Month: July 2021
2014 Blackbird Vineyards Contrarian
This wine has always been a favorite with the percentages of grape varietals changing yearly under the watchful eye of their winemaking team lead by Aaron Potts. Blackbird Vineyards prides their care of the vineyards from vines to bottle with every detail measured and weighed to produce an excellent Right Bank wine style to be enjoyed. Just some of the details of their processes:
* Premium vineyard management – Renteria Vineyard Management for precise agricultural development.
* Sustainable farming – Blackbird Vineyards seldom uses commercial pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilizers. All organic materials from farming and harvest are returned and put back into the soils as compost. The vineyard has a permanent cover crop of native grasses, flowers and legumes planted as ground cover between the rows of vines.
* Rigorous grape selection – in some cases, Blackbird Vineyards winemaking team will double or triple sort their fruit for top and exclusive quality.
* Indigenous yeasts – this means Blackbird wines are made with less interventionist techniques since the vineyard’s native yeast starts the fermentation process naturally.
* The list goes on with blending process, detailed barrel selections, toasting requirements, etc.
Tasting can be arranged at RiverHouse, their downtown Napa hospitality facility.
Pulled out of the cellar last night a 2014 Blackbird Vineyards Contrarian, a red blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 13% Merlot. Immediately the dark ruby and purple coloration and heavy viscosity resonated on my eyes. The nose was an aromatic mixture of intense black and red fruit with blackberry leading the charge. On the palate, mocha and vanilla with hint of “pencil shavings” gently coated the mouth. The finish was smooth with soft velvety tannins and structure which endured a long time. The retail price is currently listed as $180. Today the 2017 is available at $135 from the winery and its ability to age will only make this wine better! Wine rating is 95 points.
Paired last evening with a filet mignon, seared on the BBQ to a beautiful medium rare presentation.
Truly one of the “keeper bottles” for any wine cellar.
Sláinte,
Michael
St. Rose Winery 2014 Pinot Noir – A Small Winery With A Big Wine
Went to the cellar to find a wine to take to dinner at a friend’s house. Found a gem from about four years ago! St Rose Vineyards and Winery is unique in many ways, from being the smallest bonded winery in Sonoma Valley to having two of the more talented & personable owners. Yet being as small as they are, they received 93 points from Wine Enthusiast for their 2014 Pinot Noir. Most of their grapes are sold to wineries with the designated Nunes Vineyard being noted. For a complete story on Fred & Wendy Nunes and their meandering journey into the wine business see a previously published story at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2016/03/17/st-rose-winery/
This 2014 Ten Block Pinot Noir on the eyes is a deep violet and medium heavy viscosity. On the nose, violets, Rose petals red berries, strawberries and cherry. On the palate, vanilla, nutmeg, strawberry abound with baking spices and a tinge of French oak. The finish is excellent producing a smooth, textual and long lasting experience. Only 51 cases produced! Last night paired with a pork loin roast with fresh garden salad and mashed potatoes. With only a bottle remaining in the cellar, I will be ordering more as this is an elegantly refined, complex and quintessential Pinot Noir.
Slainte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
https://www.nunesvineyard.com/saintrosewinery/
Tenbrink 2018 Chardonnay Continues To Be A Great Wine
This story originally published in 2018 and it still rings true two nights ago. 2018 Tenbrink Chardonnay from Suisun Valley. Ever pick up a bottle of wine that tasted really good at the winery but a week or later, you taste it and it doesn’t seem as good!! While this is just the opposite!! Knowing full well of the San Francisco Bay fog streaming up into Suisun Valley, this wine was an immediate hit at the winery. I rated it on the nose alone. I can’t recall giving a “score” to wine before and then only on the nose! As I sipped the wine was inspirational. The pale straw coloring provided an array of honeysuckle, pear and apple on nose and later on the palate. It had a touch of citrus on the finish was clearly going to be a winner! This evening opening it open it still surpassed my high expectations set at the winery two years ago! For sure it will be on my List of Top Wines of 2021. To show my support for this wine, I immediately purchased six bottles when I was at the winery and will have to reorder soon. A tremendous bargain now at $32 retail price for the 2020 release. Looking forward to trying it!
See a previously written stories on all their wines at:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2020/01/09/tenbrink-vineyards-and-tolenas-winery-a-family-story/
Slainte,
Michael
2019 Acquiesce Bourboulenc May Be Hard to Pronounce, But Very Easy to Drink!
What is Bourboulenc?
This varietal comes from southern France, primarily the Languedoc and Provence appellations. Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards claim to be the first winery to release this fascinating and somewhat obscure varietal in the USA. The variety first mentioned in literature goes back to the 16th Century. While the grape is known to be native to Provence, Bourboulenc has a Greek origin where it was known as Asprokondoura. Bourboulenc is often used in blending with Grenache Blanc and Clairette. Bourboulenc is a white wine giving off intense floral aromatics, with a tremendous mouthful feeling of citrus, smoky and soft spicy notes forming a complex finish.
Acquiesce Winery
There is so much to state about Susan Tipton, owner and winemaker of Acquiesce Winery. The key takeaway is that she established her winery in Acampo (just north of Lodi) with the expressed purpose of bringing French white wine varieties to market. Lodi had been primarily known for red wines, but she turned heads with some of her unique wines such as Picpoul, Clairette Blanche, Ingénue (blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Bourboulenc & Picpoul), Roussanne and more. Here are some reviews of her wines and impact:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2020/09/20/2018-acquiesce-vineyards-picpoul-blanc/
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2020/08/30/2018-acquiesce-ingenue-french-and-more-french/
The Wine – 2019 Bourboulenc
The first thing you notice is the golden color in the glass, and the wine possesses a medium heavy viscosity. Intriguing and frankly startling, was the bouquet of aromatics. On the nose were diverse and numerous floral notes. Over temperature they range from stone fruit, almond, pineapple, honeysuckle, orange blossoms, tropical fruits and stone fruits. Once in the palate, they engulf and dance amusingly in the mouth. All these flavors came forward to introduce themselves and left you with a rich textured enchanted mouth feel with sufficient acidity. The finish provides a polarizing effect of softness and minerality at the same time.
The Food and Wine Pairing
Last evening pulled out of the cellar the 2019 Bourboulenc as I was able to pick up fresh swordfish. With any “flakey” seafood, this an excellent wine! Cooked with olive oil, white wine, minced garlic, wasabi and ginger. Accompanied with a baked potato. I rated the 2019 Acquiesce Bourboulenc highly and can tell you it has made the Best Wines of Year for 2021 as it did also in 2020.
Sláinte,
Michael
Outpost Wines, 2010 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
When is being “out”, in? When you enjoying Outpost wines of course! Pulled this out of the cellar this week to be enjoyed with family. I became acquainted with Outpost Wines over 14 years ago and knew immediately they were on a path to destiny. Outpost is located near the top of Howell Mountain at 2,200 feet elevation.
The Winery
The owners Frank and Kathy Dotzler, started Outpost in 1998 on this sloped hillside comprising 28 acres. What they have accomplished with their Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Grenache, etc., is nothing short of remarkable. With Thomas Rivers Brown at the helm of the winemaking, the wines continue to garner acclaim. Dry farming and being totally organic are the mantra at Outpost. Outpost was sold to AXA Millésimes, the wine division of the French insurance giant on July 23, 2018. I have not been there since they sold the winery.
Going back to their 2009 Cabernets, some of the ratings were in the “93 range“. Even then the potential of their Cabernet Sauvignon was ready to blossom. On their 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon True they received a score of 99 points from Parker. This vintage was aged in 90% new French oak and only 250 cases were produced. The “step-sister” Cabernet Sauvignon Estate was rated 95+. In a more recent vintage they received a 100 point score!
I had spent some time with Frank previously discussing their Grenache and whole stem clustering soaking which produced a wonderful spicy and peppery bouquet. I am now a “major advocate” of whole cluster soakings! The Zinfandel is a hearty and mouthful Zin. They produce around 1,100 cases a year and is a force to be reckoned. Both their True Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache have consistently made my Top Wines of the Year since 2015.
On property they produce other wines and would encourage a visit. Not only are the views spectacular, the hospitality will astound you. The tasting room can be both inside and outside, pending weather conditions.
The 2010 Outpost Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
The wine on the eyes was a deep brick red with a medium heavy viscosity. Blueberry, pepper and fresh violets on the nose. On the palate, it burst forth with vanilla pipe tobacco, licorice and both blue and black fruits. The tannins have soften and Howell Mountain minerality lingers on the finish. Parker may years ago called their pricing, the “least ego driven” in Napa Valley—a rarity in today’s fine wine market. That said this 2010 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon retails today for $210 to $225 in a recent search.
Sláinte,
Michael
2019 Cuda Ridge Carménère to be released July 15th – a Spectacular Wine!
Before talking about the wine, here is a quick overview / refresher on the history of Carménère:
History of Carménère
The history of the Carménère varietal is as fascinating as it is happenstance! It was once one of the grapes in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. It served a similar purpose as Petit Verdot does today – producing a deep red ink on wines. It was one of the original six red grapes of Bordeaux. Carménère originates from the French word for crimson (carmin) which refers to the crimson color of the autumn foliage.
When the Phylloxera plague hit in 1867 destroying most of the vineyards in Europe, many thought the Carménère grape was extinct. It wasn’t until 150 years later that it was discovered that Chile had preserved the Carménère grape thinking it was Merlot (from clippings planted from France). DNA confirmed that it was the missing 6th varietal of Bordeaux.
Carménère Today
Carménère grows mainly in Chile, specifically the Colchagua Valley, Rapel Valley and in the Maipo Province. It is also grown in the Veneto region of Italy, and recently several wineries in Mendocino, Livermore, Lodi, Napa and Calaveras are producing it, albeit in small quantities. Walla Walla also has some root stock growing in Carménère.
Uniqueness of Carménère
As a varietal, it has the deep ruby coloring and aromas of red fruits. Tannins are softer and milder than Cabernet Sauvignon, thus its use in blending to soften a strong Cabernet. The use is similar to the use of Merlot in formulating an enjoyable blend. Chile produces a 100% Carménère which has a cherry and fruity flavor but has traces of smoke and earthy notes with the inky coloration.
The 2019 Cuda Ridge Carménère
One of the solid and simple marketing ideas that Larry devised is his coloring scheme: White label for his Reserve wines, Black label for his non-Bordeaux wines and Purple label for his Bordeaux varietals. Obviously the Carménère falls in his Purple label.
This wine lived up to and exceeded some of the key characteristics of Carménère. On the eyes, a medium-heavy viscosity wine with a unique inviting deep purple coloration. On the nose, ripe Bing cherries greeted the senses. The palate is where this wine excelled. First the bright cherry taste was intense and concentrated. Plums and dark fruits then came forth with a hint of soft dry and wet earthen tones (minerality and forest floor) with black tea in the background. The earthen notes are generally found in Chilean Carménère but not found too often in California. The finish was long lasting with mocha and pepper finishing off the enjoyment. The wine is aged in French oak barrels (100%) for 18 months. This wine immediately after tasting made my “Best Wines” tasted in 2021 (full list published in December). It was still a bit “tight” but will last 5-10 years in the cellar.
Larry Dino owner and winemaker for Cuda Ridge Wines now has all six modern Bordeaux varietals available at the tasting room. The Carménère is the first locally produced wine varietal in the Livermore AVA. This second release is larger than the first year but will be flying out the door. Inquire at the winery for availability.
His Carménère will surely garner many awards in the upcoming wine competitions. The wine lists for $50. Truly a good price point given the uniqueness and scarcity of Carménère plantings in California and the only current Livermore grown Carménère being offered.
The Food and Wine Pairing
Carménère is a wine that pairs well with roasted meats, barbequed ribs, rack of lamb, bacon encrusted meats, curry seasoned meat dishes, pork asado, chicken mole, beef brisket and many more. This evening a 24 hour marinated tri-tip beef, seared on the BBQ and served medium rare. Accompanied with cheesy potatoes, garlic French bread and a fresh Caesar salad. Such an enjoyable and satisfying pairing. This wine was exceptional and worthy of any cellar!
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
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