Bella Luce White Wine Blend 2010

Tasting Date: 6/6/2012

Varietal: Bella Luce White Wine Blend

Country: Sonoma, Calif.

Tasting Date Price: $16.99

Alcohol Content: 13.4%

Vineyard Website: click here

Visual Aspect: Straw

Nose: Bella Luce accomplishes this with delicious layers of peach, vanilla and floral aromas, and wisps of orange blossom, pear and lime.

Palate: Distinctive and round on the palate, Bella Luce’s flavors of cream, vanilla, citrus, and apple shine through.

Food Pairing: Bella Luce is a delicious and refreshing wine that is perfect as an apéritif, or with shellfish, light pasta dishes, and light appetizers.

Winery Notes: A blend of Chardonnay, Muscat Canelli, Semillon, Muscat Giallo, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Riesling

Grapes from our vineyards in Sonoma County combine to create this aromatic and refreshing wine. A mild growing season with a warm summer, void of heat spikes, allowed for even ripening of the grapes. Each varietal in this blend was individually picked at its optimum maturity and flavor profile, resulting in delicious, well-balanced grapes. Grapes were harvested during the beginning of September and completed in later October.

Individual lots of white wine grape varietals, including Chardonnay, Muscat Canelli, Semillon, Muscat Giallo, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, and Riesling, are gently pressed into stainless steel tanks for 48 hours of cold settling, and then racked to stainless steel tanks for a cold fermentation. The wine does not undergo malolactic fermentation in order to retain its bright flavors and crisp acidity. Bella Luce represents various lots of wine from multiple white varietals, all individually tasted to create the final blend.

Buena Vista Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Tasting Date: 6/6/2012

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Country: Sonoma, Calif.

Tasting Date Price: $15.99

Alcohol Content: 13.5

Vineyard Website: click here

Visual Aspect: Golden straw

Nose: Citrus peel such as lemon and lime, warm spiciness, green cardamom, anise, sweet hay and honeydew.

Palate: Lime peel and honeydew with nuances of warm spice.

Food Pairing: Grilled fish, grilled chicken

Winery Notes: Buena Vista Winery has a rich, delicious heritage as the first premium–and certainly the most colorful–of all of the wineries in California. And its founder, the self-proclaimed “Count of Buena Vista,” Agoston Haraszthy, was a vivacious and eccentric pioneer with a veritable love and unending commitment to California wine. Surrounded by his own tales of intrigue and political exile, The Count immigrated from Europe in 1840 in pursuit of opportunity and freedom in the burgeoning American West. Following the forty-niners in search of gold in the hills of Northern California, Haraszthy sought “purple gold”–the perfect ‘terroir’ for exceptional wine. He ultimately settled in Sonoma, birthplace of California and capital of the short-livedCalifornia Republic, where he founded Buena Vista Winery in 1857. A committed farmer, an experimental innovator and vintner, a respected author, a shrewd businessman–and a brilliant and incredibly zealous promoter, The Count is considered California’s most acclaimed and flamboyant

vinicultural pioneer and evangelist. Despite his abrupt death in 1869–in an alligator-infested river in the jungles of Nicaragua–and following the challenges of the depression, prohibition, and phylloxerainfestation-his beloved Buena Vista Winery has not only endured but also prospered. Boisset Family Estates–a family with a true love and respect for Buena Vista–is passionately committed to continue the imaginative vision and unrivaled legacy first created by The Count 150 years ago.

Buena Vista Chardonnay 2011

Tasting Date: 6/6/2012

Varietal: Buena Vista Chardonnay 2011

Country: Sonoma, Calif.

Tasting Date Price: $15.99

Alcohol Content: 13.5%

Vineyard Website: click here

Visual Aspect: Medium dark straw

Nose: Apple, pear, honeycomb, toasted almond.

Palate: Apple, pear, honeycomb, toasted almond.

Food Pairing: Chicken or seafood in a light cream sauce.

Winery Notes:

Buena Vista Historic Winery

Sonoma, CA 95476

http://www.buenavistawinery.com

18000 Old Winery Road

800.326.1266

Founded in 1857 as California’s first premium winery, Buena Vista Winery is a leader in cool-climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah. Buena Vista Winery crafts wines with remarkable depth, complexity and flavor – the true expression of Carneros.

With its roots so deeply ensconced inthe foundations of Sonoma where itas established in 1857, Buena Vista Winery is again introducing wines from Sonoma. The Sonoma wines include a diverse array of varietals that celebrate the diversityof Sonoma’s terroir and the contribution of Buena Vista to establishing the California. The 2011 Buena Vista Winery Sonoma Chardonnay comes from some of the finest vineyards in Sonoma. The diversity of Sonoma County’s landscape is what makes it so perfect for grape growing. The strong maritime influence results in cool nights, and days that rarely get too hot, contributing to layers of oceanic fog that creep into Sonoma’s interior valleys. The 2011 growing season experienced cooler than normal temperatures, allowing for slow and even ripening . This resulted in gradual development on the vine, leading to intense, concentrated flavors. This 2011 Sonoma Chardonnay is a medium-bodied wine with aromas of apple and pear and some toasted almond nuances. These flavors carry over to the palate with the addition of honeycomb on the tongue and subtle creaminess. It strikes the perfect balance of acidity and structure, making it the ideal companion to many of your favorite dishes.

Buena Vista Pinot Noir 2010

Tasting Date: 6/6/2012

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Country: Sonoma, CA

Tasting Date Price: $15.99

Rating: 89 WS

Alcohol Content: 13.5%

Vineyard Website: http://www.buenavistawinery.com/wines

Visual Aspect: Light red

Nose: Bright Bing cherry, fresh ground nutmeg and earthy wild mushroom

Palate: Intense bright blackberry and plum fruit with undertones of sweet mocha and clove

 

Food Pairing: Pairs beautifully with grilled rosemary pork tenderloin

Wine Description: With aromas of bright Bing cherry, fresh ground nutmeg and earthy wild mushroom. In the mouth the wine shows intense bright blackberry and plum fruit with undertones of sweet mocha and clove. This is a wine of depth with the long, supple finish.

Winemaker’s notes: None

Creme de Lys Chardonnay 2010

Tasting Date: 5/2/2012

Varietal: Chardonnay

Country: USA, Sonoma, California

Tasting Date Price: $11.99

Rating: NA

Alcohol Content: 13.5%

Vineyard Website: http://www.cremedelys.com/age_gateway

Visual Aspect: Pale yellow

Nose: baked apple and tropical fruit flavors, and a lengthy finish of toasted vanilla and lemon crème

Palate: toasted vanilla and lemon crème

Food Pairing: Cheese pizza; grilled salmon with butter sauce

Wine Description

Crème de Lys Chardonnay entices the drinker with aromas filled with lush tropical fruit, baked apple, toasty oak and crème brûlée notes.

Winemaker Notes:  Crème de Lys Chardonnay entices the drinker with aromas filled with lush tropical fruit, baked apple, toasty oak and crème brûlée notes. These aromas are echoed in the beautifully balanced flavors, with juicy pineapple, citrus and red apple expression adding liveliness to the textured palate. The Crème de Lys winemaker chose California vineyards that yield vibrant Chardonnay grapes, and then developed the wine’s rich, creamy style with barrel fermentation, malolactic fermentation and gentle stirring during sur lie aging. French oak added warm vanilla tones to the fruity aromas, silky flavors and lingering crème brûlée finish, making this wine the perfect reward at the end of your day

Rancho Zabaco Heritage Vines Zinfandel 2010

Tasting Date: 4/4/2012

Varietal: Zinfandel

Country: USA, California

Tasting Date Price: $12.74

Rating: 88 R. Parker

Alcohol Content: 14.7%

Vineyard Website:

http://www.ranchozabaco.com/wines/zinfandel/sonoma-heritage-vines-zinfandel.html

Visual Aspect: Black Cherry

Nose: Fruity and sweet

Palate: Berry fruit,spice with peper and earthy charcter

Food Pairing: All meats from barbeque pork ribs, leg of lamb or a big hearty meal.

Wine Description

Winemaker Notes Sonoma County Zin has to be the best in world. In ground for 150 yrs. “Heritage” includes entire history of winemaking in northern California & winemaker Eric Cinnamon is part of that heritage. Ripe flavs of blueberries, black cherry & spice. Hints of vanilla & toasted oak from aging regime.

Once the Zinfandel wine grapes were harvested, they were brought into the winery and were destemmed, but not crushed, resulting in 20%-30% whole berry fermentation. Partial whole berry fermentation minimizes the possibility of extracting harsh, bitter tannins from the grape skins and seeds, resulting in concentrated, fresh, and forward raspberry-like flavors in the finished wine. To add color and flavor concentration, the grapes were cold soaked for one day at 60°F, which was followed by four to six days of fermentation with maximum temperatures of 88°F. Five to seven days of skin contact contributed to a deep ruby color that visually hints at the ripe fruit flavors of the wine. After primary fermentation was complete, the wine underwent malolactic fermentation to soften the acids and tannins. The wine was aged on its lees to enhance the mouthfeel and then was filtered prior to bottling.

Tasting Profile

The 2008 vintage of Sonoma Heritage Vines delivers an abundance of black fruit and spice aromas, demonstrating the classic and distinctive characteristics of Zinfandel. The soft, plummy, and jammy flavors and textures make this wine not only approachable, but also versatile, allowing it to be paired with a wide range of foods.

 

B.R. Cohn Silver Label Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasting Date: 12/7/2011

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Country: Sonoma, CA

Tasting Date Price:

Rating: WS 88 2007

Alcohol Content: 13.9%

Vineyard Website: click here

Visual Aspect: Dark red

Nose:

Palate: full, rich flavors of berry, cassis and black cherry with hints of vanilla in the background.

Food Pairing:

Winery Notes: Blend:76.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.9% Merlot, 9.5% Cabernet Franc

Founded by Bruce Cohn in 1984, B.R. Cohn Winery is located in the heart of Sonoma Valley. Offers a full line of ultra-premium wines, extra virgin olive oils, handcrafted vinegars and gourmet food products

Bruce Cohn, founder and proprietor of B.R. Cohn Winery, has embraced a lifelong passion for Northern California’s wine country and its bounty. An equally strong passion for music led to a parallel career in the music industry as the manager for one of rock ‘n’ roll’s perennially favorite American bands, The Doobie Brothers. His down-to-earth attitude, focus and dedication have made both careers flourishing successes to this day.

Bruce’s roots in Sonoma County agriculture run deep. He became familiar with ranch and vineyard operations at an early age, when his family left Chicago for Sonoma’s Russian River Valley to open Northern California’s first grade-A goat dairy farm.

Bruce and his family live in the Sonoma Valley where he runs both the winery and his music business from the property. He has made the Olive Hill Estate Vineyard a true family wine estate.

Located in the heart of Sonoma Valley, just one hour north of San Francisco, B.R. Cohn Winery invites you to discover, experience and taste the many pleasures of our products.

Simi Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Tasting Date: 12/7/2011

Varietal: Simi Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Country: Sonoma CA

Tasting Date Price: $15.99

Rating:

Alcohol Content: 13.5%

Vineyard Website: click here

Visual Aspect: Brilliantly clear; light straw in color

Nose: Melon, lime zest, lemon grass, green apple, guava, muscat and apricot

Palate: Full fresh fruit ranging from bright citrus to lush tropical notes and finishing with lime zest and a slightly grassy note of green tea

Food Pairing: Simi Sauvignon Blanc pairs wonderfully well with gazpacho, raw oysters, and beet, orange and goat cheese salad.

Winery Notes: 95% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon

Simi Sauvignon Blanc is everything a wine made from this grape should be—filled with lively acidity and crisp, clean fruit flavors. A small amount of Sémillon is blended in to help develop richness on the palate.

The grapes for Simi’s Sauvignon Blanc represent the best of Sonoma County. The final blend is a reflection of fruit from prestigious vineyards throughout Sonoma County with climates vastly different from one another. Warmer climates produce tropical fruit and melon flavors, along with a silky texture. Cooler climates contribute grass, lime and mineral characteristics and a bright, zingy acid component.

Chateau St Jean Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Tasting Date: 4/6/2011

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Country: Sonoma Valley

Tasting Date Price: $24.99

Rating: WS 2006 88

Alcohol Content:

Vineyard Website: click here

Visual Aspect: Ruby red

Nose: The nose shows deep, dense and rich aromas of black fruits, anise and roasted coffee beans.

Palate: A big soft entry begins with chocolate covered cherries and blackberries that surround lush tannins and exotic floral notes. Savory spices mixed with cassis and sweet tobacco continue throughout a long finish.

Food Pairing:

Winery Notes: This is the finest Cabernet Sauvignon crafted at Chateau St. Jean, period. The wine is aged in oak for three years before receiving an additional year of bottle age and its release always comes with joyous anticipation from staff and customers alike. This wine is built for ageing and will benefit from five to fifteen additional years in the bottle.  A very impressive cellar selection for the serious collector.

Chateau St. Jean is located in the heart of the beautiful Sonoma Valley and offers a wide selection of vineyard-designated and reserve wines only available at the Chateau. Located one hour north of San Francisco. Open daily from 10am to 5pm.

Chateau St. Jean, with its gracious style, elegant architecture and inviting gardens and tasting rooms, is the quintessential Sonoma winery. The winemaking estate is located at the foot of Sugarloaf Ridge in the Sonoma Valley near Kenwood, California. Founded in 1973, Chateau St. Jean has long been recognized as a leader in Vineyard Designated wines. Winemaker Margo Van Staaveren uses her 30 years of vineyard and winemaking expertise with Chateau St. Jean to highlight the best of each vineyard in the wines.

Our founders brought together the finest vineyards, the best equipment and a highly-talented staff, creating wines that received immediate critical acclaim. “Only the finest” remains the winery’s credo. The winery was designed from the ground up to accommodate numerous lots of grapes and keep them separate throughout the winemaking process. Since fine wines and individual vineyards have been closely associated for centuries in Europe, the Chateau’s founders reasoned vineyard designation was equally valid in Sonoma County. Today, wines from each special vineyard are bottled and marketed separately with the vineyard name on the label. Chateau St. Jean offers vineyard-designated Chardonnays from the acclaimed Robert Young, Belle Terre and Durell Vineyards as well as a Pinot Noir from Durell Vineyard and Fumé Blanc from the La Petite étoile (“The Little Star”) Vineyard and Lyon Vineyard.

In 1999, Chateau St. Jean was the first Sonoma winery to be awarded the prestigious “Wine of the Year” award from the Wine Spectator Magazine for its 1996 Cinq Cépages Cabernet Sauvignon, a Bordeaux-style blend of “five varieties.” The winery received high acclaim again when it received the “#2 Wine of the Year” from Wine Spectator for its 1999 Cinq Cépages Cabernet Sauvignon.

In the summer of 2000, Chateau St. Jean winery opened the doors to its new Visitor Center and gardens. In keeping with the Chateau architecture and sense of place, the wine tasting and retail room is housed in an elegant garden structure surrounded on three sides by terraces and outdoor garden spaces. Each of these garden “rooms” offers intimate and unique areas for wine tasting, picnics and strolls. The statue of Jean, the winery’s namesake, stands in the main courtyard garden by the decorative fountain.

Visitors to Chateau St. Jean now enter a main courtyard surrounded by a lush garden. Inspiration for the garden was based on the classic estate gardens of the Mediterranean, as seen through the use of citrus-planted terracotta pots and the generous use of herbs and flowers. The winery has integrated existing site features and vistas into a landscape that is both relaxed and elegant to exemplify Sonoma wine country.

Pedroncelli Zinfandel Mother Clone 2008

Tasting Date: 4/6/2011

Varietal: Zinfandel Mother Clone 2008

Country: Sonoma, CA

Tasting Date Price: $15.99

Rating: WS 2008 88; WE 2008 84

Alcohol Content: 14.8%

Vineyard Website: click here

Visual Aspect: Dark red

Nose: Aromas of ripe raspberry and warm spice with jammy fruit fl avors framed by subtle black pepper.

Palate: Ripe and jammy, but nicely structured, with ripe cherry, licorice and roasted. herb flavors. 84 Delivers Zin’s briary, brambly wild berry flavors with the punch of high alcohol, which gives the wine a sweet, hot finish. You should know also that the tannins are hard.

Food Pairing: Rustic, but clean and drinkable with everyday fare.

Winery Notes:

Mother Clone Vineyard Sources: Pedroncelli’s historic Zinfandel vineyards are located on the hillsides surrounding the winery, on the ranch originally purchased by John Pedroncelli Sr. in 1927 and planted to Zinfandel since 1904. Our Zinfandel vines are head-pruned and hand picked. They were cloned from the original “Mother” vines…of which one quarter of an acre exist today and fruit from these 100-year-old vines is included in the blend. Along with the fruit from our estate vineyards, it has been a tradition to blend in the fruit from the Buchignani vineyard, another old vine (50 years old) vineyard.

Winemaking Our grapes are hand-picked with scrupulous attention paid to harvesting the fruit at the optimum time in order to achieve the right balance of ripeness and acidity. From one of our cooler harvest seasons, the grapes were brought in the last two weeks of September and were fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The cellar crew performed daily pumpovers—extracting color and fl avor from the skins. Once fermented, the wine was aged in American oak barrels for 12 months. A touch of Petite Sirah adds additional color, structure, and tannin to our Zinfandel.