2008 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2011 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley

Domaine Chandon Brut Classic

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc Kick Ranch

2010 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Franc St. Helena

 

 

 

2008 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – $28.00

I’ve been on the Rhys mailing list for a few years.  A lot of people knock the wines because they don’t taste great upon release.  Rhys wines require a few years in the cellar to smooth out and open up.  That said, their Alesia wines, which are made from purchased grapes, though also needing some time in the cellar, seem to be ready to drink a couple years earlier.  I grabbed several bottles of this wine when it was offered on their e-mail release.  This is my last bottle and every bottle has been better than the previous bottle…always a good sign.

 

The wine is a nice ruby red color.  The sexy nose has strawberries, raspberries, cola, baking spices, underbrush, minerals, cherries, dried flowers and a slight herbal note.  The wine has medium body with soft tannins and very good acidity.  The very complex palate has layers of fruit, spice, and earthy elements that slowly reveal themselves with each sip, with the nice cleansing acidity evident at all times.  The finish is fairly long and the mouthwatering acidity is ever present.  This is very food friendly and civilized.  There is no excess weight or overly extracted notes evident on the wine.  This is in a very good drinking window and should hold for another year or two.  This has 13.9% alcohol and is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley – $25.00

This vintage is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec.  The grapes are sourced from a short list of vineyards the winery considers to be among the best in the state including Ciel du Cheval, Red Heaven, Red Mountain, Weinbau and Shaw vineyards.

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very appealing nose has cassis, dried herbs, minerals, cedar, baking spices, cherries and a hint of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has a medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate rich fruit and spice lead off with minerals and dried herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with cherries, spice and a touch of dark chocolate lingering nicely.  This is drinking very nicely today and should continue doing so for at least a few more years.  This was a steal for $25.  This has 14.4% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

Domaine Chandon Brut Classic – $15.49

This is a blend of traditional Champagne varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from multiple cool-climate vineyards.

 

The wine is a light golden yellow color with a steady stream of pinpoint sized bubbles.  The slightly shy nose has tart green apples, lemon zest, yeasty bread and a slight saline note.  This has light body with decent acidity and a touch of sweetness.  On the palate apples, lemon zest and a slight nutty element come through quickly.  The finish has decent length with lemon zest acidity and a slight lingering sweetness.  This is drinkable but not the most memorable or complex bottle of sparkling wine you will find.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne stopper.  (87 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)

 

 

 

2010 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Franc St. Helena – $39.99

This is 100% Cabernet Franc from 100% CCOF certified organic, 100% Demeter Certified Biodynamic estate vineyards.  The wine was aged in 100% French oak, 50% new.  There were 597 cases of wine produced.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The stunning nose has blackberries, cassis, dusty minerals, dried herbs, tobacco, violets, cedar, underbrush and baking spices.  This has medium to full body, moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate fruit, minerals and spices jump out first with a floral note and subtle earthiness coming in later.  The finish has very good length with a touch of cedar and dried leafy herbs joining the nice lingering fruit.  This is on the young side but already showing very well.  I look forward to following the wine’s evolution over the next decade.  This wine has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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 Loring Wine Company Grenache Russell Family Vineyard

2010 Sandler Wine Company Grenache Chalone Boer Vineyard

2012 Ledge Tempranillo Los Topos

2010 Jacob Franklin Petite Sirah Hayne Vineyard

2012 Ledge Garnacha Los Topos

2009 Vincent Arroyo Tempranillo

2008 Villa del Monte Merlot Moon Vineyard

2008 Villa Creek Garnacha Denner Vineyard

 

 

 

2011 Loring Wine Company Grenache Russell Family Vineyard – $39.67

This was a no-brainer buy for me.  I love Brian Loring’s wines and Grenache is one of my favorite grapes.  The price of admission was a touch steep for a total unknown, but I had to grab some.

 

Winery history

My philosophy on making wine is that the fruit is EVERYTHING.  What happens in the vineyard determines the quality of the wine – I can’t make it better – I can only screw it up!  That’s why I’m extremely picky when choosing vineyards to buy grapes from.  Not only am I looking for the right soil, micro-climate, and clones, I’m also looking for a grower with the same passion and dedication to producing great wine that I have.  In other words, a total Pinot Freak!  My part in the vineyard equation is to throw heaping piles of money at the vineyard owners (so that they can limit yields and still make a profit) and then stay out of the way!  Since most, if not all of the growers keep some fruit to make their own wine, I tell them to farm my acre(s) the same way they do theirs – since they’ll obviously be doing whatever is necessary to get the best possible fruit.  One of the most important decisions made in the vineyard is when to pick.  Some people go by the numbers (brix, pH, TA, etc) and some go by taste.  Once again, I trust the decision to the vineyard people.  The day they pick the fruit for their wine is the day I’m there with a truck to pick mine.  Given this approach, the wine that I produce is as much a reflection of the vineyard owner as it is of my winemaking skills.  I figure that I’m extending the concept of terroir a bit to include the vineyard owner/manager… but it seems to make sense to me.  The added benefit is that I’ll be producing a wide variety of Pinots.  It’d be boring if everything I made tasted the same.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The exotic and inviting nose has black cherries, black raspberries, white pepper, chocolate, crushed rocks, dried herbs, Asian spices, forest floor, and a touch of eucalyptus.  This has medium to full body, moderate ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The palate features ripe, juicy cherries and berries, minerals, spice, chocolate and some earthiness.  The finish has nice length with dried herbs and white pepper adding some kick to the chocolate and fruit.  This is a ripe and rich style of wine but it doesn’t carry excess weight and is not syrupy.  This will never be mistaken as a Rhone wine, but it is outstanding in its own right.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Sandler Wine Company Grenache Chalone Boer Vineyard

Sandler Wine Company is the personal label of ever-present consulting winemaker, Ed Kurtzman.  Sandler Wine Company is devoted to small bottlings of Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel and Grenache, from some of Ed’s favorite vineyard and grower sources.  Production of most wines very seldom exceeds 100 cases and in some cases don’t even reach 25 cases.  This is a highly recommended mailing list to check out if you want very reasonably priced, small production wines.

 

For more information, checkout their website.

 

The wine is a nice, bright ruby red color.  The civilized and refined nose has raspberries, minerals, warm baking spices, mint, cherries, wild flowers, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate the fruit and spice grab hold initially, eventually allowing a touch of mint, earthiness, and a floral note to come through.  The finish has nice length with mint and cherries carrying the load.  This is very good now, but will be much better in another year or two.  This has 14.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Ledge Tempranillo Los Topos – $18.75

This is a limited production, 100% Tempranillo sourced from premium Paso Robles Vineyards.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The enticing nose has black cherries, white pepper, dry underbrush, baking spices, crushed stone minerals, dried leafy herbs, wild flowers and licorice.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  Black cherries, white pepper and crushed stones immediately grab hold of your palate with dried herbs and underbrush coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with licorice and a floral note entering the picture.  This will probably age and maybe even improve in the cellar but this is very hard to resist.  One of the better Tempranillo wines coming out of California.  This has 15.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Jacob Franklin Petite Sirah Hayne Vineyard – $32.00

This was another very easy buy, one of my favorite grapes, from a top notch vineyard, from one of my go-to wineries.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The inviting nose is full of crushed blackberries, dusty minerals, violets, blueberries, white pepper, road tar, dried violets and vanilla bean.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  For a Hayne Vineyard Petite Sirah this is bright and lively on your palate with crushed berries, minerals and white pepper hitting on the front end and blueberries, vanilla and dried violets coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with berries and white pepper seeming to linger forever.  This is on the young side but very easy to enjoy even at this stage in its development.  This has 13.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Ledge Garnacha Los Topos – $18.75

This is 100% Grenache from Paso Robles.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The inviting nose has cherries, baking spices, licorice, white pepper, crushed stones, dried leafy herbs, raspberries and dried flowers.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  Tart cherries, white pepper and crushed stones jump out quickly on the front end with baking spices and licorice coming in later.  The finish has nice length with dried herbs and dried flowers joining the cherries and white pepper.  This is already very tasty but will probably improve with a year in the cellar.  This has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Vincent Arroyo Tempranillo – $25.20

I’ve joined the Vincent Arroyo mailing list with the 2000 vintage.  I was hooked after our first visit to the winery.  I was fortunate enough to get in on a sale of their library wines so I have had the wines from as far back as the 1995 vintage.  If you ever make it to the Calistoga area, I highly recommend a stop at Vincent Arroyo.  They generally have a couple bottles open but the highlight is the barrel tasting.  You have the opportunity to pre-order the exact wines you sample from the barrel.

 

Winery history

Walking into the Vincent Arroyo Winery, one gets the sense that it has been here forever.  Is it just the comfortable atmosphere of a big barn full of oak wine barrels that lends to the sense of permanence?  Vincent Arroyo, himself, may feel like he has been here forever, as well.  He left behind a career as a mechanical engineer in the Silicon Valley during the early 70’s and headed to Calistoga, at the northern tip of the Napa Valley.  He felt much more at home close to the land, being able to see and taste the fruits of his labors.

 

The purchase of the 23 acres of the Greenwood Ranch property in 1974 began the evolution of what is seen today, 85 acres cultivating 9 different wine grape varietals.  Vince has always been a farmer at heart, taking care of the land to produce the best that it can.  He began to transform the Greenwood Ranch by ripping out existing prune trees and unhealthy vines and planting new vineyards.  For many years, he did it all alone, the tractor work, cellar work and a one-man sales force.  Originally he made just a few hundred cases of his favorites, Petite Sirah and Cabernet, selling the majority of the grape tonnage to other Napa wineries.  Today, he produces over 8,000 cases of seven different varietals.

 

More information is available at: http://www.vincentarroyo.com/

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby red color.  The slightly reserved nose has black cherries, warm baking spices, licorice, earthy underbrush, wild flowers, dried herbs, and cedar.  This has medium body, moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine shows cherries with a touch of spicy oak up front with some dried herbs and earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish is a touch short but again has nice spicy cherries.  This doesn’t offer a lot in the complexity department but it is tasty.  A worthy entry in the Napa Valley Tempranillo category, which doesn’t have many competitors.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Villa del Monte Merlot Moon Vineyard – SRP $33

This was a sample provided by the winery for review purposes.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, cherries, cedar, baking spices, mint, freshly ground coffee beans, dark bittersweet chocolate and dried violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart fruit, spice and coffee beans jump out on the front end with cedar and a touch of mint coming in later.  The finish has nice length with dark chocolate and dried flowers adding nice depth.  This is drinking very nicely today but will hold for the remainder of the decade, maybe longer.  A solid effort!  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Villa Creek Garnacha Denner Vineyard – $29.75

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The sensuous nose has plums, cherries, baking spices, roasted herbs, scorched earth, white pepper, violets, crushed stones and a hint of eucalyptus.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate sweet cherries, white pepper, scorched earth and crushed stones jump out quickly with roasted herbs and spices coming in later.  The finish has good length with a touch of eucalyptus providing extra depth.  A few years in the cellar have been very kind to this wine.  (91 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!

 

 

2012 Cairdean Vineyards Merlot

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut

1993 Schwaab-Kiebel Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese Fuder #9

2004 Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Millésimé

2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection

 

 

 

2012 Cairdean Vineyards Merlot – $16.00

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle Wines.  Information on the site including a $10 credit for joining is below.

 

This winery changed their name from Cairdean to Brasswood Napa Valley.  That was the reason Last Bottle Wines was able to sell this wine at such an incredible price.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The inviting nose has black cherries, white pepper, vanilla, dusty minerals, cedar, eucalyptus, baking spices, dark chocolate and a touch of blueberry.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate black cherries, baking spices, minerals and white pepper take control on the front end with eucalyptus, dark chocolate and vanilla coming in later.  The finish has good length with spicy cedar and a hint of blueberry providing good depth.  This tastes great now but some cellar time will be rewarded.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut – $45.99

One of the most popular “special occasion” Champagnes in the marketplace.

 

This is a pale straw yellow color with several persistent streams of pinpoint sized bubbles.  The appealing and festive nose has apples, lemon zest, minerals, fresh baked yeasty bread, orange blossoms and white peach.  This has light body with big effervescence and crisp acidity.  On the palate apples, lemon zest, minerals and orange blossoms come in on the front end with yeasty bread and white peach coming in later.  The finish has very good length with crisp, mouthwatering lemony acidity leaving you quickly reaching for another sip.  This has 12.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

1993 Schwaab-Kiebel Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese Fuder #9 – $19.70

I have a special place in my heart for a well aged German Riesling.  In their youth these wines may seem disjointed with plenty of residual sugar and an overload of acidity.  Over time in the cellar everything comes together, the sugar and acidity evolve into a rich, silky wine that is so easy to drink they can get addictive.

 

The wine is a bright yellow color with a slight golden tint.  The fresh and vibrant nose has apples, flinty minerals, orange blossoms, honey, lychee nuts, white peach and just a hint of petrol.  This has medium to full body with great acidity and nice lingering sweetness.  On the palate apples, minerals, honey and lychee nuts jump out quickly on the front end with orange blossoms and white peach coming in later.  The finish is long and lingering with a hint of petrol.  This is rich and luxurious, a wonderful bottle of wine that does not taste 23 years old.  I have no idea how long this will hold in the cellar but I am not in any hurry to open my remaining bottles.  This has 8% alcohol and the bottle was sealed with a pristine natural cork.  (95 pts)

 

 

2004 Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Millésimé – $59.29

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle Wines.  Information on the site including a $10 credit for joining is below.

 

The wine is a light yellow color with a slight green tint with very persistent pinpoint sized bubbles.  The festive nose has apples, lemon zest, wet stone minerals, roasted nuts and white flowers.  This has great acidity with nice effervescence.  Tart apples, minerals and lemon zest quickly greet the palate with roasted nuts and white flowers coming in later.  The mouthwatering finish has great length with the lemony acidity causing you to quickly reach for another sip.  No hurry with this one, it will last for several years.  Great job!  This has 12% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection – $91.04

One of the original “cult” Napa Cabernet wines.  There are a lot of people who have to grab every vintage as soon as it is released.  This wine has been produced in every vintage since 1975 except 1977, 1993 and 1996 when the wine was not produced.

 

This was the first vintage of this wine to not be 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this includes 14% Merlot.  The grapes for this wine do not come from a single vineyard like a lot of winery’s top end releases.  This is a blend of grapes from Rutherford 32%, Atlas Peak 15%, Oak Knoll 14%, St Helena 9% and Yountville 6%.  The remaining 24% come from “lesser known” areas in the Napa Valley.

 

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The open and inviting nose has cassis, baking spices, fresh ground dark roast coffee, dried herbs, dusty minerals, cherry, dark chocolate, vanilla and a touch of eucalyptus.  This has a full body with moderate to solid, ripe tannins and good acidity.  The wine is rich and plush on the palate with loads of crushed berries, baking spices, and dark chocolate.  There are dried herbs and cherries coming in on the back end filling out the palate and adding depth.  The finish is long and rich with a bit of vanilla creeping in as well a some eucalyptus and dark chocolate.  This is delicious right now but with all the richness, I don’t know if this will be one to hold long term. I’d advise enjoying over the next few years.  This has 15.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

2010 Treasure Hunter Caitlin’s Cuvee Paso Robles

2011 Mark Herold Wines Flux

2008 Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Franc Estate Grown Patzimaro Vineyard Napa Valley

2011 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard

2008 Villa Creek Mas de Maha

2015 Macchia Petite Sirah Dubious

 

 

 

2010 Treasure Hunter Caitlin’s Cuvee Paso Robles – $18.59

There isn’t much information available on this wine.  I do know it is a Bordeaux blend but I don’t know the exact blend.  I do know the winemaker is Mark Adams from One Time Spaceman and his own winery, Ledge.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The exotic nose has cassis, blackberries, roasted herbs, baking spices, cherries, dry underbrush, wild flowers and a hint of cedar.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, blackberries, roasted herbs and baking spices grab your attention quickly with cherries and underbrush coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a floral note and a touch of cedar providing extra depth.  This isn’t one to stash away, I’d drink this one in the next year or two and enjoy the upfront fruit.  This has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

2011 Mark Herold Wines Flux – $15.40

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 blend 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)

 

 

2008 Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Franc Estate Grown Patzimaro Vineyard Napa Valley – $38.75

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 blend of 84% Cabernet Franc and 16% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The wine was aged in 100% new French oak Chateau-style 60 gallon barrels.

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The enjoyable nose has cassis, cedar, dusty minerals, roasted herbs, baking spices, cherries, white pepper and a touch of dark chocolate.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate cassis, cedar, minerals and baking spices jump out quickly with roasted herbs and white pepper coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with cedar and dark chocolate providing depth.  The only negative is the herbs turn a touch green on the finish.  All in all, a very good wine with a piece of juicy meat hot off the grill.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

2011 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard – $38.50

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

 

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

 

 

2008 Villa Creek Mas de Maha – $29.75

This is a blend of 60% Tempranillo, 20% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre and 10% Carignan from Paso Robles.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The spellbinding nose has raspberries, black cherries, crushed stone minerals, dried herbs, vanilla, wildflowers, baking spices, plums and dry earth.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate red and black fruit, minerals and baking spices immediately grab your attention with vanilla, dried herbs and plums coming in later.  The lingering finish adds a nice floral note and some subtle earthiness.  This is at a great stage in its’ evolution, it is big and powerful with no rough edges and displays great balance.  I really enjoyed this wine and the cellar time has been rewarded.  This has 15.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (94 pts)

 

 

2015 Macchia Petite Sirah Dubious – $24.99

This wine is a blend of grapes from both Lodi and Amador County, so it carries the “California” appellation on the label.

 

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The luxurious nose is full of blackberries, wood embers, black pepper, vanilla, blueberries, scorched earth, wildflowers and crushed stone minerals.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate blackberries, wood embers, black pepper and vanilla quickly take control with blueberries, minerals and scorched earth coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a big floral note joining the fruit to provide nice richness.  This probably won’t be one to stash away for some extended cellar time, open this one in the next few years and enjoy the upfront fruit.  This has 14.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (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 2016 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!

 

 

2006 Saxum Heart Stone Vineyard

2012 Robert Hunter Pinot Noir Reserve Hunter Farms

2006 Rudius Syrah Emerald Pool Alder Springs Vineyard

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard

2013 Bokisch Vineyards Tempranillo Lodi

2008 One Time Spaceman Moon Duck

 

 

 

2006 Saxum Heart Stone Vineyard – $55.00

This wine  is a blend of 38% Syrah, 36% Grenache and 26% Mourvedre from Paso Robles.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The alluring nose has blackberries, crushed stone minerals, licorice, Asian spices, tar, roasted meat, dried wildflowers and black cherries.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate blackberries, minerals, Asian spices and roasted meat quickly grab your attention on the front end with cherries and tar coming in on the back end.  The long finish adds a dried floral note.  This is in a perfect drinking window but should hold for a couple years.  This has 15.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

2012 Robert Hunter Pinot Noir Reserve Hunter Farms – $14.75

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle at a big discount so the price listed is not a usual price.  Information on Last Bottle is at the end of this post.

 

This wine is a medium ruby red color.  The sexy nose has cherries, warm baking spices, damp earth, roasted leafy herbs, dusty minerals and dried wild flowers.  This has medium body with soft tannins and good acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, baking spices and damp earth jump out on the front end with roasted herbs and minerals coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a nice dried floral note adding some depth.  This is a tasty wine to drink over the next couple of years.  This has 13.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

2006 Rudius Syrah Emerald Pool Alder Springs Vineyard – $45.00

This was one of my first purchases upon getting on the Rudius mailing list.

 

The wine is a deep, dark as midnight, purple color.  The stunning nose has blackberries, dying wood embers, roasted meat, blueberries, vanilla, dusty minerals and violets.  This has a full body with fully resolved tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate rich berries, charred wood, roasted meat and blueberries grab hold immediately with vanilla and minerals coming in later.  The long, lingering finish adds black pepper and violets which provide another dimension to the wine.  This is probably on the down side of its evolution but it is still a wonderful bottle of wine.  This has 15.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard – $46.00

It would be hard for me to pick a favorite source for Loring Pinot Noir but it usually boils down to which one I buy the most.  That means it’s a dead heat between Garys’ Vineyard and Clos Pepe.  Both are winners and always welcome on my dinner table.

 

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The inviting nose bas black cherries, baking spices, crushed stone minerals, white pepper, forest floor, blackberries, citrus zest and dried wildflowers.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate tannins and very good acidity.  Black cherries, baking spices and minerals jump out quickly on the palate with blackberries, white pepper and forest floor coming in on the back end.  The finish has great length with a nice dried floral note and a hint of citrus zest adding depth.  This has matured into a rich and flavorful Pinot, a classic Loring wine.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (93 pts)

 

 

2013 Bokisch Vineyards Tempranillo Lodi – $20.70

Bokisch Vineyards is one of my favorite Lodi wineries.  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.

 

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)

 

 

2008 One Time Spaceman Moon Duck – $22.79

This is a blend of 40% Mourvedre, 30% Syrah, 20% Grenache and 10% Tempranillo.

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The alluring nose has blackberries, crushed stones, cherries, baking spices, dark chocolate, licorice, black peppercorns, dried violets and underbrush.  This has a medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate blackberries, minerals, licorice and baking spices take control on the front end with cherries, black pepper and dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish adds a nice underbrush element as well as a floral note.  This wine is at its peak drinking window and should hold for a couple years.  For the price, this is as good as it gets.  This has 15.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  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 2016 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!

 

 

2012 Saddleback Cellars Barrel Select Posse Red

2012 KITÁ Spe’y Camp 4 Vineyard

2010 Tamaral Ribera del Duero Vendimia Seleccionada

1988 Schloss Schonborn Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spatlese

2007 Zaca Mesa Syrah

Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut L.P.

 

 

 

2012 Saddleback Cellars Barrel Select Posse Red – $18.89

This wine was from Last Bottle Wines, information on the site is below.

 

I couldn’t find much information on the wine so the exact blend is a mystery.

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The invigorating nose has cassis, black cherry, baking spices, licorice, black peppercorns, crushed stone minerals, violets and a touch of cedar.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate cassis, cherries, spices and cedar dominate the front end with minerals, black peppercorns and a floral note coming in later.  The finish has nice length.  This is a very nice week night bottle of wine that could work with a nice meat dish on a weekend.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

2012 KITÁ Spe’y Camp 4 Vineyard – $19.62

This wine was from Last Bottle Wines, information on the site is below.

 

This is a blend of 53% Grenache, 27% Syrah and 20% Carignane from California’s Santa Ynez Valley.

 

The wine is a dark ruby red color.  The enticing nose has cherries, crushed stone minerals, baking spices, white pepper, scorched earth, roasted leafy herbs, charcoal, blackberries and dried wild flowers.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, baking spices, white pepper and stony minerals quickly grab your attention on the front end with roasted herbs, charcoal and blackberries coming in later.  The finish has good length with scorched earth and a dried floral note providing nice depth.  This has great balance and a bit more cellar time will be rewarded.  This has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

2010 Tamaral Ribera del Duero Vendimia Seleccionada – $18.85

This wine was from Last Bottle Wines, information on the site is below.

 

This wine is 100% Tinta Fina (Tempranillo) from the winery’s vineyards in Pesquera del Duero.  The wine was aged for 14 months in 60% American and 40% French oak.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, cherries, baking spices, licorice, forest floor, roasted leafy herbs and wild flowers.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate this is lighter and livelier than the nose lead me to expect with tart cherries, baking spices, forest floor and licorice on the front end with blackberries and roasted herbs coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a nice floral note entering the picture.  This isn’t a big and concentrated wine but the great balance and nuance helps it to shine.  I kept reaching for another sip, which is a great trait for a wine to process.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

1988 Schloss Schonborn Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spatlese – $34.81

To me, one of the greatest joys in the wine world is being able to sip a well aged German Riesling.

 

The wine is a golden yellow color.  The mesmerizing nose has apples, petrol, orange blossoms, honey, slate, citrus zest, white peaches and white pepper.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and nice sweetness.  Very rich and smooth on the palate with most of the overt sugar having been incorporated into the magical elixir.  The wine has a long, lingering finish full of peach, apples, honey, minerals, and lime zest.  This has 9.5% alcohol and the bottle was sealed with a natural cork. (94 pts)

 

 

2007 Zaca Mesa Syrah – $13.59

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, licorice, cherries, black pepper, dusty minerals, espresso beans, dark chocolate and dried violets.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate blackberries, licorice, espresso beans and dusty minerals on the front end with dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish has decent length with a dried floral note providing some depth.  This seems to be a bit on the decline and probably needs to be opened in the next year.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (88 pts)

 

 

Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut L.P. – $39.99

This wine is a blend of Chardonnay (45%), Pinot Noir (40%) and Pinot Meunier (15%).

 

The wine was a light straw color filled with steady streams of pinpoint sized bubbles.  The very inviting nose had apples, lemon zest, yeasty bread, crushed stone minerals, pears and a touch of nuttiness.  This had light body with crisp, citrusy acidity.  On the palate this was bright and fresh with tart apples, minerals and lemon zest up front with a nutty element coming in on the back end.  The finish had good length with the lemon zest leaving your mouth watering for another sip.  This has 12.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (91 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 2016 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 Michael Caitlin Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills

2002 Torbreck Descendant

Charles & Alphrede (Ch. & A.) Prieur Champagne Grand Prieur Reserve Brut

2009 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Seventy Four – Forty One Napa Valley

2011 Mueller Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Stars & Goats

2008 Long Shadows Wineries Chester-Kidder

 

 

 

2013 Michael Caitlin Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills – $20.00

This wine has a SRP of $55.  This wine was purchased from Last Bottle Wines.  Information on the site how to get a $10 credit on your first order is below.

 

This vintage was sourced from Radian Vineyard, which is the furthest South West vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills.

 

The wine is a light ruby red color.  The inviting nose has cherries, white pepper, roasted herbs, dry earth, cranberries, raspberries and wild flowers.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cherries, white pepper and dry earth quickly grab your attention with roasted herbs and cranberries coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a pleasing floral note providing some depth.  This is a nicely balanced, lighter bodied Pinot.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

2002 Torbreck Descendant – $59.01

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle Wines.  Information on the site how to get a $10 credit on your first order is below.

 

This is a blend of 92% Shiraz and 8% co-fermented Viognier.  This is essentially an unoaked (18 months in 2 year old barrels) version of the winery’s RunRig which sells for over $200 a bottle.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to purple color.  The entrancing nose has blackberries, graphite, licorice, violets, apricot, white pepper and a hint of roasted meat.  This has medium to full body with moderate to sold ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate crushed berries, graphite and white pepper pops out on the front end with licorice and violets coming in later.  The long, lingering finish adds a touch or roasted meat and apricot.  This is a powerful wine full of flavor but with perfect balance.  This tastes great today but I’m in no hurry to open my remaining bottles, this will last at least through the end of the decade.  One of the better wines I’ve had this year.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (95 pts)

 

 

Charles & Alphrede (Ch. & A.) Prieur Champagne Grand Prieur Reserve Brut – $28.91

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle Wines.  Information on the site how to get a $10 credit on your first order is below.

 

This is a blend of 45% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier (including 30% of reserve wine).  This was aged for at least 3 years before disgorgement and at least 3 months afterwards.

 

The wine is a light yellow-straw color with several streams of pinpoint sized bubbles.  The enticing nose has apples, lemon zest, stony minerals, yeasty bread and light nuttiness.  This is crisp and dry on the palate with nice effervescence.  On the palate tart apples, minerals and lemon zest grab your attention immediately with yeast bread coming in later.  The lingering finish add a nutty note.  This is a very nice bottle of Champagne that is perfect of any day of the week but it will not be out of place at a special occasion.  This has 12.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

2009 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Seventy Four – Forty One Napa Valley – SRP $65

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from valley floor and mountain vineyards.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The mesmerizing nose is full of cassis, dusty minerals, cigar box, dried violets, warm baking spices, dried leafy herbs, black cherries, dark chocolate and scorched earth.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  Cassis, cedar, dusty minerals and warm baking spices quickly engulf your palate, grudgingly allowing dried herbs, black cherry and dark chocolate to slip in on the back end.  The long, lingering finish adds scorched earth and a nice floral note.  This is outstanding today with some air but additional cellar time will be well rewarded.  A top notch Napa Cabernet.  This has 14.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (95 pts)

 

 

2011 Mueller Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Stars & Goats – $29.12

This wine has a SRP of $40.  This wine was purchased from Last Bottle Wines.  Information on the site how to get a $10 credit on your first order is below.

 

This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the winery’s Diamond Mountain vineyard.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The very appealing nose has cassis, roasted leafy herbs, baking spices, tobacco, licorice, cedar, crushed stone minerals, white pepper and dried violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cassis, baking spices and minerals jump out on the front end with roasted herbs and tobacco coming in later.  The lingering finish adds cedar, white pepper and a nice dried floral note.  This isn’t a powerhouse, but it has great balance and is a big success for the vintage.  (91 pts)

 

 

2008 Long Shadows Wineries Chester-Kidder – $28.49

This wine is a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Syrah, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc.  The grapes for this vintage come from several vineyards.  40% of the grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from Candy Mountain which is just above Red Mountain.  The rest of the Cabernet Sauvignon is from three different Walla Walla vineyards that were selected to add mouth-feel and dimension to the wine.  The Petit Verdot comes from Stone Tree Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope and the Cabernet Franc is from Weinbau Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope.

 

The wine is a dark purple color.  The intriguing nose has cassis, blackberries, dark chocolate, dried herbs, black peppercorns, black cherries, dusty minerals, scorched earth, cedar and vanilla bean.  This has medium to full body with moderate ripe tannins and good acidity.  Cassis, berries, minerals and cedar coat the palate on the front end with black cherries, dark chocolate and vanilla bean coming in later.  The finish has good length with dried herbs and black peppercorns providing nice depth.  This nicely balanced wine is in a good place today but will hold easily through the end of the decade.  This has 14.7% 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.  The site is becoming my go-to site for both everyday wines and wines for special occasions.  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 2016 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!

 

2007 Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Klipsun Vineyard

2009 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label

2011 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2011 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon 150th Anniversary

2009 Rudius Cabernet Sauvignon

2012 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon

 

 

These are miscellaneous Cabernet Sauvignon wines I had over the last couple of months that missed being included a previous posting at that time.

 

 

 

2007 Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Klipsun Vineyard – $25.99

This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that was aged in 100% French oak, 40% new.

 

The wine is a deep garnet to purple color.  The spellbinding nose has cassis, licorice, chalky minerals, roasted leafy herbs, white pepper, cherries, baking spices, dried earth and violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart fruit is balanced with a solid savory edge.  The finish has good length with chalky minerals and roasted herbs again buffering the fruit.  This has outstanding balance and proof that an American wine doesn’t have to posses layers after layer of fruit to be delicious.  This has 13.8% alcohol.  (93 pts)

 

 

2009 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard – SRP $65

The wine is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot; aged 22 months in French Oak (50% new/50% one year old barrels).

 

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The exhilarating nose is full of cassis, dried herbs, dying wood embers, black cherry, vanilla, Asian spices, dusty minerals, dark bittersweet chocolate, white pepper, tobacco and violets.  This has medium body with solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, dusty minerals and wood embers jump out quickly followed by vanilla, cherries and white pepper.  The long, lingering finish seems to last forever with dried herbs and a nice floral note entering the picture.  This still has some upside and will reward additional cellar time.  Another great job from Jean Edwards Cellars.  This wine has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (95 pts)

 

 

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label – $40.00

When I received the offer from Turley for this Cabernet, I had to grab a few bottles.  I’ve had and enjoyed a couple bottles but it has been a while since I opened one, it’s time to check in.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The comforting nose has cassis, baking spices, cedar, violets, cherry, dried herbs, tobacco and a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  The creamy palate has nice up front berries, cherries, and spice with dried herbs and some building dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a touch of earthiness and spicy oak coming into play.  This may not have a ton of complexity but is an enjoyable wine and seems to be in a very nice drinking window.  The QPR at $40 open for debate, but I’m glad I have more in the cellar.  Don’t expect a Cabernet version of a Turley Zinfandel or you will be disappointed.  This wine has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2011 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – SRP $65

This wine has 12% Merlot blended in with the Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has cassis, dusty minerals, mint, cherries, tobacco, cedar, white pepper, baking spices and violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cassis, baking spices and minerals jump out on the front end with mint and cedar coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with cherries and violets entering the picture and providing nice depth.  This is still very young and will reward some additional cellar time, if you open one now give it plenty of air.  This wine has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

2011 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon 150th Anniversary – $22.49

This vintage celebrates the 150th Anniversary of the esteemed winery.

 

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The open and appealing nose has cassis, cedar, roasted herbs, tobacco, scorched earth, mint and dried violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, cedar and roasted herbs jump out on the front end with tobacco, cedar and scorched earth coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a hint of mint adding depth.  A nice offering for a cool vintage with minimal herbal notes.  Not one to stash away, open this one over the next couple of years.  This has 13.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (88 pts)

 

 

2009 Rudius Cabernet Sauvignon – $65.00

I’ve been on the Rudius mailing list since the beginning.  The owner/winemaker is Jeff Ames who is also the winemaker for the prestigious TOR winery.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The hypnotic nose is full of cassis, tobacco, warm baking spices, black plums, eucalyptus, white pepper, dried violets and cedar.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, tobacco and cedar grab hold on the front end with plums, white pepper and spice coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with a dried floral note adding depth and interest.  This is still on the young side and will reward some additional cellar time.  (94 pts)

 

 

2012 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon 

This wine is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Syrah, 7% Zinfandel and 4% Merlot from vineyards in Napa Valley, Lodi, Paso Robles and Monterey County.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The smooth and comforting nose has cherries, baking spices, white pepper, dried flowers, raspberries and tobacco.  This has a medium to full body with soft tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate sweet fruit and spices hit first with white pepper and dried flowers coming on the back end.  The finish has decent length and is dominated by sweet cherries and spices.  This doesn’t offer much complexity but is an easy drinking way to relax over a glass of wine at the end of an evening.  This wine has 13.8% alcohol.  (86 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 2016 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!

 

2012 Uvaggio (L’Uvaggio di Giacomo) Vermentino

2012 Carlisle Zinfandel Kirschenmann

2007 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino

2006 Cosentino Winery The Poet

2011 Bibi Graetz Casamatta Bianco Toscana IGT

2010 Jaffe Estate Transformation

2010 Tenuta Carretta Roero Bric Paradiso

 

 

 

2012 Uvaggio (L’Uvaggio di Giacomo) Vermentino – $10.00

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle.  Information on the site and a $10 credit on your first purchase is below.

 

The wine is a very light yellow with a green tint.  The fresh and lively nose has tart green apples, orange blossoms, lemon zest, white peach, lime zest, wet stone minerals and a light herbal note.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity.  On the palate tart apples, lemon zest and minerals jump out quickly with orange blossoms and a hint of green herbs coming in later.  The lingering finish has a touch of white peach before tart lemon zest leaves your mouth watering for another sip.  This tastes wonderful and would be a great introduction to wine lovers of the white wines coming out of Lodi.  This has 13.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2012 Carlisle Zinfandel Kirschenmann – $28.50

The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard owned by Tegan and Olivia Passalacqua who purchased it in 2012.  The vineyard was planted on 1916 and the soil is composed of nearly pure sand.  This sandy soil means the vines are “own rooted” and not grafted onto the root system of another grapevine since Phylloxera can’t live in sand.  This vineyard is in a cooler section of Lodi, actually cooler than some parts of Napa and Sonoma.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The enticing nose has brambly berries, cherries, dusty minerals, dried violets, white pepper, roasted leafy herbs, dry earth and vanilla beans.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate tannins and nice acidity.  This is lighter on the palate than your typical zinfandel with berries, cherries and minerals on the front end and violets, roasted herbs and some dry earth coming in later.  The finish has great length with cherries, white pepper and a nice floral note doing most of the work.  This is a more feminine version of the zinfandel grape.  This has 15.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

2007 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino – $28.49

The first vintage of this wine was produced in 1970.  At that time there were only 13 wineries in Montalcino.  This makes Caparzo one of the “historic” wineries in the region.  This 100% Sangiovese is a blend of grapes from four distinctly different vineyards in the region.  After hand-picking the grapes the fermentation is more involved than most other wineries.  During the first two days of fermentation, special attention is paid to the seeds.  Any seed deemed “not ripe enough” are discarded.  This operation utilizes the “cutting edge” technology of the winery’s fermentation tanks.  The temperature controlled fermentation takes 7 days but since the skins are always in great shape the wine is allowed skin contact for an additional 10 to 15 days.  After fermentation the wine is aged for 3 years in the traditional 80 hectoliter Slavonian and 50 hectoliter French oak casks.

 

The wine is a ruby red color with a touch of brick.  The inviting nose has cherries, pencil shavings, dry underbrush, wild flowers, tobacco, black raspberries and baking spices.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, spices and tobacco come through on the front end with pencil shavings and wild flowers coming in later.  The lingering finish adds dry earth and flowers.  This is drinking very nicely right now and should hold for another 4 to 6 years.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

2006 Cosentino Winery The Poet – $28.49

This wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot.  The wine is aged for 36 months in French oak barrels before the 1200 cases were bottled unfined.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color. The very appealing nose has cassis, cigar box, dried herbs, licorice, cherries, baking spice and dusty minerals. This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity. On the palate cassis, toasty oak and baking spices lead off the show with cherries and dried herbs coming in on the back end. The finish has good length and again is supported by the fruit and oak. This is drinking nicely today and should for another couple years.  The wine has 14.9% alcohol.  (91 pts)

 

 

2011 Bibi Graetz Casamatta Bianco Toscana IGT – $10.00

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle.  Information on the site and a $10 credit on your first purchase is below.

 

This is a blend of Vermentino, Trebbiano and Muscat.  This wine was included in a “mystery case” I ordered from the winery.  Upon seeing the bottle I was disappointed with its inclusion in the case.  After opening the bottle, my mood increased tremendously and I felt it was a great selection and a steal at only $10.

 

The wine is a golden-yellow color.  The intriguing nose has apples, apricots, flinty minerals, orange blossoms and lemon zest.  This has medium body with decent acidity.  Ripe apples, lemon zest, flinty minerals and apricots coat your palate right off the bat with orange blossoms coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with rich fruit and minerals taking control until a hit of tart lemon zest leaves your mouth watering.  This was a nice white wine to go with a good meal.  It could stand on its own or with a small patter of finger food and conversation with friends.  This has 12.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (89 pts)

 

 

2010 Jaffe Estate Transformation – $34.00

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle.  Information on the site and a $10 credit on your first purchase is below.

 

This is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot.  I really like Jaffe Estate and get any of their wine I can get my hands on.

 

The wine is a saturated ruby red color.  The open and easy nose has cassis, roasted leafy herbs, black cherries, cedar, tobacco, freshly ground espresso beans, dark chocolate, baking spices and dried violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, cedar, baking spices and tobacco grab your attention quickly on the front end with espresso beans, dark chocolate and roasted herbs coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a dried floral note joining the fruit, spice and cedar.  This wine isn’t a big, smooth, fruit driven wine but there are more than enough savory elements to make up for the lower fruit concentration.  This has nice balance and could use a bit of cellar time but it’s great today with something hot and juicy off the grill.  This has 14.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

2010 Tenuta Carretta Roero Bric Paradiso – $19.13

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle.  Information on the site and a $10 credit on your first purchase is below.

 

This wine is 100% Nebbiolo that was aged 18 months in small oak casks before bottling and another 3 months of bottle age before release.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The enticing nose has black cherries, tobacco, wild flowers, dusty minerals, dry underbrush, dark chocolate and baking spices.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, minerals and underbrush lead off with wild flowers and baking spices coming in later.  The finish has good length with dark chocolate and more wild flowers providing great depth.  This is on the young side but is already very tasty.  This has 14.0% 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 several 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 2016 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 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Papera Ranch

2012 Peachy Canyon Zinfandel Incredible Red

2010 Carlisle Zinfandel Martinelli Road Vineyard

2011 Elyse Zinfandel Korte Ranch

2010 Turley Zinfandel Duarte Vineyard

2013 Ridge Zinfandel Paso Robles

2008 Cairdean Vineyards Zinfandel

2009 Turley Zinfandel Duarte Vineyard

 

 

 

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Papera Ranch – $37.00

This was Bedrock’s first vintage of this wine that was produced.  The previous vintage would have been their first one but the grapes were lost due to a “heat storm” on August 23 and 24.  The winery’s section of the vineyard has 22 interplanted varieties but the cool growing season meant the other grapes did not ripen so this is 100% Zinfandel.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The stunning nose has brambly berries, cherries, dark chocolate, dusty minerals, white pepper, dried underbrush, wild flowers and licorice.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  This is bright and lively on the palate with nice black and red fruit, minerals and white pepper on the front end with underbrush coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with a dried floral note adding interest.  This is just entering a nice drinking window, drink now or over the next couple of years.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Peachy Canyon Zinfandel Incredible Red – $13.59

The wine is a light to medium ruby red.  The comforting nose has brambly berries, white pepper, warm baking spices, crushed stone minerals, violets and black cherries.  This has a full body with soft to moderate tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate ripe berries, white pepper and crushed stone hit first on the front end with baking spices coming in later.  The finish has decent length with cherries and a floral note adding depth.  This is a fruit driven, fruit forward style of wine that could use a bit more structure.  That said, this is an easy drinking wine to share with friends over a platter of appetizers and conversation.  This wine has 14.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (87 pts)

 

 

2010 Carlisle Zinfandel Martinelli Road Vineyard – $38.00

The severe heat wave that ruined the Zinfandel harvest in the Russian River Valley in late August some how missed this vineyard.  The grapes did not go unscathed, hence the high alcohol level.  The saving grace was that the acidity levels remained high.

 

The wine is an inky purple color.  The stunning nose has brambly berries, dusty minerals, warm baking spices, licorice, white pepper, loamy earth, dried violets, blueberries and dried leafy herbs.  This has a full body with solid ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate the berries, white pepper and dusty minerals take control immediately, slowly allowing blueberries, baking spices and licorice to slip in on the back end.  The finish is very long and full of layers of flavor.  This is drinking very nicely right now but will improve over the next couple of years.  This is a blockbuster.  This wine has 16.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

2011 Elyse Zinfandel Korte Ranch – $15.82

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, baking spices, licorice, dusty minerals, vanilla bean, dry underbrush, black peppercorns and violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate tart brambly berries, baking spices and black pepper quickly take control, grudgingly allowing dusty minerals, vanilla and licorice to slip in on the back end.  The finish has nice length but gets a touch thin.  I think some time in the cellar will help the finish fill out but this is already easy to drink and enjoy.  This wine has 14.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2010 Turley Zinfandel Duarte Vineyard – $32.00

The wine is a deep purple color.  The exhilarating nose has brambly berries, baking spices, dusty minerals, licorice, cherries, eucalyptus, black peppercorns and violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and nice acidity.  This is bright and lively on the palate with tart berries, baking spices, dusty minerals and black pepper taking control immediately with cherries, licorice and a hint of eucalyptus coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a floral note entering the picture.  This is drinking very nicely and is surprisingly well mannered for a zinfandel with 15.7% alcohol.  The bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

2013 Ridge Zinfandel Paso Robles – $27.99

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

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, white pepper, crushed stones, dried leafy herbs, licorice and dried flowers.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate juicy berries, white pepper and crushed stones quickly take over with licorice and dried flowers slipping in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with the white pepper becoming more prominent.  Not a wine to stash away in the cellar.  This is very easy to enjoy even at this young age.  The wine has 14.8% alcohol.  (91 pts)

 

 

2008 Cairdean Vineyards Zinfandel – $13.49

Cairdean Vineyards was rebranded as Brasswood Estate.  Some of the old Cairdean labeled wines are being closed out by Last Bottle Wines, information on the site is below.

 

The wine is ruby red with just a touch of brick at the edge.  The slightly shy nose has cherries, brambly berries, baking spices, eucalyptus, white pepper and a hint of wood smoke.  On the palate berries, tart cherries and spices jump out first with white pepper and eucalyptus coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with cherries, baking spices and white pepper carrying the bulk of the load.  Contrary to the 15.2% alcohol on the label, this is not a big and syrupy Zin.  This will last in the cellar through the end of the decade.  (92 pts)

 

 

2009 Turley Zinfandel Duarte Vineyard – $33.24

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The comforting nose has berries, dry earth, white pepper, baking spices, licorice and violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate berries, white pepper and dry earth pop out first with spice and a floral note coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a nice licorice note entering the picture.  Not the most complex Turley zinfandel out there but very easy to drink and enjoy.  Not a full throttle style of zin.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  Some of the wines in this post were purchased from the site, 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 that can’t be missed.  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.

 

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Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2016 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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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.

 

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!