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

 

 

2011 Wesley Ashley Intelligent Design Cuvée Blanc

2011 Wesley Ashley Intelligent Design Cuvée

 

 

 

About Uncorked Ventures

Uncorked Ventures is a small, family owned business that has been growing since its inception in 2010.

 

Brothers-in-law Mark Aselstine and Matt Krause go treasure-hunting into California, Oregon and Washington wine country to bring you the very best wines that few people have ever heard of.  Building relationships with the winemakers and vineyard proprietors, Mark and Matt find themselves offered access to special limited production wines that astonish and impress.  This “feet on the ground” approach allows them to offer you both high-scoring wines and wines that would score highly—if they weren’t such a secret.

 

The world of flavors and pairing possibilities Uncorked Ventures can open up for you comes from the unparalleled expertise of the winemakers we discover.  When we work alongside them to see their process, or take the time to get to know them beyond a casual phone call, they become inspired to take a hidden bottle out from behind the counter and say, “I don’t usually share this, but…”

Fresh. Original. Exceptional. Precious. Unforgettable.

 

Whether as appreciated gifts, in gift baskets with unique artisan items, or as a member of one of our wine clubs, we promise wine experiences that satisfy, surprise and create memories.

 

Information on the company and the different products they sell is available on their website.

 

 

About #WineChat

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

 

Mission

What is #WineChat?  Click here to learn more.

 

Description

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

 

Grab a glass and join in!

 

Click here for the current #winechat schedule.

 

 

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

 

 

About the Winery

Most of the background and information about the winery is on their site in a video format which does not allow for easy transfer to a post like this.  I highly recommend checking out this content.

 

Information is available about the winery on their website by clicking here.

 

 

The Line-up

Here is the line up that was provided for this online tasting event:

 

 

 

2011 Wesley Ashley Intelligent Design Cuvée Blanc – SRP $34

The wine is a blend of 60% Viognier, 30% Roussanne and 10% Grenache Blanc.  This is sealed with a natural cork and has 13.9% alcohol by volume.  There were 275 cases of the wine produced.

 

The Viognier was barrel fermented in 3 year old French Oak barrels, 50% of these barrels were allowed to go through ML after primary fermentation was complete.  Lees was stirred in all barrels 2 times a month for 6 mos.  The Rousanne and Grenache Blanc were cold fermented in small stainless tanks and not allowed to go through ML, to preserve the exotic aromas and flavors.  The Blend was assembled in tank after 10 mos and then bottled.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light golden straw color.  The spellbinding nose has pears, nuts, pineapples, spice, white peaches and orange blossoms.  This dry wine has medium body and good acidity.  This is rich and creamy on the palate with nice closing acidity featuring pears, orange zest and nuts.  The finish has good length with some lemon zest coming in late.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Wesley Ashley Intelligent Design Cuvée – SRP $38

This is a blend of 75% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 5% Petite Sirah.  The final alcohol is 14.1% and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The Grenache was picked in the early morning hours in the winery’s vineyard in Santa Barbara County.  They were hand sorted and de-stemmed (whole berry) to a small stainless steel tank for primary fermentation.  They chose to ferment the Grenache with native yeasts, and after a 3 day cold soak, primary fermentation started.  They gently pumped over the tank 3 times a day and allowed the temp to spike at 88F for one day for maximum extraction and mouth feel.  After 10 days, they racked the free run to neutral barrels where the wine underwent Malolactic fermentation.

 

The Syrah and Petite Sirah was picked a few weeks later and co-fermented in an open top tank, where it received 3 punch downs a day.  It was racked to new French Oak barrels while it was still fermenting and let it finish in barrel (they believe this aids in color stabilization and increased mouth feel).  The M+ toast French Oak barrels added the wonderful mocha spice and sweet vanilla that comes through in the blend.  Like the Grenache, they let the Syrah-Petite Sirah go through Malolactic fermentation.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red.  The very inviting nose has black cherries, raspberries, minerals, dried herbs and baking spices.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  There is nice up front fruit on the palate with minerals and dried herbs adding good complexity.  This has good length on the finish with building baking spices providing an extra layer of depth.  (91 pts)

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

 

 

2007 Imagine Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles

2007 Imagine Wine Syrah Winged Paradise Mountain Vineyard

 

 

 

This is from an extra special online WineChat celebrating the release of a very limited wine, the 2007 Imagine Wine Syrah Winged Paradise Mountain Vineyard.  The wine was aged in oak for 6 years.  Ross Rankin, the owner, says the wine “is unique and one of a kind” in today’s “sell it quick” market.” The Syrah retails for $80 and only 246 cases were made.

 

This was a large scaled event with three prongs.  The first part was an in house tasting with food, music, dancing, and of course wine.  The second part of the release party was a Skype conference with Ross Ranking.  I participated in the third portion of the release party, and online #winechat tasting.

 

 

The Winery, in their words

Imagine Wine is a true boutique winery producing aromatic and delicious wines in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, near Santa Barbara, California.  Our wines are hand crafted by our winemaker, Ross Jay Rankin.  He entered the industry in the late 1990’s and early on he produced in a facility affectionately known by its many excellent winemakers as the “Lompoc Wine Ghetto.”  In 2008 he moved his craft to the “state-of-the-art” facility, Terravant, in Buellton.  Ross sources extraordinary grapes from the renowned vineyards of the California central coast.  His signature Paradise Mountain Syrah and Viognier are made exclusively from the highly sought after grapes of a unique vineyard in the eastern hills of Santa Barbara County.  Begun in 2004, Imagine Wine now has a complement of fine, limited production wines to suit any wine lovers’ tastes.  Our Tasting Room and Art Gallery opened in Fall 2009 in Santa Ynez where our followers may discuss winemaking (or the world’s dilemmas) with Ross or his wife, LynDee, over sips of Imagine Wine.

 

Much more information on the winery and their wines is available by clicking here.

 

The winery is also on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

 

About Winechat

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

 

Mission

What is #WineChat?  Click here to learn more.

 

Description

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

 

Grab a glass and join in!

 

Click here for the current #winechat schedule.

 

 

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

 

 

 

The line up for the event:

 

 

 

2007 Imagine Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles – SRP $39

This wine was supplied to “babysit” those of us who may have wanted to jump the gun and partake in the Winged Syrah before the official start of the event.

 

IMAGINE… 36 months in French, Hungarian, and American oak. Stunning aromas of licorice, vanilla, and leather with flavors of Blackberry and Raspberry. Medium tannins with a slight pleasant smokiness. 200 cases produced

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep garnet color.  The very inviting nose has cassis, dried herbs, tobacco, cedar, warm baking spices, and a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has medium to full body, moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate this wine has rich cassis and spice up front with dried herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with a bit of dark chocolate adding some complexity.  (91 pts)

 

 

2007 Imagine Wine Syrah Winged Paradise Mountain Vineyard – SRP $80

This is 100% Syrah that was aged 65 months in 30% to 40% new oak: 70% French, 25% Hungarian, and 5% American.

 

246 cases were produced.

 

The wine has 16.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The very open and inviting nose has blackberries, blueberries, dried herbs, Asian spices, dark chocolate, minerals, freshly ground espresso, smoke, and black olive.  This has a full body, moderate ripe tannins and good acidity.  Rich and plush on the palate loaded with crushed berries, spice, minerals, dark chocolate and espresso.  Thais had a long finish with dried herbs and white pepper adding even more complexity but it does show some alcoholic heat.  (93 pts)

 

This was much more than a novelty act; this was a top notch wine but not one for everyone.  During the event, while discussing the price, I think I aptly used Saxum as a reference point.  After so much time in oak, the wine was a bit slow to fully unwind and was in a constant state of change.  If you have a bottle or buy some, I would strongly encourage following the winery’s recommendation of serving between 60 and 65 degrees and give it at least an hour of air.  Personally, I wouldn’t recommend stashing it in your cellar, open your bottle over the upcoming holiday season and enjoy.

 

 

Napa Valley Film Festival

Are you interested in attending the Napa Valley Film Festival?  The festival runs from November 13 through 17.

 

Oh, almost forgot, how does attending the event for free sound?  To celebrate being a sponsor of the event, Benchmark Wine Group is giving away a very nice package to one lucky person.  Enter by October 31st for your chance to win.

 

The Napa-based company is offering one lucky winner two Festival Passes to the Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF), worth a $500 value; two private invitations to the Benchmark Opening Night VIP kick-off party; and exclusive access to the sneak preview screening of ‘August: Osage County’, starring Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts.

 

Benchmark Wine Group will be hosting an exclusive Opening Night VIP kick-off party on Wednesday, November 13 and a winemaker tasting with Todd Alexander of Bryant and Bettina on Friday, November 15.  NVFF Patrons and special guests will be invited to join Benchmark Wine Group at the Michael Holmes Gallery at Riverfront, 606 Main Street, from 8 pm to 10 pm Wednesday to launch the week’s festivities.  Every guest Wednesday will be entered into a raffle for a chance to buy a bottle of 2001 Château Haut-Brion for $1; taste magnums of 1983 Pétrus, 1966 Château Margaux, and 2003 Diamond Creek; and enjoy food catered by Morimoto Napa.

 

For more information, click here.

 

To view the official rules and to enter, click here.

 

A video about the event from my bud, Amy Payne, is available by clicking here.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

This is based on wines supplied by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

 

2012 Trapiche Pinot Noir

2011 Bodega Familia Schroeder Pinot Noir Saurus Patagonia

2011 Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Barda

 

 

 

This is based on a Twitter #winechat we had on October 9^th.  The “host” for the event was Dan Altman of Argovino. 

 

Argovino in their words:

The wines of Argentina offer exceptional value and a huge variety of flavor. Argovino helps you to discover the finest Argentine wines in every price range with unbiased reviews and articles about the industry. We have more than 300 wines on the site and are adding wines every week. Have a look around and consider subscribing to our free monthly newsletter, which enters you for weekly wine giveaways! Soon you’ll be seeing our Argovino ratings at your local wine shop, too. We’re a completely independent source of wine information – we just want to connect you to the best that Argentina’s wondrous vineyards have to offer.

 

For more information on Argovino, to see their reviews or to sign up for their free newsletter, click here.

 

 

 

About Winechat

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

 

Mission

What is #WineChat?  Click here to learn more.

 

Description

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

 

Grab a glass and join in!

 

Click here for the current #winechat schedule.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Here are the wines we sampled and discussed on this evening.

 

 

 

2012 Trapiche Pinot Noir

Trapiche is located in Mendoza, Argentina at the foothills of the Andes Mountains.  Trapiche is Argentina’s largest exported premium wine brand, exporting to more than 80 countries world wide.  They were one of the first Argentine wineries to export to the United States.

 

The winery own 1,000 hectares of vineyards and buys grapes from an additional 200 independent producers in the best growing area in Argentina.

 

This wine is the “entry level” Pinot Noir produced by the winery and is widely distributed.  Some shopping around could yield a price around $6.50 a bottle.

 

This 100% Pinot Noir from the Mendoza region has an alcohol level of 13.5% and is closed with a synthetic cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The slightly shy nose has cherries, baking spices, raspberries, cola, white pepper, wild flowers, and scorched earth.  This is barely medium body with soft tannins and good acidity.  On the palate spicy cherries and berries up front slowly allow some earthiness and a floral note to come into focus.  The finish has decent length highlighted by fruit and subtle earthiness.  Not a bad entry level Pinot and a tremendous value.  (87 pts)

 

 

2011 Bodega Familia Schroeder Pinot Noir Saurus Patagonia

The Schroeders, a European family deeply rooted in the Patagonia and well-known for their solid enterprising profile, approached this ambitious 120-hectare productive project using such varieties as Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon from red grapes and Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay from white grapes.

 

As the vines settled in their terroir through an innovative farming system, the winery saw its inception in October, 2002, and grew to become today’s fully-functioning vineyard-winery complex, producing exquisite wines that captivate local and foreign experts and consumers.

 

Bodega Familia Schroeder is one of the newer wineries in the area.

 

This wine, with a suggested retail price of under $14 a bottle is the entry level Pinot Noir from the winery.  It has 14.0% alcohol and is sealed with a synthetic cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a shade or two lighter than medium ruby red.  The slightly shy but exotic nose has cherries, eucalyptus, spice, wild flowers and earthy underbrush.  This has medium body, soft tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate creamy fruit dominates with spice and some earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length and leans on the earthy elements.  The wine is a bit soft on the back end and finish.  (86 pts)

 

 

2011 Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Barda – SRP $24.99

The first vineyard that would become part of Bodega Chacra was purchased in 2004.  The existing but abandoned vineyard had originally been planted in 1932.  The vineyard is home to gnarled Pinot Noir vines planted on their own rootstock.  The climate in the area is very dry with a maximum humidity of 30% and an average of just 7 inches of rain a year.  This coupled with the fact the region is surrounded by deserts has resulted in a complete absence of phylloxera and vine diseases.

 

No mechanization is used at any stage of the production process. The berries are placed whole, without crushing, in the fermentation vat, where the weight of the grapes near the top of the vat crushes some of those at the bottom of the vat. This method, which shares similarities with carbonic maceration, allows the wine to express the subtle, complex and finely textured tannins characteristic of very old vines. Fermentation is initiated spontaneously by indigenous yeasts, and lasts approximately three weeks at an average temperature of 78.8F (26C). During fermentation, a layer of carbon dioxide blankets the surface of the cap, which is neither pumped over nor punched down.

 

This 100% Pinot Noir from the Patagonia region was aged 12 months in French oak barrels.  It has 13.5% alcohol and is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, transparent ruby red color.  The initially slightly shy nose eventually opens nicely showing cherries, strawberries, white pepper, wild flowers, leafy green herbs, and dry earth.  This has medium body, soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate there is a nice mix of the fruit and savory elements with a bit of earthiness coming in late.  The finish has very good length and shows very good balance.  This is a very nice Pinot Noir, not just a nice Pinot from Argentina.  (90 pts)

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

 

2012 Beauregard Vineyards Pinot Gris Orange Wine Regan Vineyards

 

About Winechat

#Winechat is wine conversation via Twitter each Wednesday 9-10pm EST (6-7 PST).

 

Mission

What is #WineChat?  Click here to learn more.

 

Description

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

Grab a glass and join in!

Click here for the current #winechat schedule.

 

 

 

About Beauregard Vineyards

For five generations, my family has been working the land in Bonny Doon, CA growing premium wine grapes.  As winemakers it is our mission to produce wines that display the flavor of our home land, and make wines that are true to their variety.  My wines are simplistic in the sense that they reflect what they truly are.  This is accomplished through old world winemaking techniques.

 

We invite you to experience the true terroir of Bonny Doon, and enjoy the typicity and purity of our wines.

– Ryan Beauregard, Winemaker

Much more information on the winery, their vineyards, and most importantly, their wines is available here.

 

About Orange Wine

Simply stated, an Orange Wine is a wine made with “white grapes” that are treated like they were red.  This includes extended maceration time which does not happen in the production of a typical white wine.  This time the juice spends in contact with the grape skins allows the wine to gain color, flavor, and tannins from the skins.

 

Orange Wine is not a new fad; they have been around for thousands of years and had a big revival in northeastern Italy and Slovenia in the 1950s and 60s.

Several months ago Wine Enthusiast magazine had a feature on Orange Wines entitled “Orange Wines Will Never be Mainstream” and subtitled “But a case for why they’re more than a dying trend.”  The full article is available by clicking here.

 

Other articles about orange wines are available in these newspapers and magazines:

Bon Appetit, San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times, and Imbibe Magazine.

 

 

Here is a side by side comparison of the winery’s regular Pinot Gris and their Orange Wine.  These two wines are from the same grape, vineyard, and vintage.

 

 

 

2012 Beauregard Vineyards Pinot Gris Orange Wine Regan Vineyards – SRP $32.00

This wine had 21 days of skin contact during fermentation and was aged in neutral American oak.  The final alcohol is 13.7%.  There were 240 cases of the wine produced.

 

I sampled the wine over a few hours trying it at varying temperatures.  In my opinion, the wine was best at a cool room temperature, perhaps 65 to 68 degrees.  At colder temperatures the nose was fairly closed and the acidity was suppressing the palate and clipping the finish.  If the wine was too warm it lost its structure and balance.  This wine should be treated like a lighter body red wine and not a white wine.

 

This wine would work with most of the foods served with fuller bodied whites and lighter bodied red wines.  The winery suggests Havarti cheese and during the chat Thanksgiving dinner was brought up, which I agree with wholeheartedly.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright, neon orange color.  The exotic nose has white peach, dark toast, spice, roasted leafy herbs, minerals, orange zest, raspberry, pencil shavings, and butterscotch.  This medium body, dry wine is rich and velvety on the palate, with light tannins and very good acidity.  The finish has very nice length and ends with a unique dried orange skin element as well as minerals.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!