13.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 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!

 

 

2011 Recuerdo Malbec Aliado

2009 Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Campo de Borja Tres Picos

2011 Cave de Tain l’Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage Les Nobles Rives

2012 Finca Flichman Paisaje de Barrancas

2009 Bodega Numanthia Termes Toro

NV Georges Vesselle Champagne Brut Grand Cru

2010 Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro

Mionetto Gran Rosé Prestige

Mionetto Cuvée Sergio Rosé 1887

 

These are miscellaneous bottles that were either samples, last minute bottles that replaced flawed bottles or bottles that were not included in a previous post.

 

 

 

2011 Recuerdo Malbec Aliado – $24.64

This 100% Malbec was aged 20 months in French oak and has 14.5% alcohol.  The bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The suave and sophisticated nose has crushed berries, cocoa powder, violets, baking spices, licorice and dried underbrush.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate spicy berries and cocoa powder immediately jumps out with violets and underbrush coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with some crushed stone minerals slipping in.  This is an elegant, nicely balanced, food friendly wine, not an over the top, full throttle dynamo.  This will reward some time in the cellar but it tastes great today with some air.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Campo de Borja Tres Picos – $11.39

Vintage after vintage, this is a favorite week night wine in my house.  This may not have the most complexity out there, but it is generally loaded with flavor.

 

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The very inviting nose has raspberries, smoke, vanilla, baking spices, cherries, fresh ground espresso beans, white pepper, and some dried herbs.  This has medium to full body, moderate tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the fruit and spice lead off with white pepper, dried herbs, and the coffee coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a dark chocolate note joining the party.  A very nice wine and an incredible value.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Cave de Tain l’Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage Les Nobles Rives – $16.99

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The very appealing nose has blackberries, dusty minerals, freshly ground espresso bean, dried herbs, dry flowers and scorched earth.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate blackberries, espresso beans and dusty minerals quickly take over, slowly allowing dried herbs and cherries to slip in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with dried flowers and scorched earth adding great depth.  This is on the young side and has a great future but it is hard to resist in its youth.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Finca Flichman Paisaje de Barrancas – $16.14

This is a blend of 55% Syrah, 35% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Mendoza region of Argentina.  The wine was aged for 12 months in American (50%) and French (50%) oak barrels with an additional 6 months in bottle before release.

 

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The intriguing nose has blackberries, baking spices, cherries, earthy underbrush, freshly ground espresso beans, dusty minerals, wildflowers and a touch of cedar.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate berries, spice, espresso beans and minerals jump out quickly with cherries and spicy oak coming in later.  The finish has good length with dried earth and a floral note adding depth.  This is an exceptional wine with great balance and depth.  Stock up when you find it for under $20.  This has 14.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Bodega Numanthia Termes Toro – $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 to solid tannins and very good 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)

 

 

 

NV Georges Vesselle Champagne Brut Grand Cru – $39.99

Light golden yellow color.  Apples, pears, lemon zest, yeasty bread, orange blossoms on the nose.  Nice pinpoint sized bubbles, labeled as Brut but is pushing the allowed RS to the limit if not slipping past.  It was better on its own after lunch.  Would be nice with spicy appetizers.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The inviting nose has tart cherries, dusty minerals, mint, dried earth, baking spices, plums, white pepper and dried wildflowers.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  Tart cherries, dusty minerals and white pepper quickly take hold on the palate with plums, spice and a touch of mint coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with a touch of dried earth and a nice floral note adding depth and complexity.  This is on the young side, some cellar time or an hour in a decanter will be greatly rewarded.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

Mionetto Gran Rosé Prestige – SRP $14.00

The wine is a bright salmon color with steady streams of pinpoint sized bubbles.  The refreshing nose has strawberries, yeasty bread, lemon zest, orange blossoms and cherries.  This has light body with crisp acidity and a touch of lingering sweetness.  On the palate tart strawberries, lemon zest and cherries take over on the front end with yeasty bread coming in later.  On the finish orange blossoms and cherries grab the spotlight.  This is an easy drinking off-dry bottle of bubbles that would be a hit at a party with friends.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

Mionetto Cuvée Sergio Rosé 1887 – SRP $19.00

This has 11.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard sparkling wine cork.

 

The wine is a bright pink to copper color with persistent pinpoint sized bubbles.  The sexy nose has cherries, strawberries, yeasty bread, lemongrass, stony minerals, orange zest and a hint of roasted nuts.  This has a light body with crisp acidity, a hint of sweetness and great effervescence.  On the palate tart cherries, strawberries and orange zest kick in quickly with yeasty bread coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with mouthwatering acidity balancing out a touch of sweetness.  This is extremely easy to sip.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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!

 

 

2011 Mark Herold Wines Flux

2007 K Vintners Syrah Morrison Lane

2012 Villa Creek White

2012 Ridge Zinfandel Dusi Ranch

Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut

2007 Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve

 

 

 

2011 Mark Herold Wines Flux – $15.76

This wine was purchased from the “flash sell” site, Last Bottle.  More information and a credit for signing up is lower in this post.

 

This wine is a Grenache based wine with some Syrah and Mourvedre included in the blend.

 

The wine is garnet red color.  The enticing nose has black cherries, warm baking spices, raspberries, scorched earth, dusty minerals, roasted leafy herbs and wildflowers.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate black cherries, baking spices and minerals jump out first with raspberries and roasted herbs coming in later.  The finish has nice length with scorched earth and a floral note entering the picture.  This is an easy drinking and tasty wine.  I wouldn’t stash this away for an extended time, open this one in the next couple of years.  This has 14.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2007 K Vintners Syrah Morrison Lane – $40.15

I was in the mood for something different today.  I bought six bottles of this wine from the local store a couple years ago.  I opened one about a year ago, and it definitely fell into the “something different” category.  This wasn’t your typical, fruit driven wine.  At that time, the fruit was a bit player in the bigger picture.  It’s time to try my second bottle to see how this is progressing.

 

Morrison Lane is the oldest Syrah plantings in the Walla Walla Valley.  It is on the southeastern facing slopes that are on a slightly cooler site in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.  Soil composition consists of Touchet silt loam and riverwash, sandy loam with coarse sand and gravel.  The vineyard was planted in 1984.

 

The wine is a deep, dark purple color, almost black.  The deep and dark nose has blackberries, charred meat, smoky embers, dried flowers, brined black olives, black pepper, roasted herbs, vanilla, melted licorice, minerals and dark bittersweet chocolate.  This is fairly full bodied with solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the charred meat, roasted herbs, and black pepper seize control before some fruit can finally break through.  The finish is long and again full of the savory elements with just enough fruit slipping through to add some sweetness before the dark chocolate eventually closes the show.  This still tastes young side and will reward some additional cellar time.  This has 15% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork and hard to remove wax.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Villa Creek White – $20.80

This is a blend of 70% Grenache Blanc and 30% Roussanne from Paso Robles.  A total of 150 cases were produced.

 

The wine is a light straw yellow color.  The bright and fresh nose has tart apples, white peach, crushed stone minerals, fresh leafy herbs, lemon zest and orange blossoms.  This has medium body with good acidity.  On the palate apples, white peach and minerals quickly jump out on the front end with leafy herbs and orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with some zippy lemon zest leaving your mouth watering for another sip.  This is in a prime drinking window and can be enjoyed over the next year or two.  This has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Ridge Zinfandel Dusi Ranch – $27.99

This is 100% Zinfandel from the Dusi Ranch in Paso Robles.

 

After hand-harvesting the grapes are destemmed and crushed.  The wines are fermented with natural yeasts.  The wine was aged for 11 months in 100% American oak barrels, 25% new, 7% 2-years old, 34% 3-years old and 34% 4-years old.

 

The wine is a garnet red color.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, crushed stone minerals, warm baking spices, dark chocolate, black cherries, dry earth and white pepper.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  Berries, minerals and spices coat the palate on the front end with black cherries, dry earth and white pepper coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a white pepper note providing some depth.  This is an easy drinking zinfandel that is rich and smooth enough to stand up to some spicy BBQ.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut – 36.99

This non-vintage Champagne is the house’s signature cuvee and is a blend of 50%-55% Pinot Noir, 20-25% Pinot Meunier, 15-20% Chardonnay and 15-20% reserve wines.

 

The wine is a bright yellow-straw color with tiny, pinpoint sized bubbles.  The festive nose has apples, lemon zest, fresh baked bread, orange blossoms, roasted nuts and crushed stones.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and excellent effervescence.  Tart apples, minerals, roasted nuts and lemon zest quickly grab control on the palate with fresh baked bread and orange blossoms coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with tart lemony acidity making you grab another sip.  This has 12% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve – $55.09

This wine is 100% Estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon from their vineyard at the winery site in Conn Valley.

 

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The voluptuous nose has cassis, eucalyptus, crushed stone minerals, tobacco, cedar, warm baking spices, dead wood embers, licorice and violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, minerals, spices and a touch of eucalyptus jump out on the front end with cedar, wood embers and violets coming in later.  The long, lingering finish adds cedar and licorice for extra depth.  This is in a real nice drinking window and should drink very nicely for another decade.  This is a top notch Cabernet!  This has 14.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (95 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!