winellama

Syrah, Porter Creek, Timbervine Ranch, Russian River Valley, California, 2010, 14.5%, US$46

Posted on March 26, 2013 by winellama

We walked into Yountville’s best wine store Groezinger’s and asked owner Rick, “If there was one wine in this store we should buy, what would it be?”

What followed was the most hilarious rant I’ve ever experienced from a wine guy. Upon his urging, we then read his review (the link has since expired) and bought this wine.

Clear and bright, the wine is deep garnet with a medium plus, developing nose of tobacco leaf, cedar, deep black boysenberry and cassis.

On the palate, it’s dry with medium plus acidity and slightly grippy tannins, appropriate alcohol great body. The flavour profile shows purple Damson plums, more boysenberry, Marionberry, and black currant – along with leather, bacon fat, tobacco and leather.

Complimented by a long finish and great development in the glass which takes you from a full and fruity opening to deep and savoury notes, it was co-fermented with 5% Viognier at the winery in the Russian River Valley. This is a WSET Very Good plus wine that is balanced, complex, fruity, savoury, and layered.

Rick was right – and those 2000 folks who got his newsletter but didn’t buy the wine need to wake up and, well, just buy more Porter Creek.

And to paraphrase his side kick, the MW aspirant, “Taste more when not hammered.”

Posted in California, OTHER, RED, Shiraz / Syrah | Tagged california, Porter creek, red wine, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, syrah, Timbervine Ranch | Leave a comment

Beaux Frères Winery, Newberg, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

Posted on March 26, 2013 by winellama

We really only had one full day in Willamette and hadn’t planned appropriately by calling ahead and reserving tastings. So, when we pulled up in front of the venerable Beaux Frères vineyard, I curled up in embarrassment in the front seat when Brian insisted on calling up, egged on by Michelle and Holly in the back seat to “Try, try, try!”

The three of them are so ‘half full’ – yin to my yang. And it’s a good thing they are because we got in. Not a recommended tactic for those like me who are faint of heart and wish to be respectful by calling ahead when a winery advertises itself as ‘by appointment only’. But it sure worked out this time.

What a great experience. Our Wine Guide, Anna was well spoken, well read, well versed and an absolute delight. Complemented by Earl the Dog and John-Lennon-lyric-singing Michael Etzel, winemaker and yes, brother-in-law (get it? Beaux Frères !) to US wine guru Robert Parker, the visit was as close to Oregon Pinot perfection as could have been aspired to.

The property, originally a pig farm, was purchased by Michael while on vacation in 1987 for a song for only $129,000. Down-to-earth, cool and funky, it has ended up producing world-renowned Pinot Noirs made in the Burgundian tradition. Great Anna quote, ‘There are no insipid wines here.’

Their first vintage was in 1992 and they currently make anywhere between 4-6000 cases a year on their biodynamically farmed land. Non-interventionist wines, unfined and unfiltered – all the chewy bits left in – the results are hailed around the world.

Yet for all this worldliness, they remain friendly and completely accessible. We enjoyed the house speciality- Pinot Noir.

We tasted the 2011 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, the 2010 Beaux Frères Vineyard Pinot Noir (sour cherry and pine forest floor on this one made with the fruit from 25 yr old+ vines) as well as the 2009 version of the latter. Slightly savoury and herbal (dill and rosemary), this was full of earthy, red raspberries and silky tannins.

The 2008 vintage followed and we also tried the 2007. An austere vintage, no one expected much from this dark horse. But the high acid helped it age so well and it’s certainly showing now. Beautifully balanced with ‘unobtrusive’ tannins it showed raspberry, leaves, mushroom – and that was just on the nose.

Highly recommended. Make an appointment – go to Newberg, see the winery, meet Earl, Anna and Michael.

Enjoy the wine – and don’t spit.

Posted in Oregon, OTHER, Winery Review | Tagged Beaux Freres Winery, Newberg, oregon, USA, Willamette Valley | Leave a comment

Highflyer, Somerston Vineyards, Grenache Blanc, Napa Valley 2011, 14.1%, US$20

Posted on March 25, 2013 by winellama

It’s a warm afternoon in Newburg, Oregon and we just arrived having stayed in Mount Shasta, California last evening. Missing the Napa Valley already, so maybe this will remind me of it. A Grenache Blanc or Garnacha Blanca from Somerston Vineyards located east of Rutherford in the Chiles Valley mountainside.

Clear and bright, pale lemon and legs noted.
On the nose, clean, medium plus intensity of Meyer lemon, pomello, green apple and developing.
On the palate, it’s dry, medium acidity, medium alcohol, medium body with flavours of lemon, soft key lime, ripe yellow grapefruit and yellow apples. A medium plus finish.
Overall this is a good wine. Juicy and full of fruit, not flabby or too full, nicely structured and fresh.

Great to drink here in the Willamette Valley with Michelle and the Newmans. Tomorrow, Pinot Noir!

Posted in OTHER | Leave a comment

Brown Estate Vineyards, Chiles Valley, Napa Valley, California

Posted on March 24, 2013 by winellama

Brown Estate Vineyards is rustic elegance; exclusive, understated, in one word, outstanding.

Not traditionally a fan of Zinfandel, I’ll admit to having initially low expectations. After all, who is Brown? I’ve never heard of their wines, never seen their label, never read of the beautiful Chiles Valley.

But it’s unequivocal; I have seen the proverbial light – and it is Brown. Having read extensively about Napa and Sonoma and now spent the past week touring wineries, I’ve experienced a myriad of different opportunities. This was exceptional in a multitude of ways.

Following the winding route 128 up into the hills from Rutherford, Napa we actually drove past the gated entrance and had to come back to get buzzed through the unassuming and un-Napa-like entrance. One does not just drop into Brown; one makes an appointment and arrives on time – and it is worth every bit of the effort made.

We joined a tour with two lively companions from Connecticut led by the knowledgeable and affably professional Jona. Brown has 450 acres only 50 of which are planted with Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Syrah. Farming in the area since the 1980s, the Brown family has been growing grapes since 1995.

When they lost their entire 1998 vintage stored offsite to a fire, they decided to bring all the winemaking to the beautiful property nestled at approximately 1100 feet (300 metres or so). The storage area, initiated by the handyman who helped them renovate the property, has been blasted out of the hillside and does double duty as cask storage and classy entertainment venue. The tour takes you in one end of the cave through an unassuming wooden door and out the other end into the renovated barn constructed in 1856.

All the Brown wines are estate grown and bottled. While a banner year may see production at over 7,000 cases, an average year will yield approximately 5,000. Most are available only online or at the winery itself. A few selected restaurants do carry their wares, but they are precious and a challenge to find.

We started the tour following leader Jona each holding a glass of the 2011 Chardonnay. Crisp, clear, elegant with medium plus acidity, it underwent natural MLF and saw wood for 12 months. Hence the creamy applesauce and yoghurt with lemon and lacings of caramel. While they specialize in Zinfandel, they did plant Chardonnay at one point, precisely because Mrs. Brown wanted some white wine. Voila!

The tasting of the four estate reds followed. The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon was strawberry preserves with raspberry, pomegranate, sausage and a red liquorice aroma. The silky tannins slipped by, barely noticeable. Paired perfectly with the ‘Ewephoria’ gouda, Gipson’s golden honeycomb and a water cracker, I wondered how it could get better. But it did.

The 2009 Recluse Zinfandel is aged lovingly for 30 months in oak and emerges at an astounding 14.9% abv, but is gorgeously integrated on every point – balance, structure, fruit, tannin, acidity. Smokey with red fruit and velvety tea leaf tannins, it emotes cloves and ginger. The pairing of San Joaquin Gold cheese with a fruit and nut crostini and pear mostarda was inspired, especially the baking spice with the mustard.

My absolute favourite was the 2011 Rosemary’s Block Zinfandel. The Queen herself may have to show up at our door to make me open up one of the bottles I bought. Again 14.9% abv, but you would never know it. Black cherry and Damson plum with mouthwatering acidity, it saw 12 months of ageing and was outstanding with the pairing; Domaine du Village triple cream cheese and an Almondina cracker. We actually went out and bought this cheese in Calistoga on the way back to Geyserville later. Deeply elegant – regal – the surprise in this glass was it continued to open up over the course of the hour to show intense creamed dark clover honey and brown Demerara sugar. The tannins, there but barely noticeable. Drinks beautifully.

Preceded by dark chocolate covered espresso beans, the 2011 Mickey’s Block Zinfandel followed. As Jona mentioned, this is almost the ‘yin to Rosemary’s yang’. Fuller and richer, 15.2% abv, medium plus almost high acidity with a hit that while sweet, was not cloying. Ripe raspberries, cranberries and red plums accompanied by creamy, pungent Gabriel Coulet Roquefort and a red wine snap.

We enjoyed some Chaos Theory – a beautiful blend of mostly Zin with 35% Cab Sav and some Petite Syrah on top. Easy to see why this is their flagship wine; ripe red fruit and black tea leaves. Drink now and enjoy. And finished off with the crowning glory – the 19.5% abv Duppy Conqueror, arrested and made port style. I wish I’d taken more notes on the Duppy, but by this point although I am normally assiduous about tasting notes, the only thing I have recorded is, ‘Drink more of this.” Let’s just say there was not a lot of spitting going on. I followed my own advice; spit if you must. It was too good.

Thank heavens the Drs. Brown did not heed the real estate agent who when selling them the property commented it was too bad they wouldn’t be able to grow grapes. If you have a chance to visit Brown Estate Vineyards, do so. If you find their wines, buy them. My mission, and yes I choose to accept it, is to get them distributed in BC – at least to my house.

Outstanding.

Posted in California, OTHER, Winery Review | Leave a comment

Napa Essence, Sauvignon Blanc, Grgich Hills Estate, Napa Valley, California, 2011, 13.5% abv, US$48

Posted on March 24, 2013 by winellama

I don’t drink much Sauvignon Blanc – or Fume Blanc – as this was presented to me at the Estate while were in Napa Valley. So, for me to purchase a bottle, especially while visiting the home of Californian Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, right away you know it must be special. Amber led us most capably through a tasting which started with this fine wine.

Clear and bright, pale lemon with legs noted, this wine is clean and has intense aromas of starfruit, passionfruit, lemon grass and sweet green grass. A youthful wine, on the palate it’s dry with high, tart acidity, medium alcohol and medium minus body. The intense flavour profile is sharp lemon curd, more starfruit, dragon fruit, green mango, white peach and passionfruit. It’s got a lovely floral profile too of honeysuckle and long shafts of grass – the kind you find in a spring meadow – along with bergamot lime. The finish is long on this outstanding wine.

Thoroughly enjoyable with the soft chèvre we bought in Anderson Valley it was fermented with wild yeast and aged in very old oak casks for 9 months. It would be fabulous with smoked salmon or shellfish dishes with light pasta. And if I hadn’t had the entire bottle with Michelle over before dinner drinks, it would have been perfect with my light artichoke pasta and fresh mushroom dish. Darn.

Posted in Sauvignon Blanc, WHITE | Tagged Grgich Hills Estate Winery | Leave a comment

Sonoma and Napa Valley, California

Posted on March 23, 2013 by winellama

When the third WSET Diploma course started, I realized it was time to get out of BC and put some of those studies to the test. Let the rubber hit the road, so to speak. Get out and and smell the terroir! Off to California we went on a Spring Break road trip.

We took a relatively leisurely 3 day drive down the west coast through Washington and Oregon states into Northern California and hit our first vineyards at the Anderson Valley. If you ever plan to emulate this and drag a slightly reluctant 15 year old boy along, ensure your iPad is fully loaded with movies and purchase lots of cool treats. I promise this will make him as lovely and malleable as a teenager can be.

And just before you delve any deeper into this review, know the following:
1. Napa and Sonoma residents take their wines and food extremely seriously. Yay.
2. Bring lots of money (or a credit card with a long leash – but do take note that an industry business card will save you tons in tasting fees and reduce costs immensely),
3. Search out the smaller production wineries and those in the up-and-coming regions of Chiles Valley, way out on Howell Mountain and spend time in the Russian River Valley. Plan ahead and take the time to make appointments!
4. There is a reason Healdsburg is on Fodor’s Top 10 List of small American towns. Visit it.
5. Stay centrally – you don’t need to jump around like we did every night to two nights. Calistoga would do nicely.

Here they are in order of visit:
Anderson Valley
Roederer Estate
-French owned estate for the last 30+ years specializing in producing 75,000 cases of sparkling wines per year. Purchased a bottle of onion skin pink hued rose of Pinot Noir and a 2003 L’Ermitage (52% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir) showing lemon creme.
Recommended experience – offered generous industry discount as well as brief walking tour of production area although we had not called ahead.

Navarro Vineyards and Winery
-Decided to go here because of the mention in World Atlas of Wine (WAW), but in retrospect was least successful of all California winery visits. Only sampled whites as those are from the Anderson Valley and/or estate grown. Got a honeysuckle laden, spicy Gewürztraminer, but most successful purchase was actually Pinot Noir juice for the boys and some fresh goat’s milk cheese.
Average experience – had to be talked into industry discount (one of very few places)

Napa Valley
Black Stallion Winery, Silverado Trail, Oak Knoll District
-Large production of 75,000 cases/year and a typical Napa experience. Had called ahead for tour and tasting as a result of tasting their wines at VIWF. Patient and thoughtful tasting; left with purple teeth. Highlights included the walkabout with their rose, a slightly herbed and piquant version and a bottle of Bucephalis 2008 (89 Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Malbec) with violets, black cherry, raspberry and leather.
Recommended experience – call ahead, generous industry discount, Lydia was lovely

Stag’s Leap Winery, Silverado Trail, Stag’s Leap District
-First stop of the ‘must visit’ triumvirate of Judgement of Paris wineries, and yes, I tried one of their venerable Cabernet Sauvignons. This was the only place it was hard to get up to the tasting bar at, but Vic made it easy to taste at a table and was kind and generous with his time.
Recommended experience – generous industry discount, seek out Vic

Regusci Winery, Silverado Trail, Stag’s Leap District
-Having tried their Cabernet Sauvignons before and enjoyed them, we stopped in here unannounced. Enjoyed their wine tasting of six wines but didn’t purchase anything.
Average experience – received industry discount

Miner Family Winery, Silverado Trail, Stag’s Leap District
-Lovely experience and highly recommended, especially if you call ahead to make an appointment for a tour/taste. They are completely self-sustaining on solar energy and have 20,000 square feet of caves where 3,000 barrels enjoy storage. They operate as a crush pad and storage facility for other wineries in the area and have some lovely wines. One of the co-owners is a co-founder of Oracle Software. Highlights included the cave tour, wine thief samples of Merlot and Petit Verdot and their huge seats-24, built-in-the-cave tasting table on a 15×30 $180,000 silk rug. They are the only winery in Napa that uses varietal Riedel stemware. This alone should merit them a visit!
Memorable and recommended tasting experience – generous industry discount and Cory even threw in a comp bottle of Viognier

Somerston Winery Tasting Room, Yountville
-Enjoyable experience recommended to us by one of the wineries visited along the Silverado Trail. Somerston is actually nestled in the Chiles Valley to the east. Highlights included an unusual light and peachy Grenache Blanc and a Petite Syrah that was deep inky violet and extremely tannic.
Recommended experience – generous industry discount and Beth was very knowledgable. She also made us the appointment for Brown (more on that in a separate posting).

Andretti Winery, Silverado Trail, Oak Knoll District
-Went here early as their website has conflicting hours of operation (10am and 11am starts are both noted). Brian had hoped to see some cars and perhaps racing paraphernalia, but that was not to be. Despite our showing up before most civilized folk, Joe was extremely gracious and led us through a tasting of five elegant wines. Purchased the food-friendly Sangiovese 2009, winner of the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Best of Class award.
Recommended experience, industry discount; seek Joe as your guide, do not expect to run into Mario

Whitehall Lane, St Helena
45,000 cases per year under their winemaker, ‘Dean’ who ironically has spent time in Vancouver Island and Saltspring Island. Memorable tour of production and storage facilities as well as long discussion about vines and trellising systems. Very cool ‘vino seals’ which are small glass sealers and perfect for whites especially.
Recommended experience, industry discount, enjoyed tour with Erik and speaking with Doug and Dean

Grgich Hills Estate, St Helena
Popped in here unannounced and had a great time – part of the Judgement of Paris triad of wineries necessary to experience; Mike Grgich was the winemaker of the Montelena winning Chardonnay in 1976. Purchased beautifully acidic Sauvignon Blanc with starfruit, grapefruit and sweet green grass and another highlight was their 2009 Violetta, a Late Harvest Botrytis desert wine full of honey, orange blossom and tangerine.
Enjoyable experience, industry discount and Amber, recognizing my starstruck-ness (I know, I know, not a real word), even gave me two GHE wine glasses. I just know the wine is going to taste better in them.

Sonoma Valley
Iron Horse Ranch and Vineyards, Green Valley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma
When (and I cannot wait) we eventually return to spend additional time in this part of the world, this is one AVA I want to explore more thoroughly. See my separate posting about Iron Horse.
Outstanding experience, tasting fee waived for industry, but was able to speak with David Munksgard, Winemaker and are specialists in sparkling wines

La Crema Tasting Room and Lounge, Healdsburg, Sonoma
La Crema is actually in the Russian River Valley but their winery isn’t open to the public. Did a quick tasting here and purchased a bottle of 2010 RR Chardonnay full of mango and pineapple. Much larger than I’d originally thought – 250,000 cases per year.
Average tasting experience, industry discount, noisy room trying to attract clubbers – the 15 year old enjoyed it which should tell you what you need to know

Stonestreet Winery, Alexander Valley, Sonoma
Premium sister winery to La Crema and enjoyable Chardonnays and Cab Savs.
Recommended tasting experience, especially if you can find Karen, the self-professed ‘clean glass Nazi’, a woman after my own clean freak heart

Jordan Winery, Alexander Valley, Sonoma
Ironically found this completely via blogs and social media, having not known anything about them before. 90,000 cases per year, so they’re not small, but they only do one Chardonnay and one Cab Sav each year. Refer to my separate posting as our special trade experience was outstanding and paired with small treats. Hit with phylloxera in the mid-90s and had to replant everything.
Exclusive and recommended experience, enjoyed the tour with Claire immensely

Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma
Not a favourite for wine reasons, but a must visit when you are traveling with a Godfather and Apocalypse Now fanatic. We even went back for al fresco dinner that evening. Original artwork by Dean Tavoularis on Reserve line bottles is seriously beautiful.
Recommended tasting experience, industry discount, think of it as Disneyland for adults, pure fun

Chateau Montelena, Calistoga, Napa
The triumvirate of Judgement of Paris tasting wineries is complete; I made it to all three.
Average tasting experience, slightly jaded tasting bar host and no industry discount apart from waived tasting fee. Guess they just don’t have to.

Brown Estate Winery, Chiles Valley, Napa
Oh. My. God. See my separate posting. Learned about Brown only via casual email conversation with friends; they are completely exclusive, market very small amounts outside of California and do almost all sales online. Very small production of only 5,000 cases per year. If you can find them, BUY THEM.
Winner of best tasting experience of my wine life to date. Thank you, Jona and the Brown crew.

Posted in California, Napa, Sonoma, Winery Review | Tagged Andretti Winery, Black Stallion Winery, Brown Estate, Chateau Montelena, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Grgich Hills Estate, Iron Horse Ranch and Vineyards, Jordan Winery, La Crema Tasting Room, Miner Family Winery, Navarro Vineyards, Regusci Winery, Roederer Estate, Somerston Winery, Stag's Leap Winery, Stonestreet Winery, Whitehall Lane Winery | 2 Comments

Iron Horse Ranch and Vineyards, Sebastopol, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California

Posted on March 22, 2013 by winellama

The Russian River Valley is stunning. There, I’m done. What more is there to say? Its soft green, undulating hills, covered by gentle creeping mists of fog and the rippling river itself hide one of the best kept secrets about Sonoma county and the wines produced here.

We stayed at an exceptional B&B in the hamlet of Guerneville – home to retired jazz and folk musicians and singers (visit Main Street Bistro on a Wednesday evening to know what I mean) and visited Iron Horse Ranch and Vineyards first thing one morning.

While not a huge and powerful sparkling wines house at only 20,000 cases a year (they do stills too), they certainly do have the ‘marque’ to back themselves up. They’ve been served at the White House, international summits and several other important events. To paraphrase Jancis Robinson in The World Atlas of Wine, if Iron Horse is around, there’s a fairly good chance it’s being enjoyed in some high and mighty company.

Owned by the Sterling family since establishment in 1976 and steered by the same winemaker David Munksgard since 1996, Iron Horse produces only vintage sparkling wines – none are held in reserve. This makes the quality and consistency of their sparklings all the more incredible; imagine the talent it takes to put together a blend 3-4 years prior to its release without the ability to blend in lots held back to ensure that house brand taste.

All their sparklings have at least 3 years in the bottle and many have more than that. Beautifully crafted by David Munksgard who was there that morning and happy to chat about his art, we tasted the Ocean Reserve Blanc de Blancs Brut 2007 made in partnership with National Geographic. Lemony with high acidity, bread dough, slate and a creamy mousse. Perfect with the view and the turkeys gobbling at the foot of the closest vineyard (I am not kidding).

After the tour we tasted several more including the popular Wedding Cuvée 2008 (85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay), an onion skin, palest cotton candy hue with strawberry and pink grapefruit. This was followed by the bone dry and tartly acidic 2003 Brut LD which would be the perfect pairing with oysters (visit them Sundays for this gem) and the Winter’s Cuvée 2008.

Now, this was interesting. Here we have a dry 72% Pinot Noir – 28% Chardonnay blend in which the dosage has been created with a brandy made from Joy Sterling’s distilled Pinot Noir and aged for 20 years. The taste profile is a beautiful combination of hazelnuts, walnuts, fig and pear with some red apple. Only 250 cases were made and they’re available online or at the winery (or from my living room).

After a taste of the Brut Rose 2006 made with 81% Pinot Noir pressed and left on the skins and blended with Chardonnay (think softly effervescent field berry bubbles), I settled on a second bottle of the Russian Cuvée 2008. Made originally for the historic Reagan-Gorbachev summit meetings that ended the Cold War, this wine is 78% Pinot Noir and 28% Chardonnay with a slightly higher than average dosage. Still, it’s dry and highly acidic and speaks of hazelnuts and creamy apple brioche with mandarin zest notes.

Between the turkeys, daffodils, lazy cats and sparkling wines, I didn’t want to leave. I could have stayed and chatted with David Munksgard for a long time about his vinification and blending expertise; I am not worthy! And I still want to know why no Pinot Meunier is grown in the Russian River Valley. No frost hazards as per Champagne? As it was we had to leave for the Alexander Valley. But mark my words, I shall return.

Posted in OTHER, Sparkling Wine, Winery Review | Leave a comment

Jordan Winery, Healdsburg, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California

Posted on March 22, 2013 by winellama

I’ve been ‘Jordanized’.

It’s quite clear Jordan Winery knows what it’s doing. The attention to detail at this trade tasting and tour was apparent from start to finish – from the moment I stepped out of the car and was transported to a French chateau, to the walkabout tour with Chardonnay tasting paired with plated treats enroute, to the final sit down tasting of the two Cabernet Sauvignons in the venerable library; the entire afternoon was exceptional.

Claire was our peerless guide and interpretor; her knowledge and delivery that of a consummate professional. Completely solar panelled and capable of ‘living off the grid’, Jordan Winery has everything from a full time gardener, chef and sous chef amongst their 60 or so full time employees working at the 58,000 sq. foot working winery founded in 1972. To the credit of their founders, they decided against trying to be something to everyone and instead took two varietals and pledged to do them very very well.

They’ve gone Burgundian with their wines; crisp, clean and elegant, all aged for at least some time in French Oak. Crafted by winemaker Rod Davis, with the Jordan family since 1976, the 2010 Chardonnay fruit is sourced from five longtime Russian River Valley growers and aged sur lies – a pale gold glass full of pomelo with Bartlett and Asian pears. We enjoyed it alongside a spoonful of cauliflower puree with saffron and caviar – the briny caviar eggs popping against the citrus and stone fruit of the wine.

Following a walk through the winery and the 4,000 barrel storage area, we ended up in the wood-panelled library for the remaining wines. The cheeses chosen for pairing were thoughtful; an Ossau-Iraty (one of only two French cheeses granted AOC status), Beemster’s classic Dutch gouda and the piece de resistance a triple cream cheese to die for from just down the road at San Francisco’s Cowgirl Creamery called ‘Mount Tam’. Add in some quince paste, crusty bread, a cranberry and pistachio crostini (beautiful with the 2008 CS) and a chive blade and it was hard to wait until the wines were poured.

The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon is from the Alexander Valley and a deft blending of 81% Cab Sav along with 15% Merlot plus some Cabernet France and Petit Verdot. At 13.5% abv, it is full of black cherry, Damson plum and cassis, medium plus ruby and only the slightest of grippy tannins indicating while it’s very drinkable, it can be kept for another 3-5 years.

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon had 5% Petit Verdot blended in (along with some Merlot) giving it a more floral profile of violets and rose petal. The tannins were slightly softer and the fruit brighter, featuring cranberry and black currant.

This was an exceptional experience. The attention to detail by everyone involved in the tasting experience and the crafting of the wines was outstanding. It’s going to be challenging to have future tastings measure up. Now for the next challenge – Jordanize British Columbia.

Posted in Industry Tasting, OTHER, Winery Review | Leave a comment

La Crema, Sonoma Coast, Chardonnay 2010, Healdsburg, Sonoma, California, 13.8% abv, US$16.99

Posted on March 18, 2013 by winellama

This bottle is about C$30 in Vancouver, so I grabbed it at Safeway (!) the first evening we were in the US enroute to California. What llama doesn’t love a deal?

Clear and bright, pale gold with legs noted, on the nose it’s clean with medium plus aromas of lemon zest, leesy sweet oak, yellow apple and a crisp minerality. A youthful wine, on the palate, it’s dry with medium plus refreshing acidity, medium plus alcohol, medium plus body and medium plus flavours of Braeburn apples, lemon and lime curd. A little pineapple and guava added to the minerality, sweet oak and creamy butter and yoghurt. The finish is medium plus.

I enjoyed this wine – love the flavours and the wood while evident is not overwhelming; it’s nicely integrated. The wine has a lovely and full roundness about it – very satisfying and has great mouthfeel.

‘Very good’ wine. Take note of classy hotel ‘tasting glass’…Nothing but the best.

Posted in Chardonnay, WHITE | Leave a comment

Chateau Montelena, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California, 2009, 13.6% abv, US$50

Posted on March 14, 2013 by winellama

With the big trip to Napa on the horizon (can you say, ‘holiday’?) and Dad here for dinner, I pulled out the big guns to go with turkey, gravy from Granville Island, garden salad and all the trimmings.

Clear and bright, palest spun gold with legs noted. On the nose, clean, medium plus intense aromas of minerality, lemon and lime, slight butter and wood.

The palate is dry with medium plus acidity and high but well integrated alcohol. Body is mouth-fillingly medium plus and the flavour intensity is medium plus. There is tropical fruit – guava and lychee with key lime and lemon curd along with mandarin orange. Sweet oak tones complement the minerality and there’s a touch of almonds to accompany the medium + finish.

Very good wine that has fabulous structure and balance between the fruit, acidity and oak treatment. A longer finish would make it outstanding.

Enjoy now and often; no need to cellar this. I plan to visit them next week and sample some others from the winery whose 1973 Chardonnay won at the Judgement of Paris.

Posted in Chardonnay, WHITE | Tagged Chateau Montelena | Leave a comment