Tangley Oaks Merlot 2009, Napa Valley, CA

Tasting date:             February 06, 2013

Varietal:                     Merlot

Country:                     USA, Napa CA

Tasting Date Price:  $14.99

Rating:                       N/A

Alcohol Content:      13.9%

Vineyard Website:   http://www.tangleyoakswine.com/

Visual Aspect:          Medium garnet

Nose:                       Plums, dark cherry and hints of chocolate

 

Palate:              Bright forward crushed red and black fruit with good structure, underlying cran-blueberry juice and tasty sweetish spice box

Food Pairing:    Steaks & roasts, pastas with red sauce

The wines of Tangley Oaks symbolize the majesty of California’s native oak trees. Much like these grand trees, the grape varietals selected for Tangley Oaks wines represent the enduring legacy of California winemaking. With respect to this rich tradition, each appellation and grape varietal have been carefully selected to best represent the quality of Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley and the Central Coast. Just as these appellations have been carefully selected and cultivated by the great wine masters, it only follows that Tangley Oaks winemakers are as particular when selecting the lots for each bottle.

These lot numbers are printed on the bottles of Tangley Oaks wines, and are a testament to the true expression of the grape varietal, the vintage and the appellation. In short, they indicate the wine is the very best of the vintage. During the winemaking process, Tangley Oaks winemakers follow all the time-honored methods until they reach a critical point. This is when the Tangley Oaks winemakers must select the lots — representing the absolute best parcels from the vineyards that are worthy of bottling.

 

Each member of the Tangley Oaks winemaking team tastes through each lot, carefully assessing the fruit, balance and tannins. This process is repeated for every varietal. Only when the winemaking team fully agrees on the one lot that best represents the varietal, appellation and vintage is the lot number chosen. This is the only way to select the best quality wines for the most discriminating palates.

MontGras Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2009

Tasting Date: 10/3/2012

Varietal: MontGras Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Country: Chili

Tasting Date Price: $11.99

Rating: WS 2010 87

Alcohol Content: 13.0%

Vineyard Website: click here

Visual Aspect: Pale straw yellow

Nose: Lemon, lime notes, fresh herbs and animal touches.

Palate: Fresh and citric, full of nerves and life.Vibrant lemon, lime and pink grapefruit, touches of grass. Everything in good intensity and balance.

Food Pairing: Very light foods. Grilled fish or chicken.

Winery Notes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc, vines 14 years old. Only used stainless not oak casks. Grapes selected and handpicked between the 18th of February and the 13th of March 2009.

The Montgras Winery, located in the heart of Colchagua in Central Valley, was born of its founders’ shared dream to create a new definition for quality Chilean winemaking. The green tones and design of our Sauvignon Blanc label depict the abundant rainforests of southern Chile along the millenary Araucaria tree.

 

Mario Batali Pinot Grigio 2009

Tasting Date: 10/3/2012

Varietal: Pinot Grigio

Country: Collio, Italy

Tasting Date Price: $13.99

Rating:

Alcohol Content: 13.0%

Vineyard Website: click here

Visual Aspect: Rich color with copper hue

Nose: Floral nose with lively acidity

Palate: Pears and apricots with silky finish

Food Pairing: Grilled chicken or fish

Winery Notes:

Collio is located in Friuli Venezia Giulia and is considered to be on of the finest white wine regions of Italy. Collio is a small, crescent-shaped area of land blessed with southern exposure, hilly terrain and rocky soil composed of a combination of sandstone and limestone. The warm Adriatic summer days and cool Alpine evening air help create a white wine with lively acidity and memorable flavor.

Mario Batali Selection Pinot Grigio has a rich color with a copper hue and a wonderful floral nose. On the palate, one can sense the fresh pears and apricots with a silky finish. This is a benchmark for Pinot Grigio and a perfect example of what has made this

 

Pesquera Tinto 2009 Spain 100% Tempranillo

Tasting:          Date: October 03, 2012

Varietal:         Tempranillo

Country:         Spain

Tasting Date Price:  $31.99

Rating:  91 Int’l. WC / 91 WA

Alcohol Content:  14%

Vineyard Website:   http:: www.pesqueraafernandez.com

Visual Aspect: Deep bright violet

Nose:  Blackberry, cherry vanilla & licorice

Palate:  Deep, sweet and pliant, finishes velvety and long, with fine-grained tannins, repeating notes of licorice and impressive clarity.

Food Pairing:  Pair this classic-styled wine with one of my favorite Old-World dishes, beef bourguignon

 Winery Notes: In 1999 Alejandro Fernandez discovered a parcel of old, head-pruned Tempranillo in the historic windmill village of Campo de Criptana in La Mancha . Unmistakable ‘Pesquera bouquet. Dark ruby-colored exhibits an inviting nose of cedar, spice box, mineral, violets, & blackberry, followed by a ripe, racy, nicely proportioned w/ excellent concentration & length. Give it 2-3 years to fully blossom & drink from 2013 to 2023.

Viticulture:    Tempranillo, a very important red grape varietal that’s native to Northern Spain, grown across the north and central regions of the country. Low in acid and alcohol, with subtle strawberry, leather and tobacco notes, the grape responds well to oak aging and plays particularly well with others. Tempranillo is an important component, when combined with Garnacha, Mazuelo, Viura and Graciano, of Rioja, with the best examples coming for the cooler, higher-elevation regions like Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. It is also grown in significant quantities in the Ribera del Duero where it is called Tinto Fino and Penèdes where it is called Ull de Llebre o Ojo de Llebre. Tempranillo hasn’t gained a particularly strong foothold outside of Spain, achieving some success under the name Tinto Roriz in Portugal. There it is used as a component of Port and in the table wines of the Ribera del Duero and the Dão.

Winemaker’s Comments: 100% Tempranillo from gravel benchland and calcareous clay meseta (high elevation) vineyards between 20 and 40 years of age. An elegant middleweight vintage with pure fruit expression and minerality, good length and excellent structure for aging. Unmistakable ‘Pesquera bouquet.’

J. Lohr Los Osos Merlot (Paso Robles) Central Coast, CA 2009

Tasting:          Date: September 05, 2012

Varietal:         Merlot

Country:         USA, CA

Tasting Date Price:  $16.99

Rating:  WE 87

Alcohol Content:  13.9%

Vineyard Website:  http://www.jlohr.com/

Visual Aspect:  Plum red

Nose:  Blueberry, raspberry & violet

 

Palate:  dried cherries with a bouquet of vanilla, caramel & toasted oak

Food Pairing:  The heartiest beef, lamb or wild game dishes; cheese tortellini, crab bisque or herb roasted chicken.

WE 2008 87 Good price for a Merlot this tasty. It’s softly tannic & juicy, rich & fat in black cherry pie, bacon & toast flavors. A versatile full-bodied red wine for drinking now.

Wine Notes: Traditionally, we harvest our estate-grown Merlot grapes across a range of sugar ripeness. The early picks usually capture the classic varietal definition of Merlot, while the fruit harvested later adds depth and intensity to the wine. Clone and rootstock combinations, along with variations in soil, add complexity to our Los Osos Merlot, as does the introduction of recently planted Italian clones. We grow our Merlot grapes in Nacimiento-Los Osos, Arbuckle-San Ysidro and Arbuckle- Positas complex soils in our vineyards in Paso Robles, where these well drained but relatively poor soils have chalky or gravelly components.

Vilification: Fermentation: Whole berry fermentation in stainless steel tanks Malolactic: 100% malolactic Maturation: 12 months in barrel Alcohol: 13.9% by volume Cellaring: Delicious now, but has the structure to age up to 5 years.

Winemaker’s Comments: The 2009 J. Lohr Estates Los Osos Merlot has a mature red color with a raspberry hue. Black cherry and pomegranate aromas are accentuated by the high fraction of Malbec in this year’s blend. The toasty oak signature is reminiscent of hazelnut and dark chocolate. This soft red wine has a fine texture on the palate and finishes with a bright Rainier cherry fruit signature. —Steve Peck, red winemaker

J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) Central Coast, CA 2009

Tasting:          Date: September 05, 2012

Varietal:         Cabernet Sauvignon

Country:         USA, CA

Tasting Date Price:  $11.99

Rating:  WE 86

Alcohol Content:  13.5%

Vineyard Website:  http://www.jlohr.com/

Visual Aspect: Deep purple

Nose:  Oak & cedar with cherry & spice

Palate:  Blackberry with a hint of coffee

Food Pairing:  Steaks, tomato based pastas

J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) Central Coast, CA

Winery notes: Set apart by unique climate and geography, Paso Robles Wine Country provides prime growing conditions for more than 40 varietals planted over 26,000 acres of vineyards. More than 170 wineries craft this fruit into premium wines, gaining recognition around the world. The fruit, the wines and the distinct environment have quickly made Paso Robles California’s third largest and fastest growing wine region.

The Central Coast of California is producing excellent wines. In San Luis Obispo County the climate for the most part is cool, influenced by the cool ocean breezes of the Pacific Ocean. But the largest AVA in San Luis Obispo County, Paso Robles is cut off from the cool ocean breezes by the mountain range to the west, and is too far inland to be cooled off by ocean fogs. As a result, Paso Robles AVA is the hottest region in Central Coast, and is known for their Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.
The J. Lohr Estates 2008 Seven Oaks Cab has a deep ruby purple color to it, and on the nose were aromas of blackberries, black plums, currants, and a hint of spice. On the palate were flavors of blackberries, plums, prunes, wood, and tar. This is a nice wine, with good tannins, a mid-to-long finish, and is reasonably priced.

Winemakers Notes:  A buoyant red-purple color with bright hues. Generous aromas of black cherry, black currant and plum fruit, complemented by vanilla, tar and toasty notes from the twelve to fourteen months in barrel. On the palate, the fruit flavors echo the aroma, complexed with blackberry and a plump, softly texture mouthfeel and finish.  Jeff Meier, winemaker

Vintage Notes: The 2008 growing season presented significant challenges to California winegrowers. Spring and autumn frosts–coupled with heat spikes, which impacted flowering and maturation–claimed much of the prized crop. Yields were at half of normal levels in the Paso Robles AVA, depending on variety, microclimate and cultural practices. This was the second consecutive vintage of drought, which limited vine growth and reduced cluster and berry size. The silver lining, of course, is that the reduced berry size made for high extract, intensely flavored Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The quality of the 2008 vintage is apparent in the wine’s density and strong regional expression of black cherry and blackberry fruit, with melted, dark chocolate tannin flavors

Vineyard Notes: The predominant fruit for our J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon comes from estate vineyards located directly opposite our J. Lohr Paso Robles Wine Center. The Seven Oaks vineyard was originally planted on its own rootstock, utilizing some of the original plantings from indigenous Estrella clones. The soils in our Paso Robles vineyards vary from gravelly clay loam to limestone-based soils over a relatively small parcel of land, and various rootstock and clonal combinations have been used to maximize the expression of each individual site. The different soil types and planting combinations add to and complement the palate of the Seven Oaks Cabernet and the other red varietals we produce–including Petit Verdot and Merlot–to add balance and weight to the wine.

Tasting Notes:  Generous aromas of black cherry, currant and plum fruit, complemented by vanilla, and toasty oak notes. A complex wine with a plump, soft textured mouthfeel and long finish. Highly complementary to a wide range of foods. Try it with tomato based pasta or a London Broil

Tangley Oaks Merlot Napa, CA 2009

Tasting Date:            August 01, 2012

Varietal:                     Merlot

Country:                     Napa, CA

Tasting Date Price:  $14.99

Rating:  WS 88

Alcohol Content: 13.9%

Vineyard Website:  http://www.tangleyoakswine.com/

Visual Aspect:  A medium shade of garnet

Nose:  plums, dark cherries, chocolate and savory herbs with notes of espresso and cassis

Palate:  Silky tannins and a lingering finish of red currant

Food Pairing:  grilled meats and game

Winery Notes:  NA

Winemaking:  Medium garnet. Rich plums, dark cherries, chocolate and savory herbs. Lush plums and cherry fruit with undertones of mocha.

Wild Rock Cupids Arrow Pinot Noir Central Otago, New Zealand 2009

Tasting Date:            August 01, 2012

Varietal:                     Pinot Noir

Country:                     New Zealand, Central Otago

Tasting Date Price:  $12.99

Rating:  WE 86

Alcohol Content: 14.5

Vineyard Website:  http://www.wildrockwine.co.nz/

Visual Aspect:  Limpid garnet color with crimson hues

Nose:  Lifted cherry and raspberry fruits mesh with wild thyme, gun-smoke, and cinnamon notes

Palate:  silky tannins that envelop the ripe fruit and provide the texture for a long, complex finish Food Pairing:  Great by itself or try serving this wine with light, creamy pastas, chicken in brown mushroom sauce or seasonal fruit desserts like pineapple upside-down cake. Serve well chilled on the table and allow to warm in your glass for optimal enjoyment of aromas and flavor

Food Pairing:  Duck or lamb dishes

Winemaking:  Harvest Data Brix 24.1 average

Hand Harvested 30%

Winemaking Whole Bunch 10%

Destemmed 90%

Fermentation Vessel Stainless steel cuves

Barrel Type French oak barriques

New Barrel % 20%

Maturation 14 months

Fining Yes

Filtration Yes

Bottled Sep-10

Wine Analysis Alcohol 14.4% Residual Sugar Dry

PH 3.70 Acidity 5.9g/l

Tangley Oaks Merlot Napa

Tasting Date:                        August 01, 2012

Varietal:                     Merlot

Country:                     Napa, CA

Tasting Date Price:  $14.99

Rating:  WS 88

Alcohol Content: 13.9%

Vineyard Website:  http://www.tangleyoakswine.com/

 Visual Aspect:  A medium shade of garnet

Nose:  plums, dark cherries, chocolate and savory herbs with notes of espresso and cassis

Palate:  Silky tannins and a lingering finish of red currant

Food Pairing:  grilled meats and game

Medium garnet. Rich plums, dark cherries, chocolate and savory herbs. Lush plums and cherry fruit with undertones of mocha.

 

St Hallett “Faith” Shiraz Barossa, 2009

Tasting Date:  July 05, 2012

Varietal:  Shiraz

Country:  South Australia

Tasting Date Price:  $19.99

Rating:  WS 87

Alcohol Content:  14.5%

Vineyard Website:  http://www.sthallett.com.au/

Visual Aspect:  Deep red w/ magenta hues

Nose:  A vibrant nose of dark cherry & raspberry, w/ underlying spices & chocolate

Palate:  A silky, textural sensation of smooth tannins follows w/ chocolate & black forest fruit persistence

Food Pairing:  Enjoy on its own, or serve with pizza, pasta, & red meats.

Winery Notes:  100 % Shiraz, deep red w/ magenta hues. A vibrant nose of dark cherry & raspberry, w/ underlying spices & chocolate. Depth & juicy character this wine exhibits is the essential hallmark of the vintage. The enticing dark cherry & juicy raspberry notes from the nose continue onto the palate. A silky, textural sensation of smooth tannins follows w/ chocolate & black forest fruit persistence.  The fruit is harvested during the warmth of the day, immediately crushed into SS fermenters and inoculated with a neutral yeast strain.

Maturation occurs in a combination of new, one, two and three year old French & American oak barrel for 12-16 months.

Viticulture: We all enjoy a relaxing and informative cellar door experience, where we can learn about the great selection of fine Barossa Shiraz wines available. The Barossa Valley region is synonymous with producing big, bold and vibrant Barossa Shiraz wines, and it is not just locally or nationally that these wines are appreciated. The international market eagerly awaits each year to experience what new and exciting Barossa Shiraz wines will be released.

Casa Silva Carmenère Reserva 2009

Tasting Date:             July 05, 2012

Varietal:                     Carmenère

Country:                     Chile, Colchagua Valley

Tasting Date Price:    $12.99

Rating:                        WA 90 /WS 82/ WE 87

Alcohol Content: 14%

Vineyard Website:  http://www.wine.com/V6/Casa-Silva-Reserva-Carmenere-2009/wine/108362/detail.aspx

 

 

Visual Aspect:  Black purple

Nose: Complex nose of balsamic, herbs, spice box, blueberry; easy-going, no hard edges

Palate:  Bright across the palate, w/ herbal plum, wild berry, olive & chocolaty flavors

Food Pairing:  Teriyaki beef, Lambs, fettuccine carbonara, steaks & aged cheese

Winery Notes:  Casa Silva Carmenère Reserva is a beautiful expression of the Carmenère grape that is now flourishing in South America. Vina Casa Silva was founded in 1892 by French wine pioneer Emilio Bouchon and is owned today by Mario Silva, the fifth generation of winemakers. Many of the vines are more than 90 years old, carried over from Bordeaux pre-phylloxera. After decades of selling its juice to bulk wineries, Casa Silva began a bold estate bottling initiative in 1997, establishing the winery as a leader of the new generation of premium wine producers. It was named Best South American Producer at the 2000 International Wine & Spirits Competition in London. In the words of Jay Miller of the Wine Advocate, “Casa Silva is producing some of the best Carmenère in Chile.” This new 2009 vintage just received a 90-point rating! It is without a doubt a Chilean wine gem.

Casa Silva Carmenère Reserva is deep red/purple in color with complex aromas of blackberries, plums, chocolate, toffee, white pepper and spice. Made from 88% Los Lingues and 12% Lolol fruit, this big red is full in body, powerful yet elegant. On the palate, it is round and mouth-filling with sweet tannins and a gorgeous balance between fruit and French oak. Aged 50% in French oak for 7 months. Hand-harvested and sorted. On the finish, it is long and rich.

Enjoy Casa Silva Carmenère Reserva over the next 5-7 years with roast beef, steak, meat empanadas and aged cheeses.

Viticulture:  Often called the lost grape of Bordeaux.  Until the phylloxera vine louse destroyed French vineyards in the 1890′s, Carmenère was–along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot–used to make Bordeaux’s world-famous red wines. When the phylloxera problem was eventually resolved, the devastated vineyards were replanted with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, but not Carmenère, which was less productive and more vulnerable in that northerly area.

No one remembered – or knew – that in the second half of the 19^th century, it had been brought to the phylloxera-free Chile and had continued to grow there. Often being planted and propagated in with Merlot, it was rapidly lost of sight and forgotten. Carmenère therefore came to be looked on simply as a “late Merlot”. However, the shoots are a different color, the clusters are darker and ripen later than all the other red grapes, and in autumn, its leaves turn a bright flaming red.

It was only in 1994 that a French expert, together with Universidad Católica de Chile, was able to identify Carmenère definitively in Chile. This re-discovery was an exceptional opportunity for Chilean winemakers and today’s plantations arise more than 7000 hectares. The lost grape of Bordeaux is now correctly being vented as a stand-alone variety and it seems that has found its promised land as Chile’s long season is ideal for its late ripening.