Mission Codename: Giovanni di Bernardone

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Locate a stellar Black Friday wine by infiltrating Franciscan in Napa Valley’s Oakville region and secure an ample cache of the wine for our well-deserving Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Franciscan

Wine Subject: 2005 Franciscan Magnificat – Meritage – Napa Valley

Winemaker: Janet Myers

Backgrounder: The Oakville AVA, centrally located in the Napa Valley and adjacent to the famous Rutherford AVA, was established in July, 1993. Oakville is considered one of the most diverse AVA’s in the Napa area.

Franciscan winery, located in the Oakville AVA, has been crafting its distinctive wines with extraordinary care, elegant style and finesse since 1985.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Beautiful deepest garnet and perfect ruby red when swirled in the light. This wine maintains deeply concentrated color through to its edges. With a deeper core and a softly bouncy surface that settles quickly after swirling, this wine exhibits tightly packed skinny legs that take a few moments to emerge before they move very steadily down the glass.

Smell – Deep and aromatic with lush fruits of dark blackberry, dark cherry, dark plum, dark chocolate, fresh sage, subtle black pepper, and soft black tea leaf.

Feel – Velvety smooth, beautifully round, and softly creamy at the front of the palate, then slowly mouth-coating and rich with lush, soft tannins that fade slowly.

Taste – Perfectly balanced light and dark fruit flavors, featuring delicious dark cherry, blackberry, cassis, and plum with emerging flavors of dark chocolate powder, soft spice, soft oak, and a subtle smoky blueberry.

Finish – Dark, fruity, long, and clean that tails off smoothly, while continuing to reveal new flavors as it tapers off over a lengthy amount of time.

Conclusion – We could not have selected a more appealing and more delicious Franciscan wine for today’s Black Friday special. With a gorgeous feel and aromas and flavors that inspire rather than over-power, this delicious wine is a wonderful treat and a food-friendly compliment to your holiday entertaining. Be sure to hold on to a few bottles for yourself! This wine gets a very hearty Wine Spies recommendation!

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Janet Myers

DATE OF BIRTH: 04/64

PLACE OF BIRTH: Centralia, Illinois

WINE EDUCATION: M.S. Enology and Viticulture, University of California, Davis

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Director of Winemaking, Franciscan Estate and Mount Veeder Winery. Previous experience with Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Beaulieu Vineyards, Louis M. Martini Winery, and Robert Mondavi Winery.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: To make wines that are rich, balanced, supple, food-friendly, and show varietal character and place of origin.

SIGNATURE VARIETAL: Cabernet Sauvignon

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: The chance to make wine with great fruit from many vineyards.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: ”It’s all about what’s in the glass. As a winemaker, take the wine very seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously.”

AGENT RED: Greetings, Janet. We are thrilled to be showing your 2005 Magnificat today. I am in love with the wine! Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

WINEMAKER: Thank you, Agent Red, it’s great to be here and share a bit about the wine.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

WINEMAKER: I was in London, living above a wine shop and getting to taste a lot of great wines, and also working in restaurants serving wine. This got me interested. But while traveling in Italy, where my mom’s parents are from, the vineyards and wineries fascinated me and I became focused on winemaking. The stars lined up, and I realized I could pursue a field that combined agriculture, food, flavors, science, and history.

RED: Where did you learn the most about winemaking?

WINEMAKER: The tools to understand what is going on in the wine were gained from UC Davis, a great foundation. But learning to make wine happens in the winery, you learn by doing, building on the practical knowledge that accumulates with each vintage. When I started out, I did back-to-back harvests in Italy and Australia. Such different approaches, but both made great wine; it was really an eye-opener.

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

WINEMAKER: To make balanced wines, with vibrancy and complexity, to stay true to the varietal character, and strive to bring the best out of the grapes. Tailor the approach to what the wine needs, use intuition, and don’t try to turn it into something it’s not.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

WINEMAKER: All wines interest me, the range of personality between varietals and styles. Napa Cabs and their depth and complexity are inspiring. Over my career, experiencing different winemakers with different approaches has grounded me.

RED: How long have you been making wine?

WINEMAKER: Just finished my 17th harvest.

RED: That’s impressive. Who do you make wine for?

WINEMAKER: For our consumers, ultimately. The winemaker has a vision of the wine he or she wants to make that will bring out the best potential of the fruit. That said, wine is made to be consumed, so you think about enhancing consumers’ experiences, complementing their meals. I strive to make wines that I love, that people will enjoy, and that respect the tradition and style of the winery.

RED: Tell me, what makes the Napa region so special?

WINEMAKER: A great combination of soil and climate. This is Cabernet spa treatment, with intense, warm summer days to build structure and richness, and cool nights to maintain vibrancy and deep color. No rain between May and October is a major bonus.

RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?

WINEMAKER: Work in a cellar to try it out. Keep an open mind, trust yourself. Be flexible and be prepared for anything!

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

WINEMAKER: Finishing getting the 2009 reds to barrel, which are delicious, and working on the new 2009 Sauvignon Blanc blend and the 08 Cuvee Sauvage Reserve Chardonnay, both of which will bottle after the holidays. There is always something exciting to work on.

RED: You’ll have to keep us covertly informed as to how those are progressing! Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today

WINEMAKER: Our Magnificat wine is one of the original Meritage blends. We start with over 200 barrel lots from individual vineyard blocks, and make the best Bordeaux blend of the vintage, building off of our Oakville Estate Vineyard. The blend varies year to year, this one is 73% Cab, and has all five major Bordeaux varietals in it. It is rich and textural, with layers of cassis and mocha.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

WINEMAKER: It’s really versatile and works with many savory dishes: a steak, pork chops, duck, even barbecue. My personal philosophy is that if you like a wine, it will go well with a lot of things.

RED: Perfect, I just picked up a few steaks to enjoy with one of my other bottles! Please share one thing about yourself that few people know.

WINEMAKER: I grew up around my parents’ and grandparents’ fruit orchard operation in Southern Illinois, apples and peaches, which gave me a love of the land and farming. It was a great way to grow up.

RED: What is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?

WINEMAKER: There isn’t just one, it depends on what we’re eating. We do drink a lot of Sauvignon Blanc, then Chard for richer dishes, Rieslings for Indian and Asian. For a red, Cabernet is the go-to wine by far, but Pinot Noir is a wonderful counterpoint for a completely different experience.

RED: Sound like a good, balanced approach to playing favorites. Tell me, how would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?

WINEMAKER: Overall, the most important thing is to drink what you enjoy, and pair it with foods as you see fit. Trust your palate. Try new things, but don’t feel like you have to “move on” or “move up,” it’s ok to stick with your favorites. Don’t let anyone tell you what you should like.

RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?

WINEMAKER: There are so many I enjoy, but probably I’d go with a Cabernet or Cab blend.

RED: What is the one question that I should have asked you, and what is your answer to that question?

WINEMAKER: Question: Could you talk about your vineyards and what they bring to the wine? Answer: The heart and soul of our red wines comes from our Oakville Estate Vineyard, 240 acres which we’ve been farming for 35 years (ever since Justin Meyer established it as our estate vineyard). Having that continuity helps ensure consistency across vintages. Years ago, Andre Tchelistcheff observed that it was a great place for Bordeaux varietals, and we’ve been doing that ever since. We also have 20 prime Chardonnay acres in Carneros, the Larsen Vineyard, which provides the backbone of our wild-yeast fermented Cuvee Sauvage. I love the firm acidity and vibrancy, which complements a reserve style Chard with the creaminess and richness of barrel fermentation.

RED: Andre is something of a hero of ours. And now, so are you! Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

WINEMAKER: Thanks, it was a pleasure. Enjoy the wine. Cheers!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of Franciscan can be seen in this satellite photo.

My Swiss grandfather taught me the art of wine. For him the countryside, the vineyard side, the grapes and barrels, the talkativeness of the land, the dependency on the weather conditions, the picking and piling, the colors and aromas, the sitting around the table with crystal glasses and spittoons, the taking notes based on the year, the dust on old bottles…all of the above was life and…love. He was the equivalent of Shakespeare, only instead of prose, his master land was the wine.

He joined the eternal kingdom of the heavens not very long ago, but his wine spirit, is always -quite loudly- with us on the family table reminding us to ‘hold the wine glass properly’, to ‘let the wine breathe first’, to ‘always smell first’, to ‘ah, the strawberries in this one’ or ‘the vanilla scents on that’.

He and I have always had a special relationship, one that went beyond wine and feelings, but one that definitely revolved around them. On my 22nd birthday, his gift to me was a registration to an advanced Sommelier’s course in Bordeaux. I had to combine my regular Master’s courses with this intense series of mind-blowing, nose-experimenting, tongue-advancing courses on the wine-making, the wine-tasting and the wine-drinking.

It took all that I had not to hate him for all the excess hours on the train, the sleepless nights and weekends, the pressure, the sneezing, the hanging around snobbish wine masters, but all of that…would dissolve instantly, as soon as I’d find myself walking down the ‘aisles’ of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot.

Today is Thanksgiving – a very important celebration for every American around the world. Had I been back in New York, I would be probably joining my aunt and her family into tasting the turkey, the stuffing, the cranberry sauce etc. Here, in Greece, none of the above will occur today: today is just like any other Thursday. I somehow wish I was in New York -or Texas, that’s where Phillip, my aunt’s husband is from- and where I spent my first Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. I will never forget that day: not only because I, then, bought my first original cowboy hat (yeap, I was one of those kids that grew up watching the All-American movies, daydreaming of walking into a remote diner, sitting on the bar, and telling the fat lady who’ll be pouring me some black coffee by then ‘you know, scrambled eggs an’ all’) but mainly because of the mixture of antithetic tastes in my mouth: salty and sweet, sour and creamy, bitter and inexplicably desserty.

As my heart today will be with Phillip’s mum -who warned Phillip back then that I should have been her son, and that he should do everything within his powers to always feed me because I was too skinny for Texan standards- it will also be with my beloved grandparents and my memories of their home in Geneva.

My grandfather was the person who taught me how to properly sit on the table, how to cross the utensils as I continue my meal, how to hold the glass and set up the dinner table, how to greet a woman, how to get the door for her, how to pull the chair for her to sit, how to treat her like a delicate rose with occasional thorns that are “only there to remind you with occasional pains just how much you love her”, the ’savoir-vivre’ at its extreme.

I miss him terribly, but I sit bits and pieces of him in Natalie, my father, little Marie, even myself. Even with his passing, he’s brought me closer to my best friend. And the months that followed his death, there were a zillion times I wish I could spend just one more night in his study, with him, talking about my fears and concerns with him, while sipping a 1989 Merlot from his Eurocave cabinet.

So this being the second Thursday of our Lists conquest, and this being Thanksgiving, when all Americans will be sitting around the table, enjoying their huge meal and being thankful for all they’ve been given, and all that they love, I cannot help but to want to dedicate my second list, to the man who’s taught me so much and still does.

List II: Let’s Talk About Wine. Don’t run away just yet: this is not a list that just addresses the experts. My grandfather’s golden rule was that Wine is for everyone- super nose, normal nose or no nose- wine is to be enjoyed by every single person on the planet. As a graduate student in Paris, I used to work to two different wine bars, as their wine expert- and although no French person can ever claim ignorance when it came to wine, often times people (especially women) would be very concerned with appearing too illiterate in its tasting. I would always tell them that wine is yours, just like your heart is yours. It tastes what you want it to taste. If you’re happy, it’s happy, if you’re sad, it’s sad and so on and so forth.

There are numerous fine wines around the world (I need to admit that with the years, the Italian wine became my favorite one in contrast to the French varieties) but what makes a wine bottle a masterpiece, is the moment in which you drink it: the person you share it with, the decision you just made about your job or your relationship, the landscape in which you are, the country you are traveling to, the mood on the table, the moment while you are writing your book, while talking to your lover on the phone, while staring into his eyes, while you’re about to propose, while you’re writing the longest letter you’ll never send, while you’re sitting vis-a-vis your grandfather, dressed in a white t-shirt and a pair of navy pants and a bow-tie in your little neck pretending to be the waiter of your ‘La Maison De Junior” restaurant (that sadly only served potato chips, cheese, ice-cream and berries.)

If you had to make a list of the world’s finest beverages (wine or no wine, it’s up to you) of those moments you’ll never forget for reasons that are purely your own…what would it be? What year would your beverage have? What color? What would its origin be? What would be its quality? What glass would you drink it in? Would you decant it? Where would you be drinking it in an ideal scenario and with whom? And would it be accompanied by food or not? And most importantly…what would you three (you, him/her and the wine) be talking about?

Fabricate your own wine- just tell us why…

[This list shall run from today, Thursday November 26, 2009  for a week]

]]> http://blog.ridgewine.com/2009/11/23/things-im-thankful-for/ Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:17:08 +0000 christopherwatkins http://blog.ridgewine.com/2009/11/23/things-im-thankful-for/

I’ll be out for the rest of the week, so in honor of the coming holiday, I’d like to offer a spontaneous list entitled “Things I’m Thankful For …”

The twin loves of my life: my astonishingly wonderful missus Amy, and my magical, beautific daughter Clara Bay

Our parents

Our collective friends and relations

The 1991 Monte Bello

The music of Sleepy John Estes

Coupe glasses, and those that drink champys from them

Rivers

Ireland

Haig’s Hummus

Han-Shan’s Cold Mountain Poems

Single-Vineyard wines

Pocket watches

Pomade

People who know how to shake hands properly

That I don’t own a Kindle

Rock skipping

Son House

The movie “Casablanca”

The novels of John Fante

That I’ll be serving the 2006 Monte Bello Chardonnay on Thanksgiving Day

Duct Tape

Winnie The Pooh

California

The poems of William Matthews

Pre-fusion Miles Davis

Tasting Room Staff that can, when tested, pour perfect 1 0z. pours every time

Capitola

That I’ll be serving the 2005 Lytton West Syrah on Thanksgiving Day

T-Shirts that cleverly deploy swear words

Champys, and the people who drink it out of Coupe glasses

The magnums of 2002 Home Ranch Cabernet that we served at our wedding

Our wedding

The book “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind”

Peanut Butter Toast — actually, toast of just about any sort, especially baked beans on toast, next to a peat fire, in the west of Ireland

That I got to know Donn Reisen before he passed

Jumbo Paper Clips and #2 Pencils

Curtis Mayfield’s soundtrack to “Superfly”

That I’ll be serving the 2006 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Cabernet Sauvignon on Thanksgiving Day

Typewriters made before the 1960s, and especially typewriters from the 20s through the 40s, preferably the ones made by Underwood, Royal, and Remington

My unbelievably wondrous missus Amy, and my heart-achingly stupendous daughter Clara Bay

That Nicole was willing to grant me a phone interview from a truck stop in Wyoming

The surround-sound speakers I hope to have in the tasting room next year

John Coltrane’s album “A Love Supreme”

The 2007 vintage of the Buchignani Carignane

Dice. Especially Boss Dice

Swear words

Ankle boots

Sharpies with sharp points

Ah So Cork Pullers

Hand-harvesting

Haiku

The Clash

Really excellent neckties

People who still call refrigerators “Iceboxes”

People who say “undershirt” instead of “wifebeater”

That I’ll be serving the 2007 Geyserville Essence on Thanksgiving Day

National Steel Resonator Guitars. Specifically, mine

Vertical Tastings of Monte Bello. Specifically, when I’m invited

Red Sauce

The music of Bukka White

Autumn

Every single person who works for Ridge

My job at Ridge

Ridge.

And every thing else I haven’t written down yet, like Fred McDowell, Dylan Thomas, the 2006 Carmichael, brand-new  foil cutters, really well made chopsticks, walking not running, upright bass players that can really swing, kindness, the constellation Orion, Thelonious Monk, the 2002 Lytton Estate Petite Sirah, my daughter’s Ramones t-shirt, that no one I know eats Fudge with any kind of regularity, bicycles that don’t require the wearing of weird footwear, music, literature, the visual arts, beaches, rivers, forests, and WINE!

On this lovely holiday, may your hearts be filled with thanks, your rooms filled with loved ones, and your glasses full of wine! Cheers, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Mission Codename: Affinity for Greatness

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Investigate Napa’s Robert Craig Winery

Mission Status: Ongoing…

Current Winery: Robert Craig Winery

Wine Subject: 2006 Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet

Winemaker: Robert Craig

Backgrounder:

While Robert Craig Winery is well known for their mountain fruit wines, today’s selection is made from fruit found in in the Mt. George region of southeastern Napa near the Stag’s Leap District. This area rivals Rutherford for top honors of Napa’s Cabernet Sauvignon. The region is best known for exceptional Bordeaux varietals and today’s selection is an excellent example of the character of the region’s wines.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep and dark purple with garnet reflexes through its dense but clear core. Along the edges the color remains a deep garnet and when swirled, widely-spaced fat legs hang for a few seconds before descending to the wine below.

Smell – Medium in intensity with inviting aromas of lush and vivid black-fruit including blackberry, black cherry and blueberry are interlaced with toasted and smokey oak, exotic allspice and floral violets.

Feel – Smooth and rich, this full-bodied classic is dry with finely grained silky tannins and bright but balanced acidity. Mouth-coating and expansive, with excellent minerality, this wine has real staying power that lingers long into the finish.

Taste – Plush and rich flavors of black cherry, plum, blackberry and blueberry with subtle and sentimental allspice and mild cinnamon. Flavors of toasted oak are well integrated with complex black olive, mocha coffee and the underlying minerality that is initially felt on the palate.

Finish – Warm and lingering, this clean and well structured wine’s flavors clings to the palate, making the mouth water in anticipation of another sip.

Conclusion – The 2006 Robert Craig Winery Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon (blend) with tremendous character. Warm and inviting on both the nose and the palate, this wine is drinking wonderfully right now but has the backbone to cellar for years to come. We enjoyed this delicious wine with word-fire grilled pork-loin seasoned simply with garlic, pepper, paprika and sea-salt.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Keith Emerson

DATE OF BIRTH: 3/22/76

PLACE OF BIRTH: Boston, Mass.

WINE EDUCATION: Enology & Viticulture / Fermentation Science B.S., UC Davis

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Director of Winemaking – Vineyard 29, Consulting Winemaker – Robert Craig Winery, Winemaker – Knighton Family Vineyards, Leaf + Twig Vineyard, Gundlach Bundschu Winery, Bartholomew
Park Winery, Owner / Winemaker – Emerson Brown Wines, Owner / Winemaker – Emerson Wines (all current)

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Gentle, meticulous handling and attention to detail every step of the way. Small lot, hands on winemaking, utilizing gravity as much as possible and showcasing the fruit from each specific site.

SIGNATURE VARIETALS: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Establishment of Emerson Brown Wines in 2005 (tremendously successful, boutique Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc), hand crafted in Vineyard 29’s state of the art facility

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Establishment of Emerson Wines in 2009. Single-vineyard (Shea Vineyard) Oregon Pinot Noir, hand crafted in Vineyard 29’s state of the art facility

WINEMAKER QUOTE: If you work harder than the next guy and pay attention to detail every step of the way, good things will happen!

AGENT RED: Greetings, Keith Emerson. We are thrilled to be showing your 2006 Robert Craig Winery “Affinity” Cabernet Sauvignon today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

KEITH: Thanks for having me

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

KEITH: I grew up in the restaurant and bar business back east. I’ve always said that I fell in love with wine through food.

RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?

KEITH: Honestly, on the job experience has been even more beneficial than my studies at UC Davis (though I learned a lot there as well, of course).

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

KEITH: Gentle, meticulous handling and attention to detail every step of the way. Small lot, hands on winemaking, utilizing gravity as much as possible and showcasing the fruit from each specific site.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

KEITH: I’ve been fortunate to work with and learn from several world class winemakers including Philippe Melka, Andy Erickson, Celia Welch, Zelma Long, Allan Johnson (NZ), and others.

RED: How long have you been making wine?

KEITH: 12 years

RED: Who do you make wine for?

KEITH: The wine drinker!

RED: Tell me, what makes the Napa Valley so special?

KEITH: The amazing geological activities that have occurred here over time. So many microclimates and soil types in such a small valley!

RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?

KEITH: Lots of hard work, ridiculous hours, don’t ever plan on vacationing in September or October for the rest of your life!

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

KEITH: Online interviews (kidding)! Post-harvest vineyard meetings, post-harvest wine lot evaluation tastings, barreling down 2009 reds, ordering bottling supplies for upcoming bottling season, winterizing the winery, etc.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today

KEITH: 2006 was my first vintage working with Robert Craig Winery and thus my first opportunity to influence the wines. The 2006 Affinity is a harmonious blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, with a few additional Bordeaux blenders, from select valley and hillside vineyards.

Aroma: Concentrated berry and black cherry fruit at the forefront, underlaiin with sweet cassis and touches of violets, lavender and spicy oak. Flavors: A beautifully polished core of black fruit on the mid-palate, interwoven with black olive, red currant, espresso and a hint of maple. Finish: Lush and generous, focusing on more dense fruit, enlivened with crisp acidity and silky, fine-grained tannins.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

KEITH: Rack of lamb

RED: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know

KEITH: Huge Boston Celtics, Red Sox, New England Patriots fan

RED: What is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?

KEITH: Difficult to say though I always love a clean, refreshing Vhinos Verde from Portugal.

RED: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?

KEITH: With an open mind and an appreciation for exciting, unique, well-made wines

RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?

KEITH: Tough question… maybe DRC La Tache

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

KEITH: Thanks very much!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Robert Craig Winery in the Howell Mountain region of Napa can be seen in this satellite photo.

There’s good news and then there’s bad news. The good news is that the Best Wine in the world, according to the Wine Spectator, is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington State that costs less than $30 a bottle. The bad news is that we can’t get any. It’s all been sold. Read more in this article from the Seattle Business Journal.

On Friday in early August, my friend and I, drove around the winding roads of Route 3965 (Sderot Hahotsvim) up from Highway 1, past the Sataf junction, and on and up Route 395 to Kibbutz Tzuba.  At the entrance of the kibbutz, drive past the gate and take the second left and follow the sign to Yekev Tzuba.  The winery’s rectangular and unassuming building lies to the back of the kibbutz overlooking a bluff and an ancient wine press from the first millennium.  As you drive up to the building you can see the vineyards to the right and Tzora Winery’s vineyard to the north.

We met Paul Dobb – the head winemaker, at around 8AM in the morning, and we moved upstairs to the understated but quite lovely tasting room that overlooks the ancient wine press.  Paul said, he has plans to spruce up the winery with a deck and a tasting bar, which sounds nice, but I found the current setup quite enjoyable.  The winery is growing since we last visited them, and they are releasing new single varietals.  The first new varietal is the 2007 Pinot Noir.  A lovely French Burgundy look-alike with Israeli attitude.  Besides the new Pinot Noir, Tzuba is shipping some of their wines to the USA through Royal Wines (the largest importer of kosher wines).  Tzuba has sold all of last year’s wines except for their top of the line Metzuda series, which they are in no real rush to sell to distributors, because it is a wine that is just coming into its own, and has more life left in it.  So, the 2005 vintage of the Metzuda blend can be found both locally in the US and in Israel, while the rest of the lineup, which is long and impressive are only available locally in Israel.

The lineup, which is visible at their website, is quite impressive, with a nice variety of both red and white wines.  When we were last there we had a chance to taste a few of the white wines.  This time around, the white wines were from shmitta (2008 vintage), and so we did not partake of them.  The vines that Paul helped to plant in 1996 are growing well, and the varietals are now starting to show quite nicely.  The Sangiovese is starting to come around, the Pinot Noir is now solid enough to stand on its own and not be plowed into the Red Belmont (their table wine).  Their noble varieties have been solid since day one, Cabernet, Merlot, and Shiraz.  I am really looking forward to the day when they start selling Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.  Till then we will be more than satisfied with the current crop of red options.  The white wines are a different story.  Beyond the Chardonnay (both late and normal harvest), none of the whites are standing on their own.  The winery plants many white varieties, but none of have yet to be sold on their own – Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are blended into the White Belmont.  Viognier is lurking, but not yet bottled into anything.  Though we did not taste the Chardonnay this time, the last time we tasted the 2006 vintage, it was quite lovely.  We tasted the 2007 White Belmont at the Jerusalem Wine Festival, and were equally impressed by its tart yet ripe flavors.  Either way, both the red and white wines from Tzuba will keep many a wine connoisseur quite happy.

When talking with Paul while tasting some wonderful wines, he explained to us that the winery’s mantra is about creating value based world class wines.  To that point the wines are priced reasonably within Israel, while in the US, the prices are a bit higher, but that is more about the importer than Tzuba.  Currently, Tzuba is producing 40,000 to 50,000 bottles a year, and they are planting new vineyards to allow them to grow the winery.  On an aside, Kibbutz Tzuba, will be ripping up their fruit trees and replacing them with grape vines, according to the Jerusalem Post.  This is not because of the increased interest in grapes and wine, but rather because of the increased concern over water shortages within Israel.  As the article states, grape vines need a tenth or less of the water required for fruit trees, and since grapes can fetch at least as much on the open market, they will be replacing their fruit trees with grape vines.  I just thought that would be interesting to report.  On the way out of our wine tasting, I took some pictures of the current vines (in the distance), and the fruit trees right next to them.

I want thank Paul and the Tzuba Winery for taking the time to meet with us and to show us how far the winery has come and a wonderful glimpse into its flourishing future.  The wines notes follow below in the order they were tasted:

2007 Tzuba Tel Tzuba Pinot Noir – Score: A-
The nose on this garnet colored wine is reminiscent of a terroir based Burgundy.  The nose is hopping with rich minerals, cherry, strawberry, and a bit of sweetness like Cherry Herring.  The mouth on this medium bodied wine is rich with loamy soil, strawberry, and cherry.  The mid palate is acidic in nature, with more loamy soil, and a touch of coffee.  The finish is long with bright red fruit and spice.  Quite a nice Pinot Noir and one that I hope is exported to the US.

2007 Tzuba Tel Tzuba Cabernet Sauvignon – Score: B+
The nose on this garnet colored wine has cherry, cranberry, raspberry, spice, and oak.  The mouth on this medium to full bodied wine has cranberry and plum that lead into a mid palate of oak, balancing acid, and nice integrating tannins.  The finish is long with tannins that coat the mouth and linger long on the palate, along with more spice.

2007 Tzuba Tel Tzuba Shiraz – Score: A-
The nose on this purple colored wine is redolent with pepper, tar, cassis, blackberry, and oak.  The mouth on this full bodied wine follows the nose with blackberry and cassis.  The mid palate has tar, tannins, and tobacco.  The finish is long with elegant tannins, tobacco, and black fruit.  Quite a nice Shiraz that is sure to impress.

2006 Tzuba Hametzuda (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec) - Score: A-
The nose on this black colored wine is deep and brooding with blackberry, oak, and flinty loam.  The mouth on this full bodied wine is deep, brooding, complex, and mouth coating with inky blackberry, cassis, and chocolate.  The mid palate is balanced with oak and tannin.  The finish is long and spicy, with acid, tannin, tobacco, and pepper.  This can be drunk now, but one that will be best enjoyed in a year or so.

As we draw to the end of the year it’s time to start thinking about the best wines of the year. The wines are those that have been released in calendar year 2009 so mostly 2006 vintage with a few from 2005 and 2007. My top twenty wines will be a little different from most for a few reasons. First, the list will be dominated by red wines because that is what I prefer. I am sure there are many, many great white wines that should be on someones top list but I wouldn’t know because I don’t taste many if any of them. Second, the list will contain many new world wines. I don’t buy very many old world wines. The style I prefer is more new world so that is what I taste. Finally the wines on the list are wines that I have purchased with my hard-earned dollars or something that I have tasted at a wine event either as a guest or a paid attendee. I am not on lists like Colgin, Screaming Eagle and Schrader. I haven’t tasted these wines so I can’t very well offer an opinion except that they are overpriced no mater how well they are made or good they taste. I am your typical wine enthusiast who has a wine budget. No one is sending me wine to taste for free (one can dream however).

Wines 4-2 and the Wine of the Year

4. 2007 Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes – Huge wine. Currant, smoke and spice

3. 2006 Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon - Dark toasted oak and blackberry aromas lead the way. Black currant, smokey tobacco, tar hints, fig  and dark chocolate add to the complexity. The finish has a very earthy note and is lingering. A nice balance of fruit and minerality.

2.  2007 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - Beautiful ruby red color. The nose shows oaky-woody spice notes as well as red red raspberry flavors. The mouth feel is in a sense lush which adds to the complexity because I found the fruit notes crisp and bright. Red, cherry, raspberry and spice hang on through the long finish that adds a hint of mineralitiy.

Wine Of The Year

2006 Delectus Cuvee Julia - Very dark purple all the way to the rim. The aromas are a wonderful mix of black currant, cherry and vanilla. Across the palate the fruit really shines with black cherry, plumb stew, and blackberry. There is a lot going on but everything in its place and working very well together. Simply outstanding.

What a great find! Had a glass last night at Calabriella (used to be Calabria) in downtown Kirkland, and was pleasantly surprised! A blend of 40% Negromaro, 30% Primativo and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and unoaked. Complex flavors of cassis, blackberry, tobacco, mocha, tar and licorice with a lingering, smooth finish. It really went well with the Penne Carretteria (ham, peas in a Aurora sauce) I had for dinner. $7 for a glass pour and you can probably find a bottle retailing around $10.

Some of the best known family names in wine country are just nameplates on the door. Mondavi, Martini and others have been gobbled up by big companies hoping to cash in on the cachet of wine celebrity.

But there are lots of true family-run California wineries that are getting an injection of energy,  appreciation for new technology and modern advances from a new generation of young guns looking to make their mark on the industry.

I tasted some interesting wines and met some of the new winemaking generation at a wine trends event in Sausalito earlier this week sponsored by the California Wine Institute and the California Association of Wine Grape Growers.

Mauritson Wines

Clay Mauritson

My favorite wine of the day was the 2007 Rockpile Ridge zinfandel ($35) from Mauritson Wines in Dry Creek Valley. It was poured by winemaker Clay Mauritson, representing the fifth generation of his winegrape-growing family.

“I like the 2004 (Rockpile Ridge) but I think the ‘07 is going to be my new favorite. It’s showing very well,” Mauritson said.

I had to agree.

The wine was smooth and full of zinfandel character, tasting of blueberries with an edgy spiciness flanking finely integrated tannins. (To read my blog about Mauritson, click here.)

Wente Vineyards

The tastiest white wine at the event was the  2007 Nth Degree chardonnay poured by Karl Wente, the fifth generation winemaker at Wente Vineyards in the Livermore Valley. This limited production wine is blended from two of the estate’s top vineyards.

Karl Wente

The taste of this lightly golden wine was round and full-flavored on the tongue. It showed a sliver of citrus with hints of melon that developed as the chilled wine warmed up in my glass.

One of the vineyards used for Nth Degree is planted to the renowned Wente clone of chardonnay, which is widely used throughout California . The Wente clone vines are directly descended from vineyard cuttings brought to California from France nearly a century ago by a Wente family member.

“We operate the oldest, continuously operated, family owned winery in the country,” said Wente, who heads the family’s winemaking operations but describes his job as “flavor farmer and tannin farmer.”

Benziger Family Winery

Another family run operation, Benziger Family Winery, is having growing pains — of a sort. A new generation is marching in with aspirations of joining the wine business (Click here to see my blog about Benziger side project, Imagery, where Kathy’s brother, Joe Benziger, showcases his winemaking talents).

The solution is what Kathy Benziger, the last of seven siblings from the winery’s namesake, Mike Benziger, calls “our flaming hoops.”

Any younger nieces and nephews who want to work in the business have got to pass through a series of requirements to earn their spurs. The Benziger “family constitution” requires a college or trade school degree plus working experience outside of the winery.

“It’s really cool to be passing the torch to the next generation and seeing them really get into this business,” said Benziger, who was the East Coast sales manager in New York for more than a decade before returning to Sonoma for a senior marketing position.

Kathy Benziger

“But the millennials think this is easy,” she said. “You have to instill in them that you have to go above and beyond to be successful. You are a family owner and you have to set the very best example.”

The Benziger family, originally from New York, moved to Sonoma in the 1980s to make wine and started the hugely successful Glen Ellen brand, which they sold 16 years ago to Heublein. The family poured the Glen Ellen-winemaking experience, and profit from the sale,  into today’s namesake business.

At the tasting, Kathy poured me a taste of a red wine called “Three Blocks” from the Signaterra collection, a grouping of wines made from specific vineyard sites or special vineyard blocks picked for the confluence of three forces — earth, nature and man.

I liked the soft mint and mild tannins in this $49 Bourdeaux-style blend, which is immediately approachable but could also improve a bit over the next few years. The 2006 is a combination of cabernet sauvignon (64%) and merlot (36%). This wine spent 18 months in French oak and was fermented with native yeast.

More Family Winemakers

For a closer look at some other California family wineries, check out my blog about the Family Winemakers of California tasting event held each summer in San Francisco.

QUINTESSA TASTING

Last night Peter and I attended a Quintessa tasting inclusive of 3 single vineyard 2008 Cabs that may be blended into the 2008 Quintessa. Since practically everyone has at least heard of Quintessa, if not enjoyed a bottle or two for a special occassion, I won’t go into huge detail here. If you would like to seek out more information about Quintessa, check them out at http://www.quintessa.com/.

Among Quintessa’s single vineyard categories are the Terraces and Riverside. We had the pleasure of tasting 2 single vineyard 2008 Cabs from the Terraces and the only one from Riverside (these are not available for sale). Additional info below about the soil and climate of these single vineyards.

The Terraces
Dragon’s Terraces, Lake Terrace, Mt. Calisse, Pedraza Terrace, South Terrace, Riviera Norte, Rivera Sur
Climate: Moderate temperatures with virtually no danger of frost
Soil: Reddish volcanic ash, sandy loam, white volcanic ash, sandy alluvial soil with cobbles, fractured rock and gravel

From the Terraces, we tasted Mt. Calisse and Dragon’s Terrace.

MT. CALISSE CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 2008

Aromatics: Slightly musty and off with vegetal notes. I’m thinking this wine is slightly corked or is definitely not showing well at all.

On the Palate: Same here. Stemmy, sun-dried tomato and even a hint of vinegar. I tried not to make a face.

DRAGON’S TERRACE CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 2008

This is the largest vineyard on the estate, and its fruit has been included in every vintage of Quintessa.

Aromatics: Elegant nose. Black cherry, blackberries. This would be delicious blended with the Bench vineyard.

On the Palate: Most Bordeaux like of the 3. Black cherry, ash and blackberries. Very good.

The Riverside Bench
Climate: Moderate temperatures
Soil: Alluvial soil typical of the Napa Valley flood plain.

Aromatics: Smells like a typical Rutherford Cab. Earthy, big and dark fruit, a little high in ALC, chalky tannins.

On the Palate: This would be beautiful on its own in 10 years. Earthy and slightly dusty on the palate with dark berries, chocolate and chalky tannins.

Now, on to the 2005 and 2006 Quintessa.

QUINTESSA 2005

Aromatics: Very expressive bouquet of black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, blackberries and sweet, dark fruit. This wine has one barrel of Carmenere blended in – the very first year Quintessa has included Carmenere.

On the Palate: After warming up, the 2005 is typical blackberry, cherry with dust and black olive. Very Mediterranean on the palate. My good friend Carmen Spagnola would love this wine. Drink this one a little chilled as these wines are a little hot. 91 Points. Retail $140.

QUINTESSA 2006

Aromatics: Since Carmenere was such a hit in the 2005, there is a full percentage point of Carmenere in the 2006. This wine starts out a little hot (seems to be an ongoing characteristic) and closed compared to the 2005. Black cherry shows through with a background of red fruit.

On the Palate: Black fruit with mocha chocolate, european licorice, and vanilla. Chalky tannins, good fruit integration and good weight. 90 Points. Retail $140.

For more information about Grand Cru Wines & Gifts, please check out http://grandcruwineshop.com/.

**Disclaimer**  I work part-time for Cameron Hughes Wine, selling this and other Cameron Hughes wines in various Costco’s in the Metro Phoenix area.  Lot 76 is currently sold out.

Having said that, I LOVE this wine! It hails from Rutherford District, Napa Valley. I love the layers of dark berry fruit, the fine “dusty” tannins.  There is also a subtle earthiness to it that I quite like.  Also, there is a hint of a flavour and a nose that I recognise from the Titus Vineyards Cabernet Franc and Chimney Rock Cabernet.  This wine is incredibly easy to drink, and would be a great wine for someone to begin the transition from “bulk wines”  to more complex and interesting wines.  It was only $10.99 a bottle when it was available, and it sold out pretty fast.  There were a lot of repeat customers buying it by the case.

my first Grange!

While I wasn’t lucky enough to enjoy the wisdom of host Chris Sharpe, working late last night did result in the reward of sampling the heels of the wines from his Ultra Premium Tasting.  If you happen to have $1,100 you need to dispose of, these five wines will do the trick nicely. All are available at Everything Wine and prices listed are current retail.

Quinta do Vale Meao 2005
Douro, Portugal
Touriga Nacional (40%), Touriga Franca (25%), Tinta Roriz (25%)

This wine’s nose is charming and gorgeous, with concentrated ripe red berries, pretty floral notes, earth and tar.  The palate is bright and lush, with red raspberry, sweet cherry and peppery spice. Complex, exotic and hugely appealing, I would gladly drink this wine daily – and with just about any fare. This doesn’t strike me as a wine that would fare well in the cellar, but with luscious fruit like this, who wants to wait anyway? $109.99

~

Achaval Ferrer Finca Mirador 2006
Medrano, Mendoza, Argentina
Malbec (100%)

From a 12 acre vineyard at 2400′ asl harvested to 0.75 tons per acre. The colour and aroma seemed to indicate a wine with some maturity, with it’s slightly brick-hued rim and subtle earth scents.  That illusion was soon shattered, as the palate bursted with bright red and black fruits, fresh and ripe with mouthwatering acidity.  Suprising, but delicious nonetheless.  I’d definitely leave this one in the cellar another half-dozen years. $119.99

~

Numanthia Termanthia 2005
Toro, Spain
Tinto de Toro (100%)

From an 11 acre plot, 2600 feet above sea level, planted with 100+ year old ungrafted vines, the yields were well under 1 ton of fruit per acre. The wine was barrel fermented and received the ‘200% new oak’ treatment for 20 months before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. It is big, tannic and extremely ageworthy. ~ erobertparker.com

A wonderfully complex nose, with layers of black cherry, sweet cassis, blackberry, caramel, licorice, mineral, toast and tar.  I went back two or three times to take it all in before taking a sip.  When I did, I received a powerul mouthful of rich black fruits, baking spices and a mess of fine tannins. Structured enough for a decade or more of cellaring, but a wonderfully unique and enjoyable wine now. Maybe the best Tempranillo I have tasted. Fantastic. $259.99

~

Shafer Hillside Select 2004
Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California
Cabernet Sauvignon (100%)

Incredibly rich, from the sweet cassis and vanilla-oak nose to the silky mouthfeel and super-long and textured finish.  The Hillside exhibits opulent black cherry, chocolate, graphite and oak.  32 months in 100% new French oak lends a silky, sexy, layered palate and a flawless finish. This wine is beautifully intense – one of the most pleasurable sips I’ve had in a long, long while. $325.99

~

Penfolds Grange Bin 95 2004
South Australia
Shiraz (96%), Cabernet Sauvignon (4%)

…grown to very special vineyards in the Barossa and McLaren Vale, with a component from the distinguished Magill Estate site in the Adealide Hills. Grange remains as Australia’s most famous wine, a peerless wine of historical significance, officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. Above-average winter rainfall led into a promising vintage, characterised by mild conditions up until February, followed by warmer weather conditions throughout March and April. Penfolds South Australian vineyards fared well, producing wines of elegance and intensity. Matured for sixteen months in exclusively new American oak hogsheads. Alcohol 14.3% ~ PenfoldsGrangeForSale.com

My first Grange!  Tauted as one of the greatest vintages of Australia’s most prestigious wine, the 2004 Grange might never have had a chance at living up to its $600AUD pre-release price. Concentrated ripe black fruits, cherry cola, smoked meat. The palate is very concentrated, but still bright.  I expected more – more tannin, more acid, more fruit, more alcohol.  But this wine is not for drinking now – it is all about 10 years from now. $424.99

Hi All! It’s Sasha!
First, I want to thank all of you who have thought of us for your holiday gift shopping and taken advantage of our $5 Shipping at our online store!

Not only have you bought wine for yourselves and those on your list, but you’ve also bought some great gift items…from our cute rhinestone T Shirts  to our cork cages, wine candles, and much more! If you need some suggestions for the people to buy for on your list, especially those whom you can’t decide what to get, click here to check out our GIFT GUIDE.

Also…I want to say thanks for those of you interacting with us on Facebook. Its been fun keeping up with our customers this way. I can’t believe that more than 50% of our Inner Circle members are our friends on Facebook!

This weekend we not only have a 2-Day storewide sale going on, but we also are asking you to come to the winery to enjoy our FREE Wine Tasting Event, where we hope you will test out our new wines for us! We’ve made 5 new wines that we need you to evaluate so that you can help us decide whether they stay on our list or not! Here’s more about the wines:

Afterglow Red (Mulled Wine)

I tried it the other night and All I have to say is mmmmmm…..  

Tasting Notes: Enjoy the inviting aromas and comforting taste of this rich, sweet red wine, which offers delightful notes of cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and orange peel on your palate.

Best warmed on a stove or in a crockpot over medium-low heat until steaming, this wine should be served hot alongside dried fruits, nuts, spiced breads or cookies. Take it up a notch by dropping in a few raisins and almonds, top it with whip cream and use a cinammon stick as a garnish to stir it with!

Berry Blush (Raspberry White Zinfandel)

Berry Blush (Raspberry White Zinfandel) – Fruity Wine Lovers…You’re going to love this wine!

TASTING NOTES: This easy drinking blush wine offers the succlent, mouth-watering flavors of sweet, ripe raspberries blended gracefully with fresh floral notes on the nose, ending with a soft finish.

Pairs well with sweet barbeque, Asian or lndian dishes, cheesecake w/ berries & more…

Cabernet Sauvignon II

Cabernet Sauvignon II – This is a different Cab Sav that we’re really wanting your opinion on because we’re considering replacing our current Cab Sav with it. Let us know what you think!

Here’s the Tasting Notes: This full bodied wine bears the tell-tale nose of spice, black currants and dark fruit. Rich in taste, it is packed with dark cherries, pepper spice and violets on the palate.

Pairs well with filet mignon, grilled steak, lamb chops, pasta with red sauce, and strong cheeses. This wine also makes a great match for dark chocolate.

Holiday Red (Raspberry Merlot)

Holiday Red (Raspberry Merlot) – You can see we’re trying to fit a Raspberry fruity wine in….we’ll have to see which you like best!

Reward your passion for intense, exotic flavors with this berry-colored red wine. The succulent flavors of ripe raspberries round out this rich, soft and supple wine. Serve slightly chilled.

Pairs well with sharp cheeses, tomato-based pizza and pasta, dark chocolate, and cheesecake with raspberry accents.

Serene White (Kiwi Melon Pinot Grigio)

 Serene White (Kiwi Melon Pinot Grigio) – The wine label featuring Lake George’s serene waters in July is perfect for this wine, because it takes you right back to summer and just begs you to relax as if you were in the sun!

TASTING NOTES: This light bodied white wine captures the mouth watering flavors of freshly cut honeydew melon and juicy watermelon. Perfectly balanced with tones of tart kiwi fruit, this wine has a deliciously fresh fruity finish.

Pair it with poultry, fish and shellfish, creamy desserts, fruit salad, or ice cream. Cheese pairings include Mild Cheddar, Provolone, and Light Swiss.

I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS / HANUKKAH!

Sincerely,

Sasha

*Disclaimer: I received this wine as a sample from Cornerstone Cellars.

Ah Cornerstone, how I love thee. Let me count the ways. One, your wines are delicious. Two, your Cabernets are elegant and refined. Three, your wines are delicious….wait, I already said that…but t deserves to be said again. I do need to write a post about visiting Cornerstone’s new tasting room this past summer, but for the moment you’ll have be content drooling over this lovely wine I drank the other night. After I finally felt better and had given my palate a couple extra days to recover, we popped open the 2005 Cornerstone Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. I don’t think it has been officially released yet, but it will likely retail for $100, clocks in at 14.8% alcohol by volume, and had a real cork closure.

The nose, ah the nose. You know those wines where you want to dive in and go swimming in your glass? This is one of those. Except I don’t really want to swim in it, I want to drink it…and drink it, and drink it. I got chocolate, caramel, more chocolate, chocolate black cherries, dark expensive chocolate, spice, herbs, black currants, earth, and almost a scent of pine needles. My notes say “scrumptious nose.” In the mouth I got chocolate, currants, blackberries, chocolate covered cherries (but fresh cherries, not those gross candied ones), earth, leather, and dark juicy fruit. I found the wine to be silky. I served this with petite fillet mignon right off the grill, and the tannins and structure of this wine thanked me for giving it a nice juicy steak. You should grill a steak and get a bottle of this wine….but hold the wine for 5+ years…I suggest you wait to buy the steak til then too.

The Shins.

azi mi-am cumparat o sticla de vin, bere de ghimbir, suc de portocale, doua mere, un kilogram de prune si un kilogram de morcovi.
am ajuns acasa cu 3 carti in plus, dimineata plecasem cu nici una. sticla de vin am defacut-o intr-o jumatate de ora, dupa ce m-am chinuit si am rupt un tirbuson si un cutit. vineri am de predat o lucrare destul de importanta, care e prima lucrare din viata mea de aici. e mult de scris si nu sunt obisnuita sa mi se ceara sa scriu ceva 100% personal, dupa ce atatia ani de zile de scoala romaneasca am protestat impotriva invatatului pe de rost. am ajuns acasa pe la 6, dupa ce mi-am facut o supa de morcovi m-am decis sa scriu ceva. e ora 1.33 dimineata si inca nu am reusit sa imi termin lucrarea. am de facut referinte, bibliografia, intr-un anumit stil care deocamdata ma deprima putin.
zilele astea o sa imi iau un bilet de autobuz spre anglia, unde o sa imi petrec craciunul si revelionul, perioada care sper sa fie mai frumoasa decat ma astept. dar! pana plec am de scris 4 lucrari, de editat o gramada de poze si de baut multe sticle de vin. si de mancat multa mancare thailandeza. ah si de citit multe carti. ma simt aproape coplesita. mananc mult si totusi, cumva, reusesc sa slabesc in acelasi timp. daca o mai tin asa multa vreme o sa ma transform intr-o umbra. oricum hainele din magazinele de aici imi sunt toate prea mari.
vremea e de fapt, mai frumoasa decat zice toata lumea. nu ploua tot timpul, nu sufla vantul tot timpul, sunt dimineti in care ma trezesc din cauza ca soarele imi deranjeaza ochii.
nu mai stiu notiunea de ‘dimineata’. am ore de la 11 si mi se pare o blasfemie sa trebuiasca sa ma trezesc inainte de ora 9.
profesorii sunt faini. iti raspund la mailuri, iti scriu pe twitter, beau cafea cu tine la fumatoare si iti tin prelegeri la cursuri despre superioritatea produselor Apple.
viata e de fapt destul de usoara si frumoasa aici, sus, pe harta. singurul lucru putin deprimant e ca sunt mai aproape de groenlanda decat de casa. in distanta, vorbind.

Mission Codename: Let the good times roll

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Secure a delicious budget-minded Pinot Noir for our Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Pedroncelli Winery & Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Winemaker: John Pedroncelli

Backgrounder:

The Russian River Valley in Sonoma is particularly well suited to producing exceptional Pinot Noir. This AVA was officially designated in 1983, but many of the wines in the region used the designation as early as the 1970s (early in California’s wine history) with the many of the vines having been first planted in the early 1900s.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Light and clear, this wine is a lovely ruby red with rose reflections through its crystalline core. Along the edges the color lightens to a rub-pink color and when swirled, randomly spaced thin legs descend along the side of the glass.

Smell – Medium in intensity with notes of earthy cherry and toasted oak leading the way. Subtle mocha coffee and floral violets emerge as this wine opens and are intermingled with smoke and herbal hints.

Feel – This medium-bodied wine is smooth with silky tannins buttressed by lively acidity and a touch of minerality that lingers over the palate.

Taste – Focused fruit flavors of tangy cherry with hints of fleshy plum and fresh strawberry are integrated with earthy and herbal notes and some subtle exotic spice and pepper. Smokey and toasted oak round out the pleasant and approachable flavors of this wine.

Finish – Medium in length and clean in quality, this wine’s red fruit and smokey/toasty oak linger on the palate with a touch of earthiness.

Conclusion – The 2007 Pedroncelli Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a delicious wine, especially for the low price. A great wine for just about any occasion (and at he price, can be an everyday wine, enjoyed it now or cellar for several years to come. We enjoyed this wine with simpled grilled chicken.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: John Pedroncelli

DOB: 5/2/25

POB: Dunsmuir CA

Wine Education: SRJC and summer short courses at UC Davis

California wine job brief: Pedroncelli Winery from 1946-present; winemaker in 1949

Winemaking Philosophy: To produce the best wine possible to reflect the variety and appellation it is grown in.

Career highlight: Traveled/visited most of the winemaking countries of the world.

Quote: “World class wines are made in the vineyard.”

WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Jim. We are thrilled to be showing your Three Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

JOHN: My pleasure to work with you, once again, Agent Red. We enjoy our Wine Spies missions!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

JOHN: Growing up in a winemaking family

RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?

JOHN: In the classroom, from peers, and from the ground up—beginning in the vineyard.

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

JOHN: To produce world-class consumer affordable wine to enjoy on a daily basis

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

JOHN: Giovanni Pedroncelli, my father

RED: How long have you been making wine?

JOHN: Since 1949

RED: Who do you make wine for?

JOHN: Knowledgeable wine drinkers

RED: Tell me, what makes the Dry Creek Valley, where Pedroncelli Winery sits, so special?

JOHN: Weather, soil and the individual grape growers

RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?

JOHN: Attend a good Agricultural college plus work experience in the vineyard and winery

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

JOHN: I consult with our winemaking team that includes our assistant winemaker, Montse Reece, cellarmaster Polo Cano, and vineyard manager Lance Blakeley.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

JOHN: Vennison stew or for mainstream meals, I like New York Strip steak grilled

RED: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know

JOHN: Tennis was a passion of mine for many years.

RED: What is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?

JOHN: Zinfandel

RED: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?

JOHN: With an open mind and a view that wine really has no boundaries – there are so many choices when it comes to wine – if you don’t try it, you’ll never gain experience.

RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?

JOHN: I’d like to taste our first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon from 1966

RED: What is good piece of wisdom that you can share with us today?

JOHN: I have seen quite a bit of our little corner in Dry Creek Valley change, for the better. I’ve learned you need to ride the waves of the industry, the ups and downs, in order to succeed.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

JOHN: Thanks, Red!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Pedroncelli Winery & Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

Let me embroider my name on your back. No, I mean with your shirt off.  A magnum of Robert Mondavi Winery, 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon throbs with ribbed sexiness, black current and rich licorice.  Pure brawn and smokiness shows imposing tannins and poised acid. It erupts in a polished blend of spice, plum and charcoal as it suspends its peppery, violet finish  – a trick, which only comes with age, and yet, it’s as virile as a young buck at a Playboy shoot.  A bigger bottle is better – more to taste….  Enjoy!  I certainly did.

Photo:  http://www.bedfordwines.com/vsku1189244.html

This past week, I decided to venture into a world of wine that I know very little about: African wine.  While I was familiar with South African wines, I had never tasted wine from any other African country.  In fact, it had never even crossed my mind to do so until a friend brought over a bottle Omar Khaggam (also known as Omar el Khayam) 2006 Gianaclis from Egypt.  I will admit to being rather skeptical, since, when I think of Egypt, I think of the pyramids and Cleopatra before I think of wine.  I was very excited to discover something new, however, and luckily I did since the bottle turned out to be better than expected (although I don’t think I would go out and buy a bottle today).  To complete our short tour of Africa, we also opened a bottle of Kanonkop Kadette 2006 from South Africa that I had picked up at Comptoir des Andes & du Nouveau Monde during my last trip to Paris.  Here is what we found…

Omar Khaggam of Egypt

Winemaking is nothing new to Egypt.  In fact, the wine of Egypt dates back to pre-historic times (2600 BCE) and is documented in many ancient artifacts.  And, while the grape vine does not originate from Egypt, it was during the time of the pharaohs that the winemaking process and ingredients where first documented.  Today, Egypt produces around half a million gallons of wine a year, which is a noteworthy amount considering the large Muslim (non-alcohol drinking) population, and not to mention its bad reputation.  The three major producers are Château des Reves, Obelisk, and Gianaclis.  The latter is owned by Heineken and produces the label Omar Khaggam, which is named after the Persian mathematician and philosopher who said, “Drink wine.  This is life eternal.”

The Omar Khaggam we drank was 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, and, at first, had the characteristics that you would expect from a cab.  The color was a medium ruby red, and the aromas were that of red berries and prunes.  In the mouth, the wine is round, velvety, and very fruity, but lacking in tannins and structure.  The finish was weak with a slight metal taint.

Kanonkop Kadette of South Africa

While I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to find another bottle of Omar Khaggam, I would certainly make the effort for the Kanonkop Kadette 2006 of South Africa.  This bottle was truly a great find.

Kanonkop is a family estate located on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in the Stellenbosch Region of the Cape, an area otherwise known as the “red wine bowl” of South Africa.  The wine is a blend made from Pinotage (39%), Cabernet Sauvignon (32%), Merlot (20%), and Cabernet Franc (9%).  This gives a luscious full-bodied, dry red wine that is well balanced, with nice acidity, delicate tannins, and a fruity velvety linger.  There was a nice finish with a touch of spice.  This is a sophisticated and eloquent wine that is also a great buy at just 10 euros a bottle.

]]> http://whitewolfindulgence.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/wine-review-raimat-2004-cabernet-sauvignon/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:13:03 +0000 whitewolfindulgence http://whitewolfindulgence.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/wine-review-raimat-2004-cabernet-sauvignon/

This full bodied and flavorful wine from Spain has a red color & typical dry nose w/ berry and spice. The finish was medium with a nice mouth feel reminiscent of Rioja.  We picked this wine up at Grocery Outlet on a discount.  I’d say it’s worth themoney for another year, due to Spanish wine’s ability to age well.

Name: Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore
Grape(s):  83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 6% Cab Franc
Color:  red
Appellation:  Rutherford Bench, Napa Valley California
Maker: Freemark Abbey
Vintage: 2005 is the current vintage, we drank a 2003
Cost:  $66.00 @ Spec’s (It looks like they have some 2003 in stock)
Occasion:  Dinner with friends at Ibiza Restaurant
Comments: This bottle was worth every penny. Flavors of blackberry, currants and dark chocolate with great structure and complexity. It went extremely well with the braised lamb shank.

Mission Codename: Return to the Ridge

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Pine Ridge vineyards and secure the remaining stash of there revered Napa Cabernet Sauvignon – just in time for Holiday imbibing

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Pine Ridge Winery

Wine Subject: 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Michael Beaulac

Backgrounder: Earlier this year, a Pine Ridge Vineyards Cabernet became our most popular wine of all time. Today we are pleased to bring you another Pine Ridge Cabernet. This one, their Napa Valley Cab, an extraordinary wine at an extraordinary price!

Napa Valley is revered worldwide as the ultimate area in which to produce Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2006 vintage, in particular, has produced the best examples on record. Today we send Agent Red back to Pine Ridge Vineyards to investigate reports of their amazing ‘06 Napa Cab. Read his tasting notes and mission report below.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark garnet with concentrated color right out to the edge of the glass. The wine shows a slightly darker heart but with perfect clarity. When swirled, this wine appears to have a heavy surface that settles quickly leaving behind skinny and tightly-spaced legs that move very slowly down the walls of the glass

Smell – Deeply aromatic, with rushes of dark blackberry, blueberry and stonefruit, followed by red cherry, raspberry, mocha, dusty bramble, vanilla and soft oaky spice

Feel – Velvet smooth, round and supple on entry. Then, quickly grippy at the mid-palate where it coats the mouth, dries the cheeks and lips, introducing a delightful drying chalky minerality that makes the mouth water

Taste – brightly layered with flavors of cherry, blackberry, raspberry and soft red plum. These sit lovingly atop espresso, soft oak, dark chocolate, bramble, soft spice and mild minerals

Finish – An evolving finish that starts bright with big red fruits that slowly go darker as stonefruit and minerals are revealed

Conclusion – We have come to expect greatness from Pine Ridge Vineyards, and this wine reinforces our belief that PRV’s wines are always a delicious and elegant delight. Showing off great Napa fruit, this wine is a delicious treat that delivers on flavor, structure and beautiful aromatics. A food-friendly wine as well, this is a perfect companion for most solid meals. It has enough brightness and acidity to play well with lighter fare as well, and we love it as a solo-sipper, too! Be sure to stock up for your holiday entertaining, or give a few bottles as a gift.

Mission Report:

Agent Red caught up with Michael Beaulac recently. What follows is a transcript of their conversation about today’s great wine from Pine Ridge Vineyards:

AGENT RED: Greetings, Michael. We are thrilled to be showing Pine Ridges stupendous 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon today. The wine is really fantastic. Thanks so much for the wine, and for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

MICHAEL BEAULAC: My great pleasure to be with you, again, Red.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

MICHAEL: I had a bottle of Jean Gros Vosne-Romanee and realized what a very good bottle of wine could taste like.

RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?

MICHAEL: The school of hard knocks, started as a cellar rat and worked my way up!

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

MICHAEL: Elegance is the key. A wine should have velvet tannins that cover the palate and once swallowed should linger for several seconds

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

MICHAEL: Christain Mouiex

RED: How long have you been making wine?

MICHAEL: 21 harvests

RED: Who do you make wine for?

MICHAEL: Consumers, there is nothing better than to be in a restaurant and
seeing someone enjoying a bottle that I made .

RED: Tell me, what makes the Napa Valley so special?

MICHAEL: Napa is THE perfect place to grow grapes. The warm , sunny days followed by the cool nights lets the grapes ripe n with the right balance of flavor, sugar and acidity.

RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?

MICHAEL: Just go for it. Everyone is so helpful in this business.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

MICHAEL: Getting my Dijon Clone Chardonnay and Le Petit Clos Chardonnay ready for bottling.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today

MICHAEL: This fruit for this wine is selected across our 225 acres of
estate vineyards in the many sub-appellations in the Napa Valley – Stags Leap District, Oakville, Rutherford and more. So it’s your classic Napa Valley Cabernet, crafted in the balanced style that we’re known for. It has beautiful aromas of blueberry, red cherry and raspberry with accents of coffee bean, spicy bramble and caramel. The palate is equally inviting, opening with fresh, sweet dark berry and baked cherry fruit before the tannins take hold and carry you through to the long finish where you’ll get some deeper tones of black tea, briar and toasty oak. To get the most of this wine, decant it for 30 minutes to allow it to open up to its best flavors.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

MICHAEL: Roast Pork Tenderloin with Walnuts and Wild Rice from our
winery chef Eric Maczko. Check out our website www.pineridgevineyards.com for a collection of recipes from chef Eric!

RED: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know

MICHAEL: I could tell you, but then I’d have to, well, you know.

RED: Fair enough! Tell me, what is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?

MICHAEL: For summertime, our delicious Chardonnay, and for winter, our classic Napa Valley Cabernet

RED: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?

MICHAEL: Always remember that the wine is made in the vineyard and should show its place of origin. Even more importantly, wine is about sharing with friends and family – don’t over-think it.

RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?

MICHAEL: Petrus. I love Bordeaux wines – one of the reasons I am
working at Pine Ridge. They were founded on this style of wine and we continue to craft wines that have great balance.

RED: What is the one question that I should have asked you, and what is your answer to that question?

MICHAEL: What do you like best about your job? I have the best job in the world. I get to make wine in the most prestigious grape growing area of the world, Napa Valley, and I then get to share and enjoy that wine with everyone I meet.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

MICHAEL: My pleasure. Thanks for being a fan of our wines.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Pine Ridge Vineyards winery can be seen in this satellite photo.