My Vine Spot

Quick Sip: TR Elliot 2007 Queste Pinot Noir

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:20:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Over the past several months, I have had the pleasure of watching a few episodes of Cellars of Sonoma TV Tuesday (live streaming broadcast) that featured special guest Theodore R. Elliot. Theodore, better known as Ted, is the man behind TR Elliot Winery – a boutique winery in Santa Rosa [Sonoma County] that’s producing small quantities of Pinot Noir from select vineyards in the cool climate of the Russian River Valley. I always enjoy shows with Ted because he speaks to the inner “wine” geek in all of us wine bloggers -- dropping information from clonal selection and brix readings to the type of French oak barrels he uses to mature his wines. During past tastings that featured Ted's Pinot Noir wines, I would hear from Cellars of Sonoma host and proprietor Scott Jordan, my wine blogging pal Dan from Iowa, and others about how delicious Ted’s Pinot Noir wines are. Fortunately for me, this time, I had the opportunity to sample the TR Elliot Queste 2007 Pinot Noir right along with Scott, Dan, and Ted. All I can say is my friends were right – Ted does make delicious small-lot Russian River Valley Pinot Noir wines (see my notes below).

TR Elliot Queste 2007 Pinot Noir

The 2007 TR Elliot Queste Pinot Noir ($42) is medium ruby red in color with light brick hues delivering aromas of zesty black cherry, currant, dried rose petals, sweet spice and cocoa powder. The palate is well-balanced with a fruit-driven entry, a velvety texture, a supple mid-palate and gentle tannins ending with a lingering, luxurious finish. I enjoyed this wine with pan seared duck breast and on its own -- it's very versatile. Ted’s wines are not in stores due to very limited production, but can be found via the website (see below) and Cellars of Sonoma tasting room. If you like Pinot Noir, Ted’s Russian River Valley examples are well worth seeking out. To view the winemaker interview with Ted on Ustream click here. Cheers!

Click here to visit the TR Elliot Winery website.

Click here to visit the Cellars of Sonoma website.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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Quick Sip: Bonneau 2007 Hyde Cabernet Sauvignon

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:55:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Last Tuesday I had the pleasure of tuning in for another fun-filled episode of Cellars of Sonoma TV Tuesday Live. This week’s live streaming broadcast featured John Bambury of Bonneau Wines. Bonneau Winery is a small family-owned grower and wine producer in Sonoma’s Los Carneros appellation. Bonneau’s estate site, Catherine's Vineyard, is certified sustainable and planted to Chardonnay. The winery is known for Chardonnay and crafts several different styles ranging from crisp and clean to elegant and even two dessert-styled selections. For red wines, Bonneau sources fruit from some of the top vineyards in Sonoma, Napa, Amador, Dry Creek and Sonoma Coast.

Bonneau 07 Carneros Hyde Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

For this show, Dan Goderis (The Iowa Wino) and I had an opportunity to sample the Bonneau 2007 Los Carneros Hyde Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($60) alongside Cellars of Sonoma proprietor and host Scott Jordan and Bonneau Wine's Director of Winemaking John Bambury. Hyde Vineyard, located in Carneros – on the Napa side, is a very reputable grower and many top name California producers source fruit from them. The Bonneau 2007 Los Carneros Hyde Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon contains small amounts of Petit Verdot (adding color and structure) and is aged in 50% new French oak and 50% neutral oak barrels. In the glass, the wine exhibits a deep garnet color with plum, blackberry, and blackcurrant aromas that comingle with soft vanilla, mocha, spice, and a subtle floral perfume-like fragrance. The aromas extend to the palate with a full and round entry, generous, but not over the top fruit, fine grain tannins, moderate acidity, and a pleasant medium-length dry finish. Over the course of the evening the wine opened up nicely and paired quite well with my brisket dinner. I encourage [Chardonnay lovers in particular] to get to know John Bambury and his small-lot wines. Use the links below to learn more about Cellars of Sonoma and Bonneau Wines. To view the winemaker interview on Ustream click here. Cheers!

Click here to visit the Bonneau Wines website.

Click here to follow Bonneau Wines on Twitter.

Click here to visit the Cellars of Sonoma website.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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Quick Sip: Ramian Estate Parlay 2009 Bookmaker

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:04:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Today’s ‘Quick Sip,' the Parlay 2009 Bookmaker, is a recent release from Napa Valley winemaker Brian Graham of Ramian Estate. Their ‘Parlay’ brand features innovative blends at reasonable, everyday price points. The 2009 Bookmaker is a Cabernet Sauvignon (72%) based wine blended with small amounts of Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Petit Verdot. A large percentage of the Cabernet Sauvignon fruit comes from the Oak Knoll District while the other varieties and a small amount of Cabernet were sourced from the El Dorado appellation (sub-region of Sierra Foothills AVA). According to the tasting notes, the Ramian Estate Parlay 2009 Bookmaker was intended and created to be an ultra-plush, rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon based red wine.

Ramian Estate Parlay 2009 Bookmaker

Winemaker Brian Graham hit the target he was aiming for with this deeply colored, richly scented, and velvety-textured wine. The nose boasts inviting aromas of ripe blackberry, cassis, currant, and blueberry pie complemented by notes of vanilla and baking spice. The palate is ripe, soft, and fleshy -- bordering on jammy and almost gives off a note of sweetness with smooth tannins, middling acidity, and a medium-length, fruit-driven finish. This wine clocks in at 14.5% ABV, retails for $19.99, and is a fairly good deal for wine drinkers who favor smooth, ripe, fruit-driven wines. In closing, I also had an opportunity to taste Ramian Estate’s Varietal Series Merlot. This well-done, dense, and nicely structured Merlot benefits from two to three hours of breathing and opens up nicely. Even the fictional character Miles, the Pinot-loving wine snob from Sideways, who had some not-so-nice things to say about Merlot, would take a liking to this one. If you are interested in Brian Graham’s wines and other brands please visit the link below. Cheers!

Click here to visit the Ramian Estate website.

Note: This wine was a media sample from Balzac Communications and Marketing. Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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Quick Sip: Amorosa Bella 2010 RRV Sparkling Brut

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:26:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

For several months now I have consistently tuned in to Cellars of Sonoma TV Tuesday (live streaming broadcast) with my wine blogging friend Dan Goderis aka The Iowa Wino. Cellars of Sonoma is a wine tasting room and wine bar located in the heart of Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square. Proprietor Scott Jordan, son Kevin, and staff, host a live streaming broadcast every Tuesday that showcases small artisan and boutique wine producers of northern California as well as local chefs and people in the hospitality business.

Amorosa Bella 2010 Russian River Valley SP Brut

This past Tuesday’s live broadcast featured an interactive winemaker interview and tasting with special guest Dr. Charlyn Belluzzo of Amorosa Bella Winery. The name, “Amorosa Bella” means beautiful lover in Italian and Charlyn says, “The love affair is with life!” Dan and I had an opportunity to taste and discuss the Amorosa Bella 2010 Russian River Valley Sparkling Brut with Scott and Charlyn during the broadast. This sparkling wine is a blend of 78% Chardonnay and 22% Pinot Noir. In the glass, the wine displays a straw, light salmon color with subtle copper hues and fine persistent bubbles. The palate is crisp and refreshing with mouth-watering, food-friendly acidity, vibrant red fruit flavors with citrus nuances, a faint biscuit-like component and a clean, lasting finish. The SRP is $30 and $25.50 for Cellar of Sonoma wine club members. To the best of my knowledge, Amorosa Bella small-lot wines can only be found at the Cellars of Sonoma tasting room. Click here to view the producer’s portfolio. To view the video from the tasting click here. Charlyn was engaging as always and provided lots of good information, so if you have a moment I suggest checking it out. In closing, remember: Champagne and sparkling wine are not just for special occasions – the special occasion is the day you open the wine and enjoy it. Cheers!

Dancing Bubbles In My Glass !!!

Click here to visit the Cellars of Sonoma website.

Click here to visit the Amorosa Bella website.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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Quick Sip: Glen Manor 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:17:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Remember the memorable line from Tom Hank’s Forrest Gump movie – “My momma said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." Well, that can sometimes be the case when traversing the Virginia wine trail. Besides finding varietal wines like Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Chardonnay, and Merlot, which are fairly common in Virginia tasting rooms, you may very well run into an occasional well-done Tannat, Petit Manseng, Pinotage, or Sauvignon Blanc.

Glen Manor 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is generally grown in cool to moderate climates and Virginia is generally warm to hot. Glen Manor Vineyards and Linden Vineyards (Avenius Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc) located in northern Virginia, in my opinion, turn out very nice Sauvignon Blanc examples with good typicity and acidity. Both producers grow their Sauvignon Blanc at higher elevations where temperatures are generally cooler than normal. That said, the 2010 Virginia growing season was unusually dry, humid, and extremely hot. This selection, the 2010 Glen Manor Sauvignon Blanc, offers delicate citrus and melon scents with a mineral like flintiness and straw notes on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with a round texture, moderate acidity, balanced flavors, and a medium-length finish. This is a nice effort considering the hot, dry, and ripe 2010 vintage that presented difficulties (e.g. higher sugars, lower acids, higher alcohol levels, sugar ripeness but not always phenolic ripeness) for some producers. I’ll leave you with a tasting assignment: Find and try a Glen Manor 2009 Sauvignon Blanc next to the 2010 vintage. The 2009 vintage was fairly normal (not too hot, too cold, or too wet) and you and your friends will have fun enjoying the wines and discerning the differences. Cheers!

To visit Glen Manor Vineyard's website click here.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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TasteLive: Wineyard at Santa Rosa Vintners Square

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:54:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

I recently had the pleasure of participating in a fun online event to kick-off the opening [January 2012] of The Wineyard at Santa Rosa Vintners Square [California]. The Wineyard, formerly a strip mall, is an urban winery village with full on-site production and tasting room facilities. The Wineyard will host and showcase select Sonoma winery partners and local farmers. Owners Dino and Maria D’Argenzio have partnered with TasteLive to produce live interactive wine, food, and music related webcasts. The kick-off event included a live streaming demonstration webcast and a virtual tasting with the winemakers from the Wineyard’s first cooperative of wine producers. During the virtual tasting event a select panel of wine bloggers and I had the opportunity to taste a diverse selection of wines from the following four small-production artisan producers: Shone Farm Winery, Flocchini Winery, Atascadero Creek Winery, and Jazz Cellars. Overall, these wines offered good quality at fairly reasonable price points. See my comments as well as the link to the wines and winemaker interviews below. I would like to thank the D’Argenzio family for the invite and wish them good luck and success with the new business. Cheers! [Click here to watch the initial TasteLive broadcast with Dino D’Argenzio about the Wineyard.]

Shone Farm Winery 2010 Estate Sauvignon Blanc

Shone Farm Winery 2010 Estate Sauvignon Blanc [Russian River Valley] (SRP $18): Shone Farm is a 365-acre outdoor learning laboratory for the Santa Rosa Junior College. Seventy acres are under vine and the students get to assists with all aspects of the operation. Upon opening, the nose is dominated by methoxypyrazines [fresh green herbs, bell-pepper, and jalapenos] with bright underlying citrus and white pitted fruit scents and a hint of flintiness. The wine has bright acidity and a refreshing citrus/herbal finish. Stylistically, this wine would appeal to Sauvignon Blanc drinkers who don’t mind a higher than normal level of MP’s, which are typically not found in California Sauvignon Blanc wines. That said, this selection is light and bright and very food-friendly. Click here to view the winemaker interview on Ustream.

Flocchini Winery 2006 Andrea La Rue Pinot Noir

Flocchini Winery 2006 Andrea La Rue Pinot Noir [Sonoma Coast] (SRP $22 ...Good QPR): This Pinot Noir – a real crowd pleaser during the tasting -- offers inviting aromas of ripe cherry, pomegranate and cranberry with nuanced baking spice, tea, and violet notes. On the palate, it has a smooth texture and soft tannins with a round mouth-feel, but retains a pleasing, zesty acidity ending with a clean medium length finish. The suggested pairings, which I agree with, are roasted duck or mushroom risotto. The 2006 was the second vintage from the producer and approximately 300 cases were produced. Click here to view the winemaker interview on Ustream.

Jazz Cellars 2007 La Madres Vineyards Syrah

Jazz Cellars 2007 La Madres Vineyards Syrah [Carneros] ($34): Jazz Cellars Winery is named after the owners’ love of music. Their operation is focused on producing handcrafted, small-lot, single vineyard wines. The Syrah is deep purple in color, nearly opaque, with expressive red fruit scents and additional (complex) notes of spice, soy, graphite, white pepper and subtle floral/perfumed aromas. This Syrah is nicely balanced with a velvety texture, supple tannins, good fruit concentration, yet [pleasing] bright and zesty acidity with a nice long finish. My “seasonal” music pairing: Ella and Satchmo - "Baby It's Cold Outside." Cheers! Click here to view the winemaker interview on Ustream.

Atascadero Creek Winery 2008 Haun Ranch Zinfandel

Atascadero Creek Winery 2008 Haun Ranch Zinfandel [Russian River Valley] ($28): Atascadero Creek (the creek pictured on the label) is a small winery in west Sonoma County operated by Bob Appleby. The winery specializes in crafting small lots of single vineyard wines. Bob uses native yeast, no sprays, the vineyard is dry farmed, and the vines produce approximately one ton per acre. This Zinfandel is dark (nearly opaque), big, bold, and ripe with a mouth-coating texture. Currant, ripe black plums, blackberry, baked pie scents and a sprinkling of sweet spice fill the nose. The wine is full-bodied, dense, and concentrated with ripe/namely baked fruit-driven flavors, smooth tannins, medium-low (leaning low) acidity and a lengthy finish. Besides making wine … Bob plays in a band called Bottle Shock. I wonder if any of their songs are about wine. Cheers! Click here to view the winemaker interview on Ustream.

To visit The Wineyard at Santa Rosa Vintners Square website click here.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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A Merry Christmas To All :-)

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 16:12:00 +0000

Santa Clause sighting at @LansdowneResort

May your days be filled with joy, and glasses filled with wine this holiday season.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, friends.

Live, Love, Laugh, Tweet, Sip, Enjoy!

Warm Regards,

Dezel

Pine Ridge Vineyards: Wines for Your Holiday Table

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:14:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Last week I had the pleasure of joining a panel of guest wine bloggers and participating in Pine Ridge Vineyard’s “Wines for Your Holiday Table” TasteLive virtual tasting event. The tasting was put on by the Crimson Wine Group, who owns and operates a small portfolio of premium wine producers, including Archery Summit Winery, Seghesio Family Vineyards, and Chamisal Vineyards. The tasting featured a live video broadcast that was led by Pine Ridge Vineyard’s winemaker Michael Beaulac and assistant winemaker Jason Ledbetter. Michael and Jason guided us through the tasting of four of their wines, answered questions, and provided some very good information about what was going on from ground to glass for each wine. I’ve included the video in this post and encourage you to review it. A few of the wines we had an opportunity to taste are widely available and reasonably priced, so grab a bottle and check out the video. Pine Ridge included holiday food pairing ideas in the notes which I’ve included in my tasting notes [below]. Overall, this was a very nice tasting experience – both in the quality of the wines and the personal touch the video-based tasting added. We batted 4 of 4 on the wines and since several local shops carry these wines, I will be sure to have some Pine Ridge Vineyards on my holiday table. See my notes and comments below. Cheers!

Pine Ridge Vineyards: Wines for Your Holiday Table

* Pine Ridge 2010 Chenin Blanc + Viognier (SRP $14) - This is a blend of 79% Chenin Blanc and 21% Viognier that marries the brightness and fruitiness of the Chenin Blanc with the texture and aromatics of the Viognier. On the nose this wine offers white stone fruit, bright citrus, and honeydew melon scents. It’s clean and refreshing with crisp food-friendly acidity. Pine Ridge is right on the money with their food pairing suggestion: Dungeness crab cakes or fresh oysters. I would also add grilled calamari or steamed mussels in a white wine sauce. For those of you in Virginia, Total Wine carries this selection for $9.99.

* Pine Ridge 2009 Dijon Clones Chardonnay [Carneros] (SRP $34) – This Chardonnay offers a harmonious composition, citrus and tree fruit flavors, with sweet toast and baking spice overtones. The wine was barrel-fermented, but malolactic fermentation was blocked; therefore, the wine retains a pleasant brightness while the corners are nicely rounded. The palate is well-balanced, nicely textured, and has seamless fruit and oak integration marked by smoothness and elegance. The suggested holiday food pairing is a turkey dinner. I will stick with the poultry theme and add grilled or baked chicken (minimal spices). For those of you in Virginia, Total Wine carries this selection for $26.99. [NOTE: If you're having trouble playing the video below please click here.]

Pine Ridge Vineyards Video Broadcast

* 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $54) - This Cabernet Sauvignon was crafted from Napa fruit sourced from Pine Ridge Vineyard’s multiple appellations throughout the valley. The wine offers inviting aromas of raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, chocolate/mocha, and softer toasty/vanilla scents. Supple tannins give structure to the fruit-driven palate with good balancing acidity and a nice long finish. Pine Ridge notes this wine's versatility and says it will pair wonderfully with a number of dishes. I’m thinking this wine would complement a nice lamb dish and also sip nicely on its own.

* Pine Ridge 2008 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $80) - Since 1978, Pine Ridge Vineyards has produced appellation specific Cabernet Sauvignon wines that showcase the unique characteristics of Napa Valley AVA’s. In the glass, this wine displays a gorgeous deep purple color, nearly opaque, with (very) inviting aromas of ripe blackberry, dark cherry, spiced plum, and caramel with a sprinkling of cocoa and mocha. After some time in the glass I picked up on baked pie scents and pretty [floral] underlying perfumed nuances. This wine coats the mouth, has good structure, a well-integrated texture, round tannins, complex aromas/flavors, and a long-lasting finish. Pine Ridge recommends sharing this selection with close friends and family over a special holiday gathering. For food, they suggest prime rib, with which I agree.

To visit the Pine Ridge Vineyards website click here.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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Quick Sip: Clos Fardet 05 Cuvée Moutoué Madiran

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:26:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Today’s ‘Quick Sip’ is the Clos Fardet 2005 Cuvée Moutoué Fardet (98% Tannat, 2% Cabernet Franc) from Madiran. I had an opportunity to taste this wine during a recent South West Wines of France tasting seminar with Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer. Madiran, as you’ve probably guessed by now, is a wine producing region in southwest France. Madiran has a winemaking history that dates back to ancient times. The region’s main grape variety is Tannat – and as the name suggests, it’s known for high tannin levels. The wines of Madiran used to require extended aging, but nowadays you can find examples that are approachable when young, as well as those that are well-structured and age-worthy.

Clos Fardet 2005 Cuvée Moutoué Fardet

It’s fairly easy to sell someone on a Tannat from Uruguay or even some of the local examples here in Virginia. But mention Madiran and you may get a puzzled look. This is because US consumers generally prefer to purchase wine with varietal labels (grape name) as opposed to appellation (region). The wines of Madiran are dominated by the Tannat grape, so if you like wines produced from Tannat, give this region a try. The Clos Fardet 2005 Cuvée Moutoué Fardet is well-structured with deep flavor concentration and offers excellent aging potential. The 2005 is still very young, offering rich aromas of blueberry, blackberry, cocoa powder, spice, and pretty violet scents with a round texture, a firm spine of [dusty] tannins, and a lengthy finish. It had a [pleasing] touch of funk/earth that dissipated by day two. For $27 this wine delivers and over the course of the evening, and into the next day, the wine opened up nicely. This is a wine that you should let breathe/decant for at least two hours before serving. If you enjoy Tannat, check to see if your local wine shop can recommend a good Madiran wine. Let me know what you find. Cheers!

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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Pinot Paragon with Benziger Family Winery

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:44:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Last week I had the pleasure of joining my fellow wine bloggers for Benziger Family Winery's virtual “Pinot Paragon” wine tasting. Benziger Family Winery is located in Glen Ellen, CA, and specializes in small-production, certified sustainable, organic, and biodynamic wines. The tasting featured a live video broadcast with winemaker Rodrigo Soto who has nurtured the Pinot Noir program at Benziger for several years now. Having listened to Rodrigo during a previous tasting, I must say, the guy exudes pure passion for his work and adopts a non-interventionist approach to winemaking. We had the opportunity to taste four Pinot Noir wines that showcased the unique personality and characteristics of four distinct single-vineyard sites. These wines were sourced from the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast – two cool-climate regions where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay thrive. Our tasting focused on the 2009 vintage, which consisted of moderate to cool temperatures with a few late summer heat spikes. Of the four wine tasted, the 2009 Signaterra San Remo was fullest in body and showed some oomph. The other three flirted with delicacy and finesse, were well-balanced and had good, food-friendly acidity. With Pinot Noir in particular, I find that you generally get what you pay for. These Pinot Noir wines delivered and are very nicely done and priced between $49 and $75. Some may call these special occasion wines --- but the special occasion in this case is when you remove the cork and enjoy the wine. See my tasting notes, price points, and links to the wines below. Cheers!

Pinot Paragon with Benziger Family Winery

2009 de Coelho Terra Neuma (SRP $75): This is a single-vineyard, bio-dynamically grown Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. The wine reflects the moderate-to-cool 2009 growing season. The nose offers inviting and complex aromas of bright red cherries and cranberry that comingle with berry/violet perfume notes and a pleasing mineral component. The palate shows restraint and delicacy with a slender frame, soft tannins, balanced acidity, and a smooth lingering finish. This wine clocks in at a low/moderate 13.0% ABV. I’m ready to hit the rewind button and revisit this wine with Thanksgiving dinner.

2009 de Coelho Quintas (SRP $75): This is a bio-dynamically farmed, single-vineyard wine from the Sonoma Coast that offers inviting cherry and raspberry scents with soft orange peel notes, floral perfume, and a hint of cola. The palate is medium-bodied with soft tannins, a smooth / lean texture, yet full-flavored and curvaceous ending with a nice lingering finish. (13.0% ABV)

2009 Signaterra Bella Luna (SRP $49): This is a certified and bio-dynamically grown single-vineyard Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. It’s lean and bright with a silky texture and vibrant red fruit that's complimented by complex lavender/floral notes with soft earthy undertones. A versatile food-friendly (lovely acid) wine that has me thinking about sautéed duck breast. (13.8% ABV)

2009 Signaterra San Remo (SRP $49): This is a single-vineyard certified sustainable Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. The nose offers inviting and rich red fruit scents with spice notes and a touch of sweet perfume. The palate is medium (leaning full) bodied with smooth tannins, a round mouth-feel, and a nice balance between ripeness, acidity, and structure. A nice moderately complex sipping wine that’s also quite versatile and food-friendly. (14.5% ABV)

To visit the Benziger Family Winery website click here.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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Biltmore 2006 Chateau Reserve Blanc de Blancs

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:57:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Why reserve your bubbly just for special occasions? The special occasion is when you remove the cork, hear that wonderful popping sound, watch the tiny bubbles dance, and enjoy the wine. Sparkling wines don’t have to be overly expensive and are versatile and very food-friendly. For example, I even pair sparkling wine with breakfast – especially crab cake eggs Benedict. Today’s ‘Quick Sip’ is from the Biltmore Estate Winery located in Asheville, North Carolina. This may be hard to believe, but Biltmore is the most visited winery in the United States. The estate, which is a national historic landmark, attracts scores (AKA a very large number) of visitors each year. I am planning on visiting the estate and attractions sometime next year.

Biltmore Estate 2006 Chateau Reserve Blanc de Blancs

Review: Biltmore Estate Winery’s 2006 Chateau Reserve Blanc de Blancs is 100% North Carolina grown and offers scents of baked apple, citrus rind, pie crust, and slight yeasty notes with roasted almond hints. On the palate, this sparkler is crisp and dry with a steady stream of consistent bubbles that sweep across the palate and burst into a clean and refreshing medium length, delicate finish. Overall, this is a nice sparkling wine from North Carolina that provides moderate complexity and a good spectrum of flavors. Some of Biltmore’s wines are widely available, but I have not seen their home-grown reserve wines on wine shop shelves. This wine retails for $35 ($29.99 online) and the best way to find it is via their website (see below). In closing, sparkling wines are some of the most food-friendly wines available, so grab a bottle and make any occasion special and sparkling. Cheers!

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

Click here to visit the Biltmore Estate Winery website.

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TasteLive: Tedeschi Family 05 Cabernet Sauvignon

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:31:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

During a recent and very enjoyable virtual wine blogger tasting for the three-day Napa Valley Film Festival, I had an opportunity to uncork the Tedeschi Family Winery 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine received good reviews from my fellow wine bloggers, with many referring to it as “Old-school” and “Bordeaux-like.” The tasting featured a winemaker interview with owner Emil Tedeschi via [Ustream] live streaming video. The Tedeschi family has been in Calistoga, located in the northern part of Napa Valley, for several generations. Emil’s father, Eugene, first planted wine grapes on the family’s Calistoga property in the 1960’s. These grapes were used to produce small batches of wine for family and friends. Today, Emil and his two sons concentrate their efforts on crafting small-lot, single-vineyard wines from estate plantings. Their diminutive production, approximately 300 cases, allows them to be very hands-on in the winemaking process from ground to glass.

Tedeschi Family Winery 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

Stylistically, Emil prefers and crafts the type of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that aspired to emulate the great Cabernet-dominated red wines of Bordeaux. These were the Napa Cabs of the 1970’s and 80’s that had relatively low alcohol, more restrained flavors, and good food-friendly acidity with minimal barrel influence. By the 1990’s, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon had come into its own and developed its own unique style, which ironically, others try to emulate today. Emil holds his wines back until he feels they are ready to drink. The 2005, released January 2011, is the current Cabernet Sauvignon release. (Click here if the page has difficulties loading the video clip below).

Napa Fest Winemaker Interview: Emil Tedeschi

Let’s uncork this Cabernet, pour a glass, and give it a swirl, sniff, and sip. In the glass the wine displays a vibrant ruby color. It’s approachable and savory with dark cherry and black berry aromas that comingle with earth tones, dried herbs, and subtle leather-based scents. On the sip, the wine delivers balance and finesse with an Old World accent in the structure and good food-friendly acidity and a medium-length pleasing finish. This wine clocks in at a very moderate 13.5% ABV and retails for $58. Due to Tedeschi's limited production levels, the best way to purchase their wine and check on availability is via their website (see link below). Cheers!

Click Here to visit the Tedeschi Family Winery website.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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Quick Sip: Terra d’Oro Zinfandel Port

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:44:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

The 2011 holiday season is upon us – a festive time of year to gather with family and friends and enjoy delicious foods, decadent desserts, fireside chats, and of course, wine. Wines synonymous with the holidays are port and fortified wines in the style of port. During the cooler fall and winter months, a deliciously good, lip-smacking port or port-style wine will warm your soul and satisfy your taste buds. These wines are best enjoyed as after-dinner sippers in place of dessert. They also pair well with chocolate-based desserts. And as a reminder, holiday calories don’t count, so indulge! Today’s “Quick Sip,” the Terra d’Oro Zinfandel Port, is a fortified port-style [dessert] wine from Amador County, California. We call this a Port-style wine because true Port wine comes only from the Douro Valley in Portugal. Additionally, true port wine can only be made from certain grapes varieties (e.g. Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cão, Tinta Roriz aka Tempranillo, etc.) – Zinfandel is not one of them. That being said, fortified wines in the style of port produced outside of Portugal can be equally as enjoyable and delicious. Let’s uncork this wine, pour a glass, and give her a swirl, sniff, and sip.

NV Terra d’Oro Zinfandel Port

The Terra d’Oro Zinfandel Port [non-vintage], ruby-garnet in color, offers warm and inviting dark berry fruit and currant scents with soft hints of raisin, butterscotch, and shy cocoa notes. The palate is smooth and semi-rich with a luscious viscosity and a nice medium length finish. This wine is semi-sweet, not cloyingly sweet, and supports the 19% ABV well. A half bottle (375ml) of the Terra d’Oro Zinfandel Port sells for the pocket-pleasing price of $12 and a standard bottle cost $24.

Yummy!

Besides being a good option for your Thanksgiving Day table, the half-bottle in particular, makes for a nice stocking stuffer (hint-hint). Pairing suggestions for this sweet liquid treat includes chocolate covered figs, pecan pie (yummy), chocolate walnut fudge, sticky toffee pudding, and Bûche de Noël (Yule log). Another good pairing option for this dessert wine is a toasty fireplace, a comfortable chair, and your favorite book. If you can’t find this palate-pleasing and wallet-friendly wine at your local wine shop, visit the Terra d’Oro website below. Cheers!

Click here to visit the Terra d’Oro website.

The wine featured was a media sample for tasting purposes from [PR agency] Balzac Communications. Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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Maison Champy 06 1er Cru Hospices de Beaune

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:13:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Today’s ‘Quick Sip’ is the Maison Champy 2006 Premier Cru Hospices de Beaune. I had an opportunity to taste this wine during a recent “Stock Your Cellar” TasteLive event with Bacchus Selections. Bacchus Selections is a members-only source for exquisite and sometimes hard-to-find wines. Membership is currently free and shipping is also with a minimum purchase. The Côte de Beaune, where today’s selection hails from, makes up the southern half of the Côte d'Or. The Côte d'Or, also known as the "Slope of Gold," is a renowned wine-growing area and one of the five major wine producing regions of Burgundy. To the north is the Côte de Nuits, an area famous for its red wines made from the Pinot Noir grape variety. The Côte de Beaune is actually better known for its wonderful white wines made from the Chardonnay grape variety. As a matter of fact, Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States and one of America's first wine connoisseurs, fancied the wines of Burgundy, especially Meursault (Chardonnay), an appellation in the Côte de Beaune.

Maison Champy 06 1er Cru Hospices de Beaune

Let’s uncork this Pinot Noir …err, I mean, red Burgundy. The Maison Champy 2006 Premier Cru Hospices de Beaune, medium ruby in color, offers inviting black cherry, cranberry, pencil lead, and cedar scents with a faint touch of sweet anise seed. The wine is more restrained on the palate with supple, yet firm tannins, nice balance throughout, and a solid medium-length finish. I found that this wine improved with approximately 1-2 hours of breathing, so show it off in your decanter. Less than 50 cases of the Maison Champy 2006 Premier Cru Hospices de Beaune were made – not left, so it’s truly a limited-production wine. Bacchus Selections currently sells this wine for $39.99 per bottle with free shipping on a three bottle purchase or more. In closing, if you enjoy Pinot Noir and have never tried (red) Burgundy (you know who you are), give Burgundy a try – it’s only the world’s oldest and most famous wine producing region for the grape variety (Pinot Noir) you so enjoy. Cheers!

Membership is currently free, so click here to register with Bacchus Selections.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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TasteLive: Calistoga Dreaming

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:57:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Besides being Friday, I am pretty psyched about participating [virtually] in the first annual Napa Valley Film Festival. The event started yesterday and runs through Saturday, November 12th. The three day event celebrates cinema with special screenings of films at numerous venues. Cellar Pass and TasteLive, along with host Alan Kropf, editor-in-chief of Mutinner magazine, have put together five one hour shows with live streaming broadcast. Each show will include regional winemakers, culinary arts, foodies, special guests, and of course -- a passionate panel of wine bloggers from around the US to taste, tweet, share thoughts, and interact with the winegrowers and the winemakers behind the wines being poured.

Mumm Napa Brut Reserve Rosé NV

Yesterday kicked off with a wonderful tasting that included the Robert Mondavi Winery’s 2009 Fume Blanc Reserve and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. Today’s wine tasting, happening in Virginia for me – and in Calistoga, CA for my wine friends out west, features wines from Merryvale Vineyards, Tedeschi Family Winery, and Mumm Napa. Let's uncork these bottles and pour some wine.

Merryvale Winery 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

First up is the Mumm Napa Brut Reserve Rosé NV ($36), a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Many of you may are probably familiar with Mumm Napa. They specialize in sparkling wines – a style of wine that should be invited to each and every Thanksgiving Day table in my humble opinion. Mumm Napa sparkling wines are widely available and easy to find, so remember the catchy name while you’re out wine shopping this holiday season. The Mumm Napa Brut Reserve Rosé NV is salmon in color with tiny, consistent bubbles dancing about the glass. Made in the traditional method, the wine offers tangy and bright raspberry flavors with rose petals notes, dried cherries, and delightful, yet gentle dough nuances in the finish. Remember: Don’t save the bubby just for special occasions – the special occasion begins when you remove the cork from the bottle!

Napa Fest Winemaker Interview: Ludovic Dervic of Mumm Napa

Second up is the Merryvale Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (99% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc). You already know – my first question this afternoon will be what does the 1% Cabernet Franc impart into the finished wine. Merryvale is located in St. Helena and was the first winery built in Napa Valley following the repeal of prohibition (very cool #factoid). This summer I enjoyed Merryvale’s Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc so was eager to uncork the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. Like most growers, east and west coast, 2007 was a good to great growing season that offered producers the opportunity to craft high-quality, exceptional wines. Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines are regularly in my weekly sipping rotation. And while often times big, many examples I have had here recently have not been overdone and to their credit, well-balanced – even graceful at times. The 2007 Merryvale Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon ($65), dark red-brick colored, offers a complex nose of blackberry, dark cherry, herb, and currant laced with pretty violet scents and sweet tobacco. The palate is round and full with youthful, mouth-coating fine-grained tannins that beg for grilled red meat. This wine is getting better and better as it breathes. This is a wine you want to uncork and properly decant/breathe to allow it to reach its peak. She is also a very good candidate for aging in my humble opinion.

Napa Fest Winemaker Interview: Merryvale Director of Marketing

Less than two hours to the Calistoga tasting event – follow hash-tag #napafilmfest on Twitter to follow the fun! Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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#DriscollsMoments Cooking Event

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:12:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

This past Friday I was pleased to participate in Driscoll’s “Sweeter Moments” cooking event and tasting party. The holiday season is one of the most wonderful times of year. It’s a festive time to indulge in delicious desserts without feeling guilty. And I admit, I do over indulge just a little during the holidays, but that's what New Year’s resolutions are for, right?

Holiday Berry Bellini

Driscoll’s is a leader in fresh and delicious berries, so for the “Sweeter Moments” cooking event all five sweet creations included raspberries. I typically don’t fix too many sweet treats with berries, so I used this as an opportunity to meet and tweet with fellow participants and try some new holiday recipes.

Homemade Raspberry Jam

Driscoll’s provided the recipes, which were fairly simple and straight forward. How easy? So easy, a caveman, or for that matter, Dezel could do it. And I did! I created three of the five recipes provided and another I thought of a day before the event. My own recipe, while odd sounding (a homemade raspberry jam, peanut butter, and bacon sandwich), worked out nicely. I know you've all heard the saying that bacon makes everything taste better!

Roasted Acorn Squash with Raspberry Sauce

The event also featured a live online cooking demonstration of the five holiday creations from renowned Chef Rick Rodgers. Chef Rodgers is known as America’s Thanksgiving Day expert and is author of Thanksgiving 101. Click here to watch the video. Chef Rodgers offers some very good turkey tips in this broadcast.

Holiday Warm Brie w/ Honeyed Raspberries and Pistachios

In closing, I would like to thank Driscoll’s and extend a special thanks to my friends over at Wine Twits (@WineTwits) for the invite. It was a *berry* good time and opened my eyes to simple holiday recipes that were both delicious and aesthetically pleasing.

Cheers!

Try these sweet treats out for yourself! Click here to check out the five #DriscollsMoments recipes.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come.

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#WineChat: Seasonal Sipping

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:12:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

My buddy Matthew Liberty, co-writer and cameraman for "Hoot N’Annie" wine blog, recently hosted a Twitter #winechat discussion about seasonal sipping. As summer fades into fall, some wine drinkers retire rosé and crisp white wines and transition to bolder reds to match heartier dishes often associated with autumn. I'm personally not a seasonal sipper. For example, I sip Rosé in the fall, Riesling in the winter, and Cabernet Sauvignon in the summer. For the most part, my wine selection largely depends on the mood and/or food. I think “seasonal sipping” is likened to the old rule of cuisine that says, “Red wine with red meat and white wine with fish.” Nowadays, a global selection of food and wine makes both seasonal sipping and the old rule of cuisine less important. I do know a handful of people who eat as locally as possible year-round, and while not intentionally, they tend to sip with the season because their locally sourced foods drive their wine selection. At the end of the #winechat discussion it was evident, the greater percentage of participants sip what they like, when they like -- the season doesn’t matter. Would you call yourself a seasonal sipper, a seasoned sipper, or a seasoned seasonal sipper?

Hawk and Horse Vineyards Latigo

One style of wine that I drink year-round but do find myself drinking more of during fall and winter months, are fortified wines – namely, Port, Sherry, Madeira, and Port-style wines. For the #winechat discussion, I opened up a bottle of Hawk and Horse Vineyards 2006 Latigo (an equestrian term) – an estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon fortified port-style [dessert] wine. Hawk and Horse Vineyards is a small family-owned-and-operated boutique winery in California’s Lake County Red Hills AVA. The winery was founded in 1999 and the attractive packaging/label design reflects the owners' [Mitch Hawkins, Tracey Hawkins, and David Boies] love of horses and the red tail hawks that soar over their property. Only grapes from their vineyard, which are certified organic and biodynamic, are used in making the wines. The Latigo, ruby/amber in color, offers notes of black cherry, molasses, caramelized fig, and lingering spice aromas. The palate is smooth, rounded, and slightly sweet with a wonderful balance and rich texture that carries through to the medium-length pleasing finish. The Latigo clocks in at 16.5% ABV and retails for $45 (375ml half-bottle). Enjoy this wine in small amounts, served slightly cooler than room temperature, as an after dinner sipper or paired with chocolate desserts. Another good pairing option is a warming fireplace and a good book. Only 200 cases of the Latigo were produced, so if you are interested in having a splash in your glass or adding a few bottles to your collection, click here to visit the Hawk and Horse Vineyard’s website. For more on #winechat and upcoming discussion topics check out Marie Payton’s informative “The Life of Vines” wine blog. Cheers!

CLICK HERE to visit Hawk and Horse Vineyard's website.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come. The wine featured was a media sample for tasting purposes.

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5 Takeaways From the Riot in DC

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:09:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

I recently attended Wine Riot DC; a millennial-geared wine tasting event. The event was held at Constitution Hall, and next to Constitution Hall, I was probably the second oldest thing there. The event was put on by Second Glass, a group of young, upbeat wine enthusiasts, whose goal is to help wine lovers share wine experiences, discover new wines, remember those wines, and bridge the gap between producer and consumer via modern technology and in-person events. This was the first time Wine Riot was held in DC (hopefully not the last), and before receiving an invite, I admit, I was not familiar with the event. After doing some research about past events, Wine Riot almost appeared to have the label *drunkfest* attached to it. That said, I thought Wine Riot was youthful, energetic, unpretentious, refreshing, and far from a drunk fest. Outside of tasting New World and Old World wines, there were a good number of educational wine seminars that drew a lot of interest and were well attended.

Calm Before the Riot

Millennials (generally 21 to mid 30’s) are the fastest-growing segment of wine drinkers and a very important target audience for wine producers. An extensive amount of research, study, and marketing is done on a consistent basis to determine the best way to reach this young wine buying and consuming crowd. In the interest of research and study, my five general takeaways below are based on conversation and observation at the event.

Stem or Stemless - Which do you prefer?

1. Millennials prefer grape name over wine region (big time). My take: This isn’t so much a millennial thing, but rather an American thing. Because of this, there are some very good wines at fair price points being missed. My message [to Gen-Y]: Grab a wine book, ask questions – the more you learn about wine the more likely you are to enjoy it. Keep tasting and trying new wines from different regions!

2. For wine recommendations, millennials prefer social media (Facebook, Twitter, blogs) and word-of- mouth (from friends) over wine scores and printed publications. This event featured a smartphone app specific to the DC event for rating and tracking every wine that was available for tasting. Event goers were later able to check the Second Glass website to see which wines rated best and the nearby stores that carry those wines. To quote Bob Dylan, “The Times They Are A-Changin.”

3. Every wine audience has its "sweet spot" price point. The sweet spot for this audience seems to be $15 and under. Finding very good quality at reasonable price points is their game and in a saturated and competitive market, I say, “Happy hunting!” That said, much of their prey resides in California and Australia.

4. In the end, what’s in the bottle matters, but how do you initially attract this crowd to your bottle of wine? The wine label and packaging appears to matter to this audience. A modern, attractive design with the name of the grape(s) and straight-forward information about what’s inside the bottle is good for starters.

5. For glassware, the event used wine tumblers (pictured above). These shatter-proof tumblers are made from polymer and also feature a convenient thumb indentation for secure gripping. I asked event goers about these tumblers and heard zero complaints. While a generalization, this is not the preferred style of wine glass for most (older adults). We want our stem! Bonus: The folks at this event also don’t mind screw caps or other alternatives to natural cork.

In closing, if you missed the Wine Riot in DC, check out their website below for future tasting opportunities. NOTE: If you must participate in a riot, make it a Wine Riot. Cheers!

CLICK HERE to visit the Second Glass website.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come!

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Chilean Carménère

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:49:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

I recently participated in the Wines of Chile Blogger Tasting, which showcased the Carménère grape variety. Instead of going into event details, let’s talk about the star of the show! Carménère is an ancient Bordeaux variety and one of the six original red Bordeaux grapes. Carménère thrived in Bordeaux until the late 19th century when the phylloxera epidemic wiped out many European vineyards. Phylloxera is a nasty little root louse that feeds on the roots of grape vines and can eventually kill the plant or cause serious damage. When European vineyards were replanted, Carménère was scarce and eventually thought to be extinct. Have you ever heard the saying, “You can’t keep a good grape down?” Well, thanks to DNA analysis in the early 1990’s, vines long thought to be Merlot in Chilean vineyards were actually Carménère. Chile is a unique and special wine region. The vineyards are protected by surrounding mountains, deserts, and the ocean. Unlike most of the world's major wine growing regions, Chilean vineyards have never been attacked by phylloxera.

Carménère and Curry

Chilean Carménère is typically approachable and bright with friendly tannins, a range of red to dark berry fruit flavors, a sprinkling of spice, and an almost signature herbal component that’s appealing when nuanced and subtle. Carménère is a wine that won’t break the bank and its food-friendly acidity makes it an ideal match for a wide variety of dishes (pizza, burgers, spaghetti, etc.). For my tasting, curry was the food theme, and the brighter and lighter examples of Carménère paired surprisingly well with curry-based Indian cuisine. In my personal experience with Chilean Carménère wine, I’ve found that the brighter, lighter, and approachable examples tend to be the least expensive. When the price gets near $20 and over, the wines tend to offer more structure and definition, riper/darker fruit flavors, greater depth, and noticeable barrel character/oak tones. These wines can be paired with hearty fare and strong cheeses. In closing, Chilean Carménère is alive and kicking, and – more times than not – sips nicely too. The next time you visit your local wine shop pick up a bottle or two! To learn more about Chilean wines and Carménère visit the link below and be sure to follow@DrinkChile and @WinesofChile on Twitter. Cheers!

CLICK HERE to visit the Wines of Chile website.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come!

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TasteLive Review: Luscious Hedonism

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

I recently joined a panel of wine bloggers for a virtual TasteLive event called “Luscious Hedonism.” Nice ring to it, eh? Summer has come to an end and the cooler temperatures of fall are ideal for hearty foods and more substantial and rich red wines. This tasting offered just that – wine selections that pair well with a hearty meal and a table full of good friends. The tasting featured four small-lot California Cabernet Sauvignon wines from two small boutique producers (Chateau Felice and Krutz Family Cellars) and two larger producers (Rodney Strong Vineyards and Wente Vineyards). Small-lot wine, also referred to as limited quantity or production, is generally a wine that’s handled and made with special care from ground to glass. These small batches of wine may be the producer’s best vineyard block(s) or barrels. To clear up a misconception; a small lot wine can be produced from a small or large winery – not just the former. One thing this particular tasting accomplished was to highlight the diversity of Cabernet Sauvignons across the four distinct regions on California’s north coast. Below you’ll find the wines we tasted, a few words about the producer, and my Twitter tasting notes.

Chateau Felice 2007 La Craie American Celebration

Of the four producers, I was most unfamiliar with Chateau Felice. Their 2007 La Craie American Celebration is sourced from the producer’s private estate in the Chalk Hill AVA of Sonoma County, California. This Bordeaux-style blend is comprised of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. One of the tasters who had visited the property commented on how beautiful it was. NOTES: Deep garnet color with black cherries and cassis scents with mineral undertones and a pinch of dried herb. On the palate, this wine boasts a lovely texture, nice acidity, and good balance between delicacy and brawn, ending in a long spice/mineral-driven finish. (75 cases, $50)

Krutz Family Cellars 2007 Stagecoach Vineyard Cab Sauv

Next up was the 2007 Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec) from Krutz Family Cellars. Stagecoach Vineyard is one of the best known and largest vineyards in Napa Valley. Patrick Kurtz, owner and winemaker, hails from Mississippi. A visit to California in 2002 resulted in Patrick working at a wine shop and helping with various wine projects. It didn’t take long for Patrick to forge relations with local growers and launch his own label. He released his first vintage the following year. On the front or rear of every Krutz Family Cellars label, you will find a magnolia – Mississippi’s state flower. I’ve enjoyed both the Krutz Family Cellars Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon on numerous occasions, and I hear they make one heck of a Malbec. NOTES: Dried herb, sweet tobacco leaf, currant, subtle vegetal notes, and blackberry aromas comingle with earthy/cocoa nuances. The aromas extend to the round and supple palate with slightly grainy tannins and a pleasing lingering finish. (390 cases, $75)

Rodney Strong Alexander’s Crown 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

The Rodney Strong Alexander’s Crown 2008 (100%) Cabernet Sauvignon was next. This single-vineyard wine is sourced from the Alexander’s Crown vineyard in the Alexander Valley AVA in Sonoma County. Rodney Strong was established in 1971 and is recognized as the first vineyard in Sonoma County to produce a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Rodney Strong is also one of the pioneering producers of Sonoma County’s modern wine industry. Their name is a well-known and their wines are widely available. NOTES: The complex nose is inviting with brambly red and dark fruit, mint, sage, cocoa, and an underlying touch of baking spice. Bold and nicely focused on the entry with an attractive mid-palate, supple, yet firm tannins, and a dusty/juicy finish. This wine gets better (and aromas become more pronounced) as it breathes; especially around the 2-3 hour mark. This is a nice wine to pair with grilled steak. (Approximately 1000 cases, $75)

Wente Vineyards 2008 The Nth Degree Cabernet Sauvignon

Last but not least, was the Wente Vineyards 2008 The Nth Degree Cabernet Sauvignon (95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot). Wente Vineyards was founded in 1883 and is located in California’s Livermore Valley and farms nearly 3,000 acres of estate vine plantings between the Livermore Valley and Monterey. In 1936, Wente produced the first California wine to be labeled Chardonnay. That said, their Chardonnay wines (Eric’s Small-Lot, Riva Ranch, Morning Fog, etc.) are definitely worth seeking out. I’ve enjoyed wines from Wente Vineyards in the past and they consistently manage to offer good quality wines at reasonable prices. The Nth Degree portfolio represents Wente Vineyard’s limited production, hand-crafted premium wines. NOTES: The wine shows a beautiful deep, dark color, with blackberry, ripe plum, toast/smoke, and cassis aromas, with shy eucalyptus scents. The entry is full and round with generous fruit, fine-grain tannins, and a nice mid-palate with hints of smoke and spice on the finish. This is also a nice wine to pair with grilled steak. Allow this wine to breath for a while and you will get the most out of this bottle.(Approximately 500 cases, $50)

In closing, due to their limited production, small-lot wines are typically available exclusively at the producer’s tasting-room, their wine club, via mail order, or special events (dinners, vertical tastings, etc.). Click on the links below to visit the producer’s websites for further information. Cheers!

CLICK HERE to visit Chateau Felice's website.

CLICK HERE to visit Krutz Family Cellar's website.

CLICK HERE to visit Rodney Strong Vineyard's website.

CLICK HERE to visit Wente Vineyard's website.

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come!

Live, Love, Laugh, Tweet, Sip, Enjoy!

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In 47 Words: Farm-to-Table/Vineyard-to-Glass

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 22:26:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Regional wine week kicked-off yesterday and runs to October 15, 2011. Wine lovers are encouraged to submit a 47-word essay about local wine to drinklocalwine@gmail.com. A select number of essays will win one of several nice wine related prizes. For further details click here.

My 47-word submission below, is kindly geared towards the "Go Local" crowd that seeks out locally grown and raised foods, but not wine -- even though they drink wine. If farm-to-table is acceptable, then vineyard-to-glass should be too. My motto is "sip global, support local", so I'm not saying only buy/drink local wine from your respective state. I'm simply asking you to give the local wine in your corner of the world a try. On Twitter? Join the local wine conversation by using the #drinklocal hash-tag. Cheers!

I do enjoy the local juice from my corner of the world!

In 47 Words:

Some consumers desire locally grown foods, failing to realize that wine is an agricultural product. Chances are there’s a wine industry in your backyard. If you value local foods, then check out your local wine scene. You may find a wine to pair with your local cuisine.

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Wednesday #WineChat: Cabernet Franc

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:21:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

This Wednesday (aka tomorrow) I’m delighted to be a guest-host for Marie Payton’s weekly Twitter wine conversation called #winechat. Marie is a passionate wine enthusiast that writes the Life of Vines wine blog. The subject of tomorrow's #winechat is Cabernet Franc. This ancient red wine grape variety is primarily used for blending in the famed Bordeaux region of France. However, in the Loire Valley, Cabernet Franc produces the red fruit-filled and (often-times) easy-drinking wines of Chinon, Anjou, Saumur, and Bourgueil.

At least three of the Cabernet Franc wines I'll pour tomorrow

Cabernet Franc thrives in cooler climates so it’s an attractive option for regions like the Finger Lakes (NY) and Canada. Cabernet Franc also ripens fairly early and is a popular selection for Virginia and other east coast regions that may experience difficulty in less than average growing seasons with later ripening varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon. And speaking of Cabernet Sauvignon, in 1996, researchers at UC Davis discovered that Cabernet Franc was one of two parents of Cabernet Sauvignon. The other is Sauvignon Blanc. It’s rather hard to believe that this odd couple could produce such a bold variety that’s commonly referred to as “King of the Reds.” Well, enough of my rambling – join us on Twitter tomorrow at 9pm EST / 6pm PST to taste, tweet, learn, and share thoughts and experiences. Again, the subject is Cabernet Franc, so visit your wine cellar or run to the local wine shop and pick up a bottle. The Twitter hash-tag for tomorrow's wine conversation is #winechat. Hope to see you online over a splash of Cabernet Franc and a healthy pour of tweets. Cheers!

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come!

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Riesling Hour Review: #FLXWine

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:17:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Today, wine is being produced in all 50 US states. Within those states there are a few wine regions that have successfully matched a classic grape variety with its terroir and went on to produce distinctive, world-class wines that are capable of holding their own against top renditions of the wine world. For example, the Napa Valley (CA) does it with Cabernet Sauvignon, and the finicky Pinot Noir grape variety has put the Willamette Valley (OR) on the world wine map. Despite advancements in viticulture and enology, Mother Nature has a fair amount of influence over which wine regions are capable of this and which are not. Some regions are too cold, others too hot, some deal with rainfall and severe storms during the height of the growing season, while others enjoy picture-perfect weather during this critical time. Generally, for a region to gain some degree of global recognition on the world wine map, the producers within that region must come together to focus on one or two varieties and craft well-defined, high-quality wines reflective of that region’s unique characteristics and growing season.

Riesling Hour: First Flight

The Finger Lakes are one of those special wine regions. They have the right climate and soil type(s) to produce high quality wine from one of the world’s most versatile and intriguing white wine grape varieties – Riesling. A region originally thought too cold to grow vinifera varieties, experienced a turning-point in the early 1960’s when Dr. Konstantin Frank successfully grew and made wine from Riesling and other cool-climate varieties. Today, the Finger Lakes wine region is internationally-recognized for their world-class Riesling.

Riesling Hour: Second Flight

I recently had the opportunity to participate in Riesling Hour, a large virtual Riesling tasting put on by the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance to celebrate the 2010 vintage. I do not know the final stats, but the event was well attended. Those who searched on hash-tag “#FLXWine” that evening witnessed an endless stream of tweets [thoughts, tasting notes, food pairings, etc.] centered on the Riesling wines of the Finger Lakes that poured – no pun intended – into the following day. The 2010 growing season for the east coast was warmer than normal with low to moderate rainfall. Bud break came early, harvest came early, and I recall seeing a few tweets that stated 2010 was the warmest growing season seen in the Finger Lakes in 37 years. If there was one item of concern for Finger Lakes growers, I’m sure it was when to pick. With Riesling, you want to retain the grape's wonderful brightness and lovely natural acidity. I had a chance to taste six [2010] dry Riesling wines from the following producers: Anthony Road Wine Company, Atwater Estate Vineyards, Billsboro Winery, Fox Run Vineyards, Hunt Country Vineyards, and Lucus Vineyards. Based on what I sipped, the biggest difference was fruit – some of the wines offered fresh ripe flavors while others were soft and delicate. See some of my tweets (short tasting notes and comments) from Riesling Hour below. I would also like to thank the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance for the opportunity to taste and tweet about the Finger Lake's 2010 vintage -- it was great fun. Cheers!

PS ... There is always a Finger Lakes wine conversation happening on Twitter; just search #FLXWine hash-tag and join the discussion.

Wine Tasting Notes

@myvinespot: @anthonyroadwine 2010 Dry Riesling: Fresh, lemon citrus, lime zest, vibrant acidity, mineral nuances throughout. Nice start! #FLXWine

@myvinespot: @atwaterwine Tangy and refreshing w/ a soft delicate frame, demure tree fruit and subtle mineral/slate notes. #FLXWine #wine

@myvinespot: @Billsboro 2010 dry Riesling: Dominated by food-friendly acidity & pronounced mineral character followed by tree fruit & melon #FLXWine

@myvinespot: @foxrunvineyards 2010 dry Riesling: Light-bodied, citrus and floral flavors, w/ brisk acidity, ending in a crisp finish #FLXWine #wine

@myvinespot: @HuntWines 2010 Dry Riesling: Classic aromas of petrol, w/ floral scents & tree fruit hints w/ an oily lingering finish #FLXWine #wine

@myvinespot: @LucusWinetalk Simple, yet satisfying ... Floral front, lemon rind, nicely balanced, with good food-friendly acidity #FLXWine #wine

Wine Tasting Comments

@myvinespot: When it comes to food, a dry Riesling pairs nicely with just about everything :-) #FLXWine #wine

@myvinespot: Anyone else notice the high QPR (quality price ratio) on Finger Lake Riesling tonight? #FLXWine #wine

@myvinespot: Great when a classic wine grape like Riesling finds a new home (Finger Lakes). Wish these wines were more accessible here. #FLXWine #wine

@myvinespot: Riesling is one of the most versatile & food-friendly wines available. The Finger Lakes is producing world-class examples. #FLXWine #wine

@myvinespot: "Riesling grows well in the cool-climate and the varied soils of the Finger Lakes." ~ Finger Lakes Wine Alliance #FLXWine #quote

@myvinespot: "The warmest growing season in 37 years resulted in a harvest that was two or three weeks earlier than normal" @atwaterwine #FLXWine #quote

@myvinespot: Enjoying the refreshing acidity, fresh fruit flavors, mineral character, and LOW alcohol, that is Finger Lakes Riesling. #FLXWine #wine

@myvinespot: Finger Lakes Riesling wines are dynamic, food-favoring, and as seen tonight -- gaining fans one sip at a time! #FLXWine #wine

Picture from my visit to Dr. Konstantin Frank

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come!

CLICK HERE to visist the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance website.

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Quick Sip: Keswick Vineyards 2009 RSV Viognier

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

Dennis Horton, owner of Horton Vineyards, introduced Viognier to Virginia and his prized 1993 vintage garnered national attention. Horton’s early success with the exquisite northern Rhone variety encouraged local growers to plant Viognier and producers to bottle it as a single varietal wine. Nearly two decades later, the Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office designated Viognier as the state’s signature grape. Good move from a marketing perspective because there are some delicious local examples being produced to support the designation. That being said, there’s not a uniform regional /distinctive style and quality is inconsistent across the board. One winemaker that consistently produces good results with Viognier is South African winemaker Stephen Barnard. One of my first, and tasty I might add, experiences with Stephen’s Viognier came by way of a bottle of Rappahannock Cellar’s 2005 Reserve. This wine would go on to win the Virginia 2006 Governor’s Cup from over a field of 200 entries and Stephen would take his talents to Keswick Vineyards. From the 2005 selection to current, I haven’t missed a vintage. Today’s ‘Quick Sip,’ the Keswick Vineyard's 2009 Reserve Viognier, is also a Virginia Governor Cup gold medal winner. One might say that Mr. Barnard has the "Midas touch" with Viognier.

Keswick Vineyards 2009 Reserve Viognier

Keswick makes a few different styles of Viognier ranging from crisp and dry to a scrumptious dessert wine. The Keswick Vineyards 2009 Reserve Viognier, clear lemon yellow in color, offers scents of apricot, lightly spiced pear and melon, with notes of nutmeg and baking spice. This wine is smooth and round on the palate, with a moderately viscous texture that's framed with good acidity and finishing with touches of pear and sweet spice. The Keswick Vineyards 2009 Reserve Viognier clocks in at 14.1% ABV and the suggested retail price is $24.95. This wine is a delight to sip on its own and a good match for grilled chicken or pork loin. If you are interested in Keswick’s Viognier wines and other selections and are not local, visit their website below – they are able to ship to a number of US states. Cheers!

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come!

CLICK HERE to visist Keswick Vineyard's website.

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Soave, Anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (Dezel) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:14:00 +0000

Hello Friends,

As many sports fans enjoyed beer and wings to kick off the NFL season, I was cheering on my favorite team(s) with seared scallops and a bottle of Soave[SWAH-veh]. This delicious food and wine pairing would prove to be a touchdown over the course of the evening for me – and besides, I’m not much of a beer drinker at all. Like Grüner Veltliner, Arneis, [dry] Furmint, and a number of other alternative white wines, Soave flies under the radar of most wine consumers. And that’s a shame, because Soave wines are (generally) dry, crisp, appealing, and versatile enough to be served as an aperitif or an accompaniment to a wide variety of foods. Soave is named after the region, not the grape, in the Veneto region of northeast Italy. It’s by far the most popular and famous white wine of the Veneto region. Soave wines are made primarily from the Garganega grape variety, which is widely planted in the Veneto region, but can have amounts of Trebbiano, Pinot Bianco, or Chardonnay blended in, so long as the final wine consists of a minimum of 70% Garganega (DOC law).

Soave, Anyone?

I typically keep a bottle of Soave in my bi-weekly rotation and just recently had the opportunity to sample both the Re Midas 2009 Soave and Latium Morini 2009 Soave. Both wines are 100% Garganega and are well-balanced, refreshing, palate-pleasing, and food-friendly. Overall, well-made Soave can offer a wide spectrum of aromas ranging from vibrant tree fruit to tart citrus and stone fruit scents heightened by floral and shy honey nuances. On the palate, Soave is generally soft, rounded, and fruity with slightly nutty (almond) overtones and light refreshing acidity ending in a clean and pleasant finish. Additionally, Soave is very wallet/purse friendly (well under $20), which has significant influence over the average consumer. The one issue I’ve found with Soave is availability. I’ve introduced a number of people to Soave and have found that while most people have heard of it, many had never actually tried it due to lack of availability in their local wine shops. That being said, Soave has re-emerged and is making a push into the U.S. market. The next time you visit your local wine shop ask the sales associate for a bottle of Soave. I’ve enjoyed these wines spring thru summer and I’m sure Soave will be among the number of wines on the Thanksgiving Day table this fall. I would like to thank Alessandro Boga for the opportunity. This reemphasizes what I already knew – Soave can be surprisingly delicious and it won’t break the bank to figure that out. Cheers!

Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come!
CLICK HERE to learn more about the wines of Soave.

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