2006 WesMar Pinot Noir

There are some wines that are just so refreshing and delicious that you never get sick of drinking them, and these two Pinot Noirs from WesMar fall into that category for me. I find that sometimes even though wines are well made and a good example of their varietal, after the first glass or two it's possible to not really want to drink more. This is definitely not the case here.

The WesMar name is a combination of the two owners, wife and husband Denise Mary Selyem and Kirk Wesley Hubbard. Denise is the daugher of Ed Selyem, and the couple worked at Williams Selyem until it was sold in 1997. In March of 2000, WesMar winery was started in an old apple processing warehouse in Sebastopol, CA. These wines are made with a focus on balance and aren't your super-extracted, candied alcoholic cocktails that have become all too common in California but instead showcase soaring aromatics and a refreshing flavor profile with snappy acids that make them great for the dinner table.

Aside from being well priced and very good, Denise and Kirk have some of the best customer service I've encountered. I originally planned to let these wines sleep for a while longer, but I received an email with a generous offer to mailing list members --- In part due to these economic times, WesMar was offering a number of free bottles depending on the size of your order. If you ordered a six pack, you'd receive one free bottle of their "sur lees" Pinot Noir. Order a case, and you'd receive three free bottles. That's the first I've heard of any winery with such and offer, and I was impressed. Now all I needed to do was open a few bottles of what I already had to determine if I'd like to order more.

Tasting Notes:

2006 WesMar Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir:
Translucent but not overly light strawberry color in the glass. The nose on this wine is very expressive with aromas of pure strawberry fruit, some interesting minty accents, and secondary notes of freshly tilled damp soil. On the palate are bright red fruit flavors, bordering on the lighter bodied side with fairly high acidity and a crisp, refreshing medium length finish that includes just a little tannin. The mouthfeel on this wine is all just silky bright fruit. This is definitely a wine I could not get sick of drinking, just so pure and refreshing... Showing well and this should have a nice long life ahead of it

Price: $35
Score: 91

2006 WesMar Russian River Valley Pinot Noir:
A little darker than the Sonoma Coast, showing a ruby colored robe, this wine seems a little closed right now. The nose is not giving much up but a little sneak preview of the potential with aromas reminiscent of brown sugar mixed with molasses, some spices that make me think of Christmas, and darker red fruits such as raspberry. While not as showy as the Sonoma, I can only hope the nose comes alive with time, and if it does I could get lost in those scents for hours. On the palate there is more weight, showing a medium bodied wine with great mouth coating texture and flavors of red fruits and spice that lead into a long finish.

Price: $35
Score: 90
Continued...

2006 Carlisle Sonoma County Zinfandel

When it comes to QPR in wine, you'd be hard pressed to come up with better wine than what Carlisle has to offer, across the board. In fact, for the 2006 release of this wine, I believe that they even rolled back the price, which is virtually unheard of in this day and age. It's too bad for the average consumer that Carlisle wines are somewhat scarce and the wait time to buy directly from the winery is a few years at the least, but the savvy shopper can usually find a few of these wines scattered amongst select retail shops in major cities. If you do find them, I'd advise you to snag them quickly, because they don't last too long on the shelves.

The first vintage of Carlisle was 5 gallons of Zinfandel, made in owner Mike Officer's kitchen in the late 1990's. Today, that number has grown to around 2500 cases of various Zinfandel and Syrah blends and single vineyard bottlings from some of the best vineyards in Sonoma. This particular blend comes from about 6 different vineyards in Sonoma and has a dollop of Petite Sirah and Alicante thrown in which definitely makes things interesting. I'm completely guessing here since I have no clue what the initial blend tasted like or the reasoning behing the Petite Sirah addition, but I feel like I could have done without it. Petite Sirah seems to have such an overwhelming flavor profile and tannic structure that for my palate, and what I look for in Zinfandel, it's not needed. Even though that thought comes to mind, I'm going to believe the winemakers judgement that it does in fact improve the blend. Regardless, this wine is a star today on top of being a screaming bargain. It makes me ecstatic that I have a handful of them tucked away, because I won't touch any more for another year, at least.

Tasting Notes:
Dark, almost inky black color with reddish purple highlights towards the rim with a nose that oozes ripe cherries, plum, and raspberry dusted with black pepper as well as brambly spices. As the nose indicated, the palate holds gobs of fruit, balanced with adequate acidity and iron clad tannins that clamp down on the spicy finish. This is not a Zinfandel for early consumption, and needs at least another year in the cellar in my opinion. It was much better on day 2, which might indicate it has a long life ahead of it. A wine that will reward patience.

Price: About $20

Score: 90-91

Alcohol: 14.9%

Cases Produced:857
Continued...

2003 Ramey Diamond Mountain Proprietary Red Wine

I try not to buy into the "vintage-chart mentality," and completely write off troublesome vintages. I think in those years you definitely need to be selective and do your homework before spending a lot of money, but many producers still manage to turn out great wine in tough scenarios. I have a feeling 2003 will continue to surprise people with the way they've been drinking lately. Definitely not a vintage to stock the cellars with for 20+ years, and somewhat irregular, but many top wines are excellent and have been drinking well early. This is one of the denser and concentrated wines I have had from this vintage.

Owned by David Ramey and his wife Carla, Ramey Wine Cellars is located in Healdsburg, Sonoma, but they purchase fruit from various vineyards around Napa Valley. Their Cabernet, for whatever reason has never been on my short list of wine to buy every vintage, but I’ve always been impressed by each bottle I’ve had- this being no exception. These wines are made in a style that mixes the new with the old, and what I mean by that is in his Cab's you will find big sexy fruit, as well as the balance and finesse many say are lacking in the California wines. I find many Bordeaux type aromas and nuances in these wines; the cassis, the graphite/ pencil lead, and the worn leather. All of these tend to excite me and make me happy. Fortunately of unfortunately depending on how you look at it, the Ramey label does not seem to carry the same draw as some of the "culty" wines. Maybe it's because they don't charge a gazillion dollars for them, or maybe by producing over a thousand cases the scarcity factor is diminished. Either way, I don't care. Simply put, David Ramey is the man, and makes some killer wines that deserve to be sought out.

And for any Francophiles on the ledge, terrified of trying a wine from Napa, don't be too scared... This winemaker has spent time training at Chateau Petrus and obviously learned the craft well.

Tasting Notes:
Tight as a drum upon the first pour, but a 1 hour decant had this wine singing. Showing a dark, thick and concentrated red-black color in the glass, initial aromas present dark cherry fruit, currant, and a subtle herbaceousness as well as chocolate. As time went on, notes of graphite and spice revealed themselves. The palate shows nice layers of deep and intense dark fruit, weary old saddle leather and spice with good length on the finish. Medium acidity and a strong tannic spine that is easily tempered with a bit of food makes this a perfect companion with any grilled or oven cooked beef. Has the stuffing to go for years and should only get better.

Price: $60

Score: 92-93

Alcohol: 14.5%


Continued...

2001 Brewer-Clifton Rozak Ranch Pinot Noir

Deep in the industrial "wine ghetto" of Lompoc, California are a few guys making some extreme and sometimes controversial renditions of Pinot Noir. If you are a lover of California Pinot Noir, I'm sure you've already heard of Brewer-Clifton, and if not, please allow me to introduce you. A few years ago, wine critic Robert Parker did something that was a bit unusual, by proclaiming Brewer-Clifton the "single greatest revelation" of his 2001 tastings, and comparing the wines to one of the most famed of French Burgundies-- Romanee Conti. As you might suspect, this drew loads of attention and many varied opinions from Pinotphiles and score chasers everywhere. If you haven't had these wines before, I'm going to ask you to try to not compare them to anything, except maybe other Brewer-Clifton's...

Greg Brewer and his partner Steve Clifton run the winery, and while I believe they have now moved out of the humble industrial park affectionately dubbed "the wine ghetto," the Pinot is still the same. Pushing the limits, many Brewer-Clifton wines contain alcohol contents close to 16%, using whole or half cluster fermenting (leaving the stems in). The obvious reason for whole cluster fermenting would be that it adds additional texture, aromas, and flavors to the wine, resulting in more complexity. In the attempt to achieve full stem ripeness, sugar levels will be higher, and many times the end result is a high alcohol wine (in simplified terms). This can be risky, and the results can range from disastrous to utterly sublime. Now, the question by many is what happens to the alcohol when the primary fruit fades away? That's a good question and a valid concern. I'm happy to report that I consider myself to have a sensitive palate to alcohol, and while it was slightly apparent in this wine, it wasn't obnoxious or overbearing one bit.

Nearly all of Brewer-Clifton’s grapes come from cool-climate vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills or surrounding regions of Santa Barbara, California. Clos Pepe, Rozak Ranch, Rio Vista, Ashley's, Cargasacchi... Plenty of central coast Pinot producers source fruit from these vineyards, and one of my favorite things to do is line up 4-5 bottles Pinot from the same vineyard but different producer in any given vintage and taste through them, as there can be some distinct similarities and striking differences in the wines. For an interesting perspective, try lining up a bottle of Clos Pepe from both Brewer-Clifton and Arcadian, in any given vintage, and tell me what you think.

As if they didn't have their hands full with Brewer-Clifton, like many winemakers, both Greg and Steve have started their own labels. Palmina is the creation of Steve and his wife Chrystal, a winery born out of a passion for the Italian lifestyle and wines, putting a Santa Barbara spin on Italian varietals. Some of the red wines they produce are Nebbiolo and Barbera as well as white varietals such as Pinot Grigio and Tocai Friulano, a white wine often mistaken for Sauvignon Blanc.

On top of being winemaker at Melville, Greg's project is named Diatom, and focuses solely on naked, pure, unadulterated Chardonnay. Greg's goal here is to produce wines that transcend grape and place, never putting them through maloloactic fermentation, or oak barrels (at least new oak.. Neutral oak may be a possibility,) and letting the vineyard speak through the wine. These are some of the most radical Chardonnay's produced in California.

I love a good well made stemmy, funky wine, which is probably one reason why I'm a big fan of Brewer-Clifton. These wines still have plenty of fruit, but there are many other intriguing components to them that can be very unique, and so much more interesting to me aromatically and texturally than just bright, simplistic cherries and strawberry.

Tasting Notes
Translucent burgundy color close to auburn near the rim. Lots of dark, rich, almost candied cherry and strawberry buttressed by damp, dank earth and wood spice aromas. Full-bodied palate that is intense and vibrant with lots of spice and earth with dark berry fruit on the back end. There are still quite a bit of drying tannins on the finish. This is a very impressive wine that has years of potential ahead of it. I'd like to revisit this wine in 3 years and see if these tannins have melted away.

Price: $50

Score: 90-93

Alcohol: 15.8%
Continued...

2006 Lynmar Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

The wily charms of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir have wooed me many times in the past, but the most recent and glaring example would have to be this particular bottle from Lynmar Estate. This was a spur of the moment purchase from Whole Foods of all places, who has a suprisingly good, albeit small selection of wines. Normally I wouldn't drink a bottle so young (who am I kidding,) but after stumbling upon this in the store felt it was my duty to save it from the un-temperature controlled confines of Whole Foods, and pop it open with a nice dinner. On this particular night I was looking for something rich and generous that would provide instant gratification after a long day. Something that comes wrapped in the package of a Russian River Pinot Noir. Yet again, Lynmar did not let me down.

I challenge anyone to dispute that Lynmar is highly overlooked as a serious Pinot Noir producer by many, because when compared with some of the highly touted "cultish" Pinot Noirs from the same region their wines definitely hold their own, and in fact prevail against many. Founded in 1990 by Lynn Fritz, Lynmar produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with fruit sourced from the Russian River appellation. Their Quail Hill Vineyard has some of the oldest Pinot vines in the Russian River. Hugh Chapelle is the winemaker here, and has worked with Napa and Sonoma fruit for over a decade, at various wineries including Flowers and Madrona Vineyards. It probably also doesn't that they have Paul Hobbs as a part of their winemaking team. Paul has been consulting winemaker for a number of vintages now.

To be honest, I can't recall a Pinot from the Russian River that I have disliked. I'm sure if I thought hard enough I might be able to name one, but they seem to be far and few between. While I was thinking of that, my girlfriend's nose finally came away from the glass, and the first thing out of her mouth was "this is why I love Pinot." I can't think of a better endorsement than that.

Tasting Notes:
This wine is sort of a "middle of the road" Pinot... Not too light, and not to extracted, while holding a striking shade of red-violet in the glass. Perfectly ripe, but not overdone pure fruit aromas leap out the glass- cherry, raspberry, citrus, a little clove and a touch of mint making an attractive and fruit forward nose. Full bodied on the palate with much of the same cherry, raspberry, and spice flavors. Beautifully balanced with good acidity, well integrated tannins and a half minute finish, this might become a little bit more interesting in a year or two, but I don't see any reason why you should avoid drinking it now.

Price: $40

Score: 87-90

Specifics:
14.4% alcohol
14 Months in French Oak
Cases Produced: 3,196

Continued...

2006 Kosta Browne Rose of Pinot Noir

Apparently I'm averaging about 1 blog post per month, which is pretty sad considering there's bloggers out there that blog daily. I'm still drinking plenty of wine but just haven't had the time or made the effort to write about it. Hopefully I can update this thing at least once a week, and with that being said I bring you a post about Rose! And what better wine to blog about than one from the combined efforts of Dan Kosta and Michael Browne? I usually drink Rose within the first year of release, but this one somehow managed to evade me and hid in the cellar, only to be discovered amidst new deliveries and a long overdue organization. I love those sly bottles that hide amongst everything else, trying to stretch out their lifespan until they're either over the hill or just begging to be drank...

As the days begin getting hot here in Southern California, Rose makes the perfect companion to a nice summer afternoon. I won't even begin to go into the differences between the horrid blush adomination that is white zin or whether drinking Rose is acceptable for men, and will instead assume those reading this are all on the same page. If not, you're missing out, and you probably stoppe drinking Merlot circa 2004. Rose wines are some of the most versatile, delicious quaffers to pair with food.

The 2006 Kosta Browne wines have been an issue of some discussion in various wine circles and internet message boards. Some feel they are a step down from the highly touted 2005's, describing them as out of balance and hot. I subscribe to the notion that bottle shock is a real phenomenon, however I do not think that unbalanced wines will magically come together years down the road, although anyone who's been privileged to sip a '47 Cheval Blanc might disagree with me. Could this Rose be a harbinger of things to come for the rest of the 2006 KB's or is it just a bottle at the end of it's life giving us it's last dying breath?

Tasting Notes:
In the glass this wine is a nice light red color with a nose that's packed with scents of strawberries, watermelon and some sweet soil with flashes of cinnamon and spice. I was concerned from others notes there would be significant heat but served at cellar temp I found none. Interestingly enough I found a bit of petillance on the first sip, which quickly went away with air time. This was definitely thinner than previous Rose's I've had from KB, but carried pleasant flavors of strawberries, raspberries and cream mixed with a bit of watermelon. Lacking a bit in the acidity department and the finish is rather short, but a very pleasant wine that I think would be great with some food out on the patio on a lazy afternoon.

Price: $18

Score: 81-84

Specifics:
14.2% alcohol
100% Pinot Noir


Continued...

1976 Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve posted any new blogs and there’s a few reasons for this #1 being that I haven’t been drinking any alcohol for about a month. Thinking of which wine I wanted to crack open to get back in the saddle, a few crossed my mind…

’82 La Lagune? 94 Montelena ? Tempting, but no… ’76 JJ Prum? Hmmmm. To be honest, I do not drink a ton of white wine, so I figured why not pop this open? I recently acquired a number of older wines and this happened to be one I have multiples of. I must say, there’s something very special about aged Riesling, and this wine just cemented that fact for me. All the usual descriptors ran through my head: Ethereal, elegant, complex… My bank account will surely thank me for even more wine purchases I now have my eye on. C’est la vie.

First, a little background on Mr. Johann Josef Prum and these wines. When you hear the topic of a wine conversation turn to Riesling, the Prum estate is a name that’s bound to come up. This family has been making wine for many years, harvesting grapes along the Mosel as far back as the 17th century. Started by Johann and currently run by Dr. Manfred Prum, the estate owns roughly 34 acres of vineyards planted almost exclusively to Riesling. Located upon the steep and rugged banks of the Mosel, two of the more famous vineyards in the estate are Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Graacher Himmelreich, two vineyards that thrive in the mountainous clay-slate soils and are known for producing wines of astonishing quality.

1976 was a good year. Fleetwood Mac recorded “Rumours,” The Eagles released “Hotel California,” and lots of great Auslese wines were made. This was a year hailed by many in Germany as “vintage of the century.” I don’t think that’s the case, but there were some ridiculous sugar levels in the grapes and amazing wines were made. The quality was so high that some producers had more Trockenbeerenauslese than they knew what to do with (TBA is basically the pinnacle of sweet wine in Germany). Some of the lesser wines were marred with very low acidity making this a vintage where careful selection was key, especially for long term cellaring. As a result of the low acidity, some German wines from this year might be over the hill, although I’m sure many wines from top producers are still good and will continue to get better. If you’re not up on German Riesling, do your self a favor and pick up a handful from the 2005 vintage.

Tasting Notes:
A beautiful honeyed amber color in the glass, from beginning to end this wine is just amazing. I found the nose to be very complex and focused with aromas of apricots, green apples, spices and cream with notes of pine sap and slight petrol. Tasted blind I might guess this wine to be only a decade old. The palate is honeyed, powerful and intense with pure fruit, a slight minerality and flavors that for lack of a better word were just ethereal. It's presence in the mouth was just absurd, closing with fine acidity and a stunning finish that seemed to never end. Almost impossible to describe with words, this is one of those wine experiences that hits you like a ton of bricks and stays with you for the rest of your life. Flirting with perfection, it’s the type of wine that will turn a casual wine fan into a fanatic.
Continued...

2003 Rotllan Torra "Amadis" D.O.Q. Priorat Red Wine

When people ask me where to find the best values in wine, one of the first regions that come to mind is usually Spain. You can still get an unbelievable wine for under $20, and when compared to other major wine regions, that's no easy feat. Many Spanish wines have shot up in price and popularity, but you can still find delicious wines for a fraction of the price you'd pay for an equal wine produced in say, Oregon. Some might argue that with all the attention Spain has received in the past few years, the style has been incresingly leaning towards the "new world," with jammy, alcoholic fruit bombs. I think for every fruit bomb there's another Spanish wine that still carries the charm and elegance that drew outsiders to the regions different wines in the first place…

I won't pretend I dislike over the top and powerful wines. I do, and they make up a good chunk of my cellar, but I also love and seek out wines packed with subtlety, nuance, and even more important- a sense of place. For instance, I don't think anyone can argue that one of the hottest Spanish reds (El Nido Clio) is a bit over the top and a monster of the wine at the moment. But it's done so well, and it's a great wine at a lower price than many of it's peers. Rotllan Torra does an excellent job of straddling the line, achieving wines that meld power, grace, and tradition. The result is intoxicating wines with bold aromas and flavors that are shockingly silky on the tongue.

Located in the heart of Torroja del Priorat, Rotllan Torra is a family run winery that began in 1984 but never released it’s wine until 1995, an outstanding vintage in Spain. Many of the vines are about a century old, planted in soils composed primarily of slate, as well as younger vineyards with a number of different grapes including Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, and Pinot Noir. The winery is an old farmhouse turned winery by monks back in the 16th century, now updated with modern equipment while still preserving much of the original décor. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks and wines are aged in French and American oak barrels, depending on the wine.

Amadis takes it's name from a noble knight, and is a blend of Carignane, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot. Most of the grapes are harvested from 100-year-old vines and aged in French oak. Each bottle is hand numbered prior to release and aged 10 months in French oak. Along with Amadis, Rotllan Torra releases a number of other blends, as well as various dessert wines, some of which look very intriguing. This is a wine I'd like to revisit each year for the next decade or so, and see how it changes over time. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, it's drinking great right now but will only get better and more complex with time.

Tasting Notes:
Almost as dark as black coffee with a ruby tinge to the rim, the nose attacks your senses with chocolate, coffee, dark sour cherries and a juicy kiss of oak. Red berry and currant flavors coat the mouth with well integrated tannins and just the right amount of acidity. Hedonistic but restrained, Amadis evolves very well over time in the glass. I think this wine will appeal to those who enjoy fat and opulent wines that can still be paired with food and really shine.

Price: $55

Score: 89-93

Specifics:
14% Alcohol
25% Grenache, 25% Carignane
25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, and 10% Merlot
Aged 10 Months in French oak
About 2,300 cases produced



Continued...

2004 Realm Cellars "The Tempest" Red Wine

This blessed plot. This earth. This realm. This.... Wine? When Shakespeare wrote this, I wonder if he ever thought the passage would appear on the side of a bottle of wine from Napa Valley? Probably not, but I’m sure if he was able to drink wine of this quality back in those times instead of Malmsey and Canary, he might have penned even more compelling plays and poetry. Either way, with only a few vintages under their belts, Realm Cellars is a relative newcomer to Napa Valley, but the wines certainly seem to be blessed.

Juan Mercado, Wendell Laidley, and winemaker Mike Hirby started Realm Cellars with the 2002 vintage. Back in the 90's, Juan was overtaken by his passion for wine, and soon enough decided to move up to Napa. He started working in a wine store, where he met Wendell and Mike Hirby, and between the three of them, Realm Cellars was born. The trio set out with the mission of producing handcrafted Bordeaux styled wines with fruit sourced from some of the most prestigious Napa Valley vineyards. So far, the results have been nothing short of excellent. The debut 2002 vintage received high marks all around, scoring in the 90's, and things looked fantastic for the 2003 vintage, until it was destroyed in a warehouse fire.

I don't know how I'd feel if I worked on something so hard for over a year to only have it destroyed in a blaze of fire. I imagine it would be a mixture of shock, sadness and disbelief. Back in 2005, Realm Cellars, along with numerous other wineries and private collectors, had thousands of bottles of wine destroyed in a three-alarm fire at Wine Central, a storage warehouse in Vallejo, California. Before being used for wine storage, Wine Central was actually used by the military to hold torpedoes and possibly bombs, thus making it quite fortified, as well as very difficult to fight fires in. I believe the entire 2003 vintage was destroyed, along with the remaining reserves of 2002. That's just about any wineries/ winemakers/ owner’s nightmare, especially after hand crafting wines that they were proud of.

Fortunately, they were able to put that behind them, and continued to produce exceptional wines with the 2004 vintage. I really enjoyed these wines, and the wines of 2005 look to be even better. For any Angeleno's interested, there will be a release party for the 2005 wines held on Feb 27th, at Craft, a restaurant near Century City. With a low cover charge of $20, it’s a great chance for anyone interested in Realm Cellars to taste some of the wines they might not be able to find at retail.

Tasting Notes:
An opaque maroon, inklike color in the glass, this wine is very concentrated and big. Aromas of ripe raspberry and cherry mix with a little leather and mocha. After some airtime in the glass, the alcohol is apparent. On the nose and in the mouth, this wine moves around slightly like a clumsy youngster. Bold and a little brash, there are attractive plummy, cherry flavors with traces of chocolate. Medium length finish that is slightly hot with soft tannins.

Price:$65

Score:87-90

Specifics:
15.4% Alcohol
60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot
524 Cases Produced

Continued...

Los Angeles Wine Tasting Feb. 15th & 16th

If you're anything like I am, you'll jump at the chance to partake in a tasting that includes wines such as Colgin, Araujo, Phelp's Insignia. These are just a few of the wines being poured at a tasting in Glendale tonight at local wine shop, Red Carpet. I've been to quite a few tastings here and they're definitely a good time. Very nice people, great atmosphere, and plenty of good wine to go around. Friday nights can be a bit rowdier and more crowded than Saturday, so if you plan to go tonight I'd advise getting there a bit early. It should be a great time at a very reasonable price...

Wines:

2003 Napa Valley Cabs
Taste all 6 for $60
Cloudview
Clark Claudon
Spottswoode
Insignia
Colgin Herb Lamb
Araujo

California Grenache
Taste all 6 for $14
2005 Koehler
2005 Harrison Clarke
2005 Andrew Murray
2004 Mathis
2005 T-Vine
2004 Ojai Thompson Vyd

New Releases & Staff Favorites
Taste all 6 for $12
NV Il Conte d’Alba Stella Rosa
2006 Mulderbosch Rose South Africa
2006 Grand Veneur
2004 Bailly-Lapierre Rose
2006 Kali Hart Pinot Noir
2005 Valdicava Rosso

Where:
Red Carpet Wine: www.redcarpetwine.com

When:
Friday, Feb 15th - 4:30pm to 8:30pm
Saturday, Feb 16th - 3pm to 8pm

Red Carpet Wine & Spirits
400 E Glenoaks Blvd
Glendale, CA 91207




Continued...

1999 Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon

There are plenty of wines that I pass up for no particular reason other than the fact there are too many out there and it's impossible to try them all. I think if I was able to, I’d sure have a much bigger problem that choosing which ones to drink. When I walked into my local store with the plan of finding something actually fairly mature to drink with dinner I never thought I'd walk out with a bottle of Snowden. But, that's exactly what happened and I'm very happy it did. It's yet another reminder that I, like many people drink wines far too young and deny themselves the pleasures that come with time in the bottle.

Snowden Vineyards is a winery that has a rich history dating back to 1955. I've had a few on occasion, at a dinner party here and there, but never really took the initiative to collect the wines and try various vintages. After having this wine, I now feel a bit foolish and think I might have cheated myself of some great vinous experiences over the years by neglecting these wines. I suppose I can always play catch up, right? If the current vintages are drinking anywhere remotely similar to the 99, then I have plenty of time.

Located on the ridgeline where St. Helena and Rutherford come together, the vineyards are planted primarily with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Wayne and Virginia Snowden purchased the property back in 1955 and sold the grapes to local wineries (Stag's Leap among one of them), never actually bottling wine under their own label until 1993 when John Gibson became winemaker, and the first vintage of Snowden wine was released. Over the years they've sold grapes to various people, including Silver Oak among others, but now reserve all the fruit to bottle under the Snowden name.

The current vintage of has received some great reviews, while maintaining an affordable price. In a place where $100 price tags are slapped on bottles seemingly without thinking twice, it’s refreshing to see a winery that’s been around for many years still offering great wine at a good price. Snowden Vineyards currently produces two estate grown claret style wines as well as a Sauvignon Blanc.

Tasting Notes:
This wine must have been a monster upon release. Inky black in the glass with a dark garnet rim. There's still tons of life left in this Cabernet. Aromas of dusty tobacco, espresso and milk chocolate mixed with pencil lead eventually relent to reveal layers of red currant mixed with herbs I can't quite pinpoint. In the mouth, tannins are still alive and kicking, but deftly balanced with acidity and fruit. Incredibly concentrated, black cherries, tobacco, hints of leather on the palate. Nice vanilla oak nuances that are apparent, but not obnoxious. A real pleasure to drink.

Price: Around $50

Score: 90-93

Continued...

2005 Tyler Pinot Noir - Dierberg Vineyard

Lately I've been watching a lot of young, creative assistant winemakers branch out to begin making their own wines with some stunning results. One thing that excites me so much about this is the chance to enjoy the wines from the beginning, and watch how they evolve over time. This is only the first vintage from Tyler Winery, and a very impressive debut...

Founder and winemaker Justin Willett honed his chops working as assistant winemaker at Arcadian, as well as holding the position of wine director at Sevilla, a restaurant in Santa Barabra. He left both to pursue this project and has succeeded in making some very distinctive, high quality Pinot Noir that carries a remarkable sense of place, unique profile, and will age nicely for years to come. After tasting the wines of the premier release (2005) I can't wait to see what the upcoming vintage has to offer.

Justin's aim is to produce delicate wines with structure and nuance, which is a nice change from the overextracted, alcoholic jammy fruit bombs that have become very common throughout California. It's a bit more Burgundian than the average Cali Pinot but still has the stamp of a central California wine done right. The fruit is sourced from the Dierberg vineyard, located in the Santa Maria Valley, a vineyard rife with sandy loam soils and a healthy western exposure. The Dierberg will definitely improve with some time in the decanter and will only get better if you choose to cellar it for a few years to come. I can see this wine becoming just stunning years from now. It has the structure, balance and backbone to age gracefully and although it's very nice and drinkable now, I'd advise some patience. Decanting helps, but time is the only thing that will reveal the true colors of this wine. With the small production so far, this is one mailing list I'm excited to be on and will continue to watch out for the upcoming 2006 vintage.

Tasting Notes:
Dark ruby in the glass, the nose on this wine is what I'm captivated by. Very expressive with tons of earth and tinges of funk wrapped up tight in a blanket of spice, ripe dark cherry, raspberry, and orange citrus. 14.2% alcohol and it's no where to be found. After some air time, there is some lovely subtle and tasteful oak that makes an appearance as well. With a mouthfeel of velvet and silk, flavors of tart black cherry and black currant effortlessly transition into earthy notes on the mid palate, with finely grained tannins and a nice, long finish.

Price: $50

Score: 89-93

Specifics:
14.2% Alcohol
60% New French Oak
56 Cases Produced

Continued...

2005 Siduri "Terra De Promissio" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

I think in some little section of their brain, every serious wine lover has the dream of dropping everything, moving to wine country and becoming a successful winemaker. For some, this dream becomes a reality, and for Adam and Dianna Lee, I guess you could say it's a dream come true. Back in the early 90's, the two had a passion for Pinot Noir and took a chance by moving from Texas to California, with no prior winemaking experience to succeed in making some of the best single vineyard Pinot around.

After moving to California, the Lee's decided to take their life's savings, and make a little wine. Lo and behold, the first vintage in 1994 turned out to be pretty damn good. So good, in fact, they drunkenly decided to drop a bottle off on Robert Parkers doorstep at the Meadowood Resort, like a gift wrapped present from the stork. Upon sobering up, they realized what they had done and frantically tried to get the bottle back, to no avail. Well, old boy Parker ended up hailing it as "terrific," and gave it a score of 90+. As novice winemakers, what better publicity can you ask for?

This was just the beginning of their good fortune. For the next vintage, they scored top grapes from Hirsch Vineyard, who sold to Kistler and Williams Selyem, among others. For two new winemakers in California, this must have seemed like a gift sent down from the gods. Even if you take away the scores and reviews, the quality of Siduri wines will continue to speak for themselves. Throughout the years they've focused solely on single vineyard Pinot Noir, letting the terroir of the vineyard express itself with great results, as well as branching off to include a second label, Novy, which focuses on Syrah.

One thing that I love about the Lee's is that they're genuinely nice people... Family oriented folk that wanted to make wine because they had a true passion for it. They have a large production with prices ranging from $19 to the mid 50's, and with the skyrocket price of some Pinot Noir, who can be mad at that? Producing single vineyard Pinot Noir from 27 different vineyards and countless 90+ scores from wine critics, Siduri is not going anywhere, and they still don't even own their own vines, which is amazing. Combine that, two children, and their other Novy, and you'll see that the Lee's are very, very busy.

Tasting Notes:
Dark ruby red in the glass, I've had this wine 3 separate times now and on each occasion there is some degree of a burnt rubber aroma. I can't say I'm a huge fan of that but after opening up a bit, there's a nice mix of dark fruit and nice ripe cherry, along with a funky core of earth and dirt on the nose. Slightly hot, there's an abundance of nice red fruit in the mouth, ending with a bit of spice. Pleasant finish on the medium- short side. Unfortunately, I tasted this wine way too young, and I think it should have at least another year in the bottle. Should you open one soon, definitely decant.

Price: $44

Score: 85-88


Continued...

2006 Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc

"Pick one or two varietals you make well and stick with it" is the old adage typically given to winemakers. Well, Lang & Reed have done just that and have been producing some of the best Cabernet Franc this side of the Loire Valley. I love seeing winemakers so passionate about one varietal, especially one from a grape that's barely acknowledged here in California. And what that means for the savvy consumer, is a great wine at a bargain price.

Cab Franc is typically used as a blending grape, first and foremost in some of the finest Bordeaux (think Cheval-Blanc, Ausone) and is used to either tone down Cab Suav or add some power to Merlot, providing finesse and nice aromatics. There's not a huge number of wineries that offer Cab Franc in California, and if they do it's usually either blended with other grapes or offered at a price tag similar to Cab Sauv, neither of which really make me particularly excited. It's kind of a niche market and will probably never gain the same type of popularity that other grapes such as Pinot Noir or Syrah have in the past decade or so, but if passionate winemakers such as Lang & Reed keep making quality juice, I'm pretty happy about that.

Lang & Reed was founded by Tracey and John Skupny in 1993, and they haven't looked back since. The two became enamored with the wines coming out of the Loire Valley and took it upon themselves to produce some of the best Cabernet Franc in Napa Valley. A noble task and one that does not go unappreciated in my book. Lang & Reed currently offers three wines:

Lang Reed North Coast - The current wine under review. 100% Cab Franc and an assemblage of fruit from four vineyards.

Premier Etage - Mostly Cab Franc with a dollop of Petite Verdot mixed in. A wine that provides a bit more complexity than the North Coast.

Right Bank - Tailored after the wines of St. Emilion, Right Bank is a blend of Cab Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot, and Cab Sauv. A wine with a bit more ageability.

One of the things that appeals to me so much about Cab Franc is that it can be enjoyed young and is so big and juicy. When grown in cooler climates, it also carries a flavor profile that I enjoy - one bordering on the herbaceous, green side but still carrying nice ripe fruit. This wine benefits from a bit of decanting that will really bring the aromatics out after some time. If I had to choose a dish to pair it with, I might pick some braised short ribs or a nice lamb stew.


Tasting Notes:
In the glass there is an inky black core with a brilliant red/ purple color to the rim. An ever changing nose that consists of cherries, herbs, light flowers, violets and a wet stone/ minerally aspect that I adore. Hinting at a bit of a coffee component at times, this wine conjures images of a light, breezy summer day outside. In the mouth it's not terribly complex but thoroughly enjoyable with red berry fruit, soft tannins and nice acidity easing into an elegant finish.

Price: $22

Score: 87 - 92.

Specifics:
Alcohol: 14.5%
Oak: 8 months in used French Oak
Production: 2,600 cases

Continued...

Wine Country Inn, St. Helena, California

Nestled between Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail in St Helena lies a little gem I've come to know and love over the years aptly named the Wine Country Inn. When I think about time spent in Wine Country I think about peaceful, cozy, romantic settings, and the Inn does a fantastic job of providing just that and then some. We have a yearly tradition of staying here for 3 or 4 nights and have never left unsatisfied. Staying here seems like a trip into a different time and place... One a little simpler, full of antiques, handmade quilts and great hospitality as well as central A/C and a Bose stereo system. The feel and décor is definitely country and walks the fine line between old school/ new school, so if you're looking for ultra-modern, plasma TV's flush in the bathroom mirror, this is not the place for you. In fact, there are no TV's at all, which I think is awesome.

The Inn was founded by Ned and Marge Smith in the early 70's after they had spent time at some of the classic inns of the east coast and discovered what they wanted to build here in California: a place with comfort, charm, and an idyllic setting while including the modern luxuries of plumbing and electricity. The result? A place that manages to seamlessly mix old world charm with modern touches at an affordable price in a picturesque location. The whole family has done an outstanding job while making continuous upgrades each year, such as wireless internet and cosmetic fixes in various rooms. Ned and Marge don't run the inn anymore, they've left that up to their son Jim, who's hoping his children will follow the family tradition in a few years.


After a prompt check in, walking down the cobblestone path and stairs my better half could barely contain herself. And once the door opened to the "Vintners" cottage she was literally jumping up and down with joy. With a total of 20 rooms, 4 suites, and 5 luxury cottages, the rates run anywhere from $300 - 650 a night at the top end. We haven't stayed in any of the smaller rooms, but I'm pretty sure the cottages are your best bet and worth the extra $200 or so a night. They're large and attractive with hardwood floors, a sitting area with fireplace, couch, and insanely comfortable king-sized bed. The bathroom alone is almost worth the price, with tiled floors, a huge walk in shower large enough to fit 4 people comfortably (if you're into that sort of thing), and an immaculate jacuzzi tub along with his/ hers sinks and mirrors. The stereo has speakers in every room so if you feel like putting on your favorite CD and slipping into a bubble bath with your loved on and a bottle of wine all while controlling the volume via remote, no problem. Some people would argue that the
money saved from expensive lodging can be put towards more wine, which is a really good point that I've gone back and forth on, but for me sometimes going up there and staying in a great spot is part of what makes the trip so good. Each cottage has it's own private patio with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, and a vineyard just steps away. Complete with a heating lamp, wrought iron table and lounge chairs, this was our favorite spot for coffee and afternoon relaxation after tasting wines all day.

If you're lucky, you might get a visit from Bob the cat, who is one of the reasons we love to stay here. Bob is part Manx, incredibly soft, and was adopted by the Inn. I think he was the pet of a nearby winery but now he patrols the grounds at night hunting mice and other vineyard rodents, and also likes to greet and stay with visitors, preferably in one of the cottages. I was never a huge cat lover but we both love Bob, and let him snooze on the couch if he wants to. He's incredibly friendly and will fall asleep purring in your lap if you let him.

Breakfast is included, too, and it's quite good. Served buffet style, there's everything from bagels with assorted meats and cheeses to homemade quiche and a wafflemaker. The waffles are my favorite part, deliciously soft with a hint of cinnamon and spice. Mmmm. So good. In the afternoons, staff from local wineries come by for a complimentary tasting, which can be fun if you're not too tired from visiting wineries throughout the day. We usually just go back to the room, pop one of the bottles we bought throughout the day and sit back on the patio watching the sun fall behind the mountains. There's also a complimentary shuttle to and from restaurants which is a godsend since at these long dinners there's usually a few bottles that get put down. Last time we were there the driver and all the staff was amazing, incredibly sincere, and helpful. They really bend over backwards to make sure you enjoy your stay. I can't really think of any negative things to say about the place except it could use some periodic updates, such as the stereo. It would have been nice to plonk the Ipod down instead of having to bring CD's. Aside from those minor nit-picky things, this is a place we will be staying at for many years to come. By the way, the innkeepers brother makes a Cabernet by the name of Hourglass with Bob Foley, so, they sure do know a thing or two about wine and are happy to suggest places for you to visit if you're unfamiliar with the area...

Highly Recommended

What: Wine Country Inn

Where: St Helena, California

Price: $200-650

Continued...

2004 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon

The Cabernet from Sequoia Grove has been receiving a lot of attention and making many peoples lists over the past few years. I first tried the 2004 at a tasting a few months back and apparently overlooked it among the the other wines of the night, but since then I bought a few bottles and decided to pop one tonight. Well folks, Sequoia Grove is making quite a comeback.

Surrounded by (surprisingly enough) giant Sequoia trees, the winery is located in Rutherford and was founded in 1980 by the Allen family. Their wines have received many accolades throughout the 80’s, then sort of dwindled throughout the late 90's until a few years ago, when ownership changed hands and the Kopf family began pumping money into the winery. One sudden improvement has been the quality of the wine, and for the time being you can still buy it for a relatively low price. In blind tastings, their Cabernet has outperformed other wines three times the price. One of the main forces driving this recent shift in style is winemaker and president, Michael Trujillo.

Michael worked side by side founder Jim Allen practically since the beginning of Sequoia Grove, but it wasn't until Jim retired that he took over as President/ Head Winemaker and began taking the wine in a new, exciting direction. Instead of Sonoma and Monterey fruit, they now use grapes from Rutherford, among other areas and have spent the money for some necessary upgrades of the tanks, crushers, and other equipment. The result is elegant, concentrated wine with the distinct sense of Rutherford Terroir. As well as making wine for Sequoia Grove, Michael also bottles small production 'cult' wine under his own label, Karl Lawrence, which is highly regarded and has a waiting list to order wine. Karl Lawrence was founded in 1991 and is the realization of Michael and longtime friend Bryan Henry's dream of producing outstanding Napa Valley Cabernet.

Over the past few years lots of changes have been taking place in Sequoia Grove and people have certainly been taking notice. Now the question is just how long will the price stay under $40?

Tasting Notes:
No decanting necessary, this wine drank well out of the bottle but definitely improved with time in the glass. A very nice inky black/ garnet color, the nose is a mix of pepper, oak and cherry with hints of vanilla extract as well as some significant greenish/ bell pepper components. In the mouth the wine is fairly smooth with sour cherry, raspberry and pepper flavors that are big and ripe but manage to avoid becoming heavy and cloying. There’s a certain lightness that I appreciate which makes it easy to have a few glasses in a row. The only thing lacking is the finish, which falls a little short. A definite winner to drink either with food or by itself.

Score: 86-88

Alcohol: 14.2

Price: $30
Continued...

Opus One Vertical Tasting

Whenever I get the chance to taste the original, 'ultra premium wine' at a good price I'm all over it, and once I found out the local wine store was having an Opus One vertical tasting, I couldn't wait.

1984 Opus One:
Very dark, almost brickish color in the glass, the '84 is over the hill. Completely devoid of fruit, there are smoked meat aromas on the nose. Some bacon fat and slight hints of cedar. Would have been nice to taste at it's peak.

1986 Opus One:
Very dark, nice shade of red in the glass, this wine is still excellent but I think it's on the way out. Savory aromas of herbs, oak, licorice and cherry meld together to fill the nose, leading into a pleasing mouthfeel with currant, a bit of leather and cherry. Nicely structured this wine finishes with soft, whispering tannins.

1987 Opus One:
This is one of those enlightening experiences every wine lover lives for. I believe this wine is at it's peak right now and it's amazing. Vibrant dark red in the glass, the nose on this wine had me spellbound. Notes of mint, tobacco, oak, and dark red fruit intertwine together in perfect unity. I could have sat smelling this wine for hours. The mouth is pure velvet, with complex flavors of currant, herbs and plummy, leathery undertones that leave you wanting more. Still a little grip, this might have a few more years left.

2004 Opus One:
In stark contrast to the parents, this wine is such a baby and is very hot and tannic, but it could grow up to be something great. A dark garnet color, there are the usual suspects on the nose- oak, nice berry fruit and hints of herbs. Massive in the mouth with nice structure and balance, the flavors are the same as the nose with a finish that falls a bit short. This has good potential, but at the release price, it's hard to justify the purchase.

All in all it was a great evening, but I don't think I'll be scouring the secondary market for any older vintages. I would love a few bottles of the '87 but I think they're fairly scarce and fetching too much money. With the standard of Opus set so seemingly high, it's a shame they routinely get out-performed by other less expensive wines. What will the future hold for the brainchild of two winemaking legends?

Continued...

Wine.com

The folks over at wine.com have apparently created a their own little Homeland Security Task Force. Of Wine. YOUR wine. Yes, they have performed various undercover stings upon their competition in hopes of catching them breaking statewide shipping laws, then turning them in to the authorities.. They have done this under the guise of 'for the consumer' and 'to level the playing field' when it really seems to be solely in pursuit of monetary gains and elimating the competition. Wine.com has never had any of my business and shall never receive any in the future. What they have done is despicable, underhanded, and will cause more difficulty for consumers in states such as Illinois, Washington, Texas, and so on. Many people have decided to boycott them and I sincerely hope you will as well.

Read the full report on Alder Yarrow's blog Vinography

There is also an awesome group of retailers working furiously to change these laws. They are the SWRA and can be found here SWRA

Continued...

Cook Restaurant, St. Helena CA

Cook is a locals favorite up in St Helena and in a lot of ways I can see why. Why it's a locals favorite, and why it's not a main tourist destination. If you're driving the main highway through downtown St Helena it's easy to miss this cozy little nook. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Cook since I've heard mixed reviews and after eating here, I think it was one of the stranger dining experiences I've had throughout the years. In a way that's not really a bad thing, although some might disagree.

We arrived 15 minutes early for our reservation to a warm, unpretentious restaurant in the heart of St. Helena with an interesting mix of patrons. When dining at Cook, some choose to wear dinner jackets and dressy attire while others appear to have just finished working in the vineyards. Those must be the locals, we thought to ourselves. I felt quite overdressed in slacks and dress shirt but it was kind of comforting to see the casualness of Cook. Then things began to get a little strange. Greeted by one of the smiling, friendly waitresses, we were informed our table wasn't ready yet. Cook is a very small place with about 10 dining tables and another 10seats at the bar, so we chose to wait outside in the brisk air while they cleaned and prepped the table. We stood there, watching an empty table for two go uncleaned for about 30 min standing outside in plain view of the waitress like two sad puppy dogs tied to a telephone pole, left outside to wait for their owner. We contemplated leaving and walking over to Market where we've had delicious food and wine before but my girlfriend was determined to see what this place was all about and try new restaurants in the area. I couldn't blame, her but I was getting pretty hungry at this point.

Walking back inside I inquired how long the wait would be, and the waitress finally sat us at a table within elbow room of a group of four. I might add this table had been available from the time we first walked in, I just assumed she didn't seat us there because it was slightly cramped. By this time we were definitely ready for a glass of wine and ordered two glasses of Pinot from the small but diverse wine list.

Browsing the menu, we decided on the Calamari appetizer, which quickly arrived as a good sized pile of fried little rings with a light crunchy, delicious golden crust. I could SWEAR to this day, that halfway through the appetizer as our waitress was removing a few finished bread plates, she slyly picked up a piece of calamari and ate it. I must have been imagining things, but I'm 75% sure this really happened. If it did, it would be both awesome and appalling at the same time. Looking over at the table of four next to us, I saw three of them ordered the special of the night, risotto, and that each plate was practically licked clean. Is it really that good? After finishing both the appetizer and our glasses of wine, we ordered a nice bottle of Tuscan, the 2005 Brancaia Tre- a blend of Sangiovese, Cab, and Merlot. A perfect foil for the main courses we ordered- Risotto and a plate of Fettuccine Bolognese.

As we sat sipping our wine, the waitress came by and asked if we would like our main courses to start being cooked. This was an odd question I've never been asked from any restaurant. I figured once we finished the appetizer the only sensible thing to do would be to start on our main dishes. Maybe she thought we wanted to sit and enjoy some time in between the two but in my experience at any semi-fine dining establishment they try and pace out your meal, not ask you when you want things cooked. Very strange, but the wait was worth it, as I'm still haunted by the risotto to this day. I always hesitate to order risotto. How a busy restaurant can tend to the care, love and constant stirring essential to the dish is beyond me and I always find risotto to be either underdone, overdone, or just plain disappointing. At Cook however, the risotto was profound. There's a reason the diners next to us licked their plates clean. I felt like I was eating perfection and I didn't want it to end.

After that delicious meal I sat back full and satisfied and took the last sip of my Brancaia. Dessert would have been too much for us that night but judging from the way other diners were devouring their pastries and assorted cakes the desserts looked great as well. In the end if you're looking for a cozy atmosphere, great food and a well priced wine list, visit Cook on you next stay in the valley. Dinner for two including appetizer, main course, 2 glasses of wine and a bottle ran us $120. Not bad for dining in wine country.

Overall Grade: B

Dinner:
Appetizers: $6 – 11
Salads: $7 – 9
Pastas $13 – 16
Entrees: $18 – 22

Pros: Excellent Italian food with a creative twist. Good pricing.

Cons: Service could use improvement. Small restaurant.

Wine List: Fairly small with focus on California and Italian wines. Continued...

2000 Tommasi Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico

Amarone, one of Italy's treasured wines that has gained increasing popularity over the years is known for it's powerful, raisiny flavor and high alcohol content. To produce an Amarone wine is definitely a lengthly labor of love that takes quite some time. After the grapes are picked they are laid out on a straw mat and dried, resulting in a raisining of the grapes and concentrated sugars. Due to the time spent producing this wine it usually carries a hefty pricetag, up there with good Brunello and Barolo. Legend has it Amarone was originally created as a mistake. The story goes that cellar master Adelino Lucchese forgot about some Recioto that he had left in a fermentation barrel. When one of the Cantina's founders, Gaetano dall'Ora, tasted the wine, the sugar had been completely fermented, resulting in a much drier wine. In the wake of their "eureka" moment, they called the wine "Amarone Extra" (amarone, "very bitter," from the Italian amaro or "bitter"). The wine might be a bit of an aquired taste for some, but to sip a great glass of Amarone is truly one of lifes pleasures.

Tommasi is a family winery founded in 1902 by Giacomo Tommasi. Located in Pedemonte, in the heart of the historic Valpolicella Classico region the estate is run by the 4th generation of family operation, 6 members working together, each with his well defined area of responsibility. This wine is composed of the Corvina, Rodinella and Molinara grapes, aged for 3 years in oak before undergoing another year of aging in the bottle. Amarone is particulary a good pairing with gamey meats, and if I was to enjoy this with food I would pick something like a Venison stew, or enjoy it by itself. This bottle is drinking nicely now but in general most Amarone's from good vintages will benefit from at least 10 years in the cellar. I decanted this wine 2 hours before drinking.

Tasting Notes:
Deep garnet with a slight brown tint at the rim, the nose is a classic core of raisin with surrounding aromas of dried cherry, fig, some raspberry and shoe polish. In the mouth there are layers of flavor combining plum, cherry, tar, heavy raisin and a bit of old leather. Opens up nicely after decanting. Not the benchmark for Amarone but a good wine nonetheless.

Alcohol: 15%

Score: 89

Price: $65 Continued...