Monthly Archives: July 2016

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2013 Bela’s Selection Pinot Noir, Buena Vista Winery

The dog days are here, baby, and you have to choose your beverages carefully to beat the heat. This weekend called for a treat–something memorable to the brain and taste buds alike–and standing out from some excellent options was the 2013 Bela’s Selection Pinot Noir, produced by Buena Vista Winery.

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2013 Bela’s Selection Pinot Noir, Buena Vista Winery, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California, USA.

If you’re new to Notes, understand that Buena Vista is one of the oldest wineries in all of California, and they make a helluva Pinot Noir. Sonoma’s Russian River Valley has a nearly perfect climate for these grapes, and the team at Buena Vista has had plenty of practice refining their approach. The 2013 Bela’s Selection Pinot Noir accompanied grilled steak, accented with seasoning salt and fresh crushed black pepper, both in ample supply, and sides of mixed salad greens (also peppered) and fresh broccoli.

The wine is headsy stuff. Another Russian River Pinot has graced these pages in the recent past and, while good, it cannot measure up to the Buena Vista. This one is not thin, and it’s not weak. It has some substance to it, definitely more blackberry in the works here and less strawberry or vanilla. It pours dark…not Cabernet dark, mind you, but not transparent either. The 2013 Bela is lip-licking delicious, and it is so mild in its finish–an important requisite as the temperatures here have soured all day long.

Quotes the winemaker, “This Pinot Noir displays dark fruit and sandalwood in the glass while each sip delivers layer after layer of complex flavors. Cranberry and cassis layered with blackberry contribute to this penetrating Pinot Noir’s rich, spreading finish.”

Buena Vista only produced 800 cases of this gem, and specifically I’m describing bottle #7074 this evening. It rocked, and I am very grateful to have had the pleasure. Hoping you do too sometime soon. Enjoy…

 

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2001 Bordeaux, Chateau Mongravey

Out for family dinner at J & K Steakhouse and we’re celebrating the occasion with a special bottle–a 2001 Bordeaux from Chateau Mongravey. I met my brother-from-another-mother, his wife, and their amazingly well-behaved son (who’s about nine months old but looks twice that). His father brought out this Bordeaux as a treat for us all, and his great call was our collective benefit.

2001 Bordeaux, Chateau Mongravey, Margaux, France

2001 Bordeaux, Chateau Mongravey, Margaux, France

I’m not sure how long the bottle was stored but was glad to enjoy it with dear friends tonight. The waiter almost struggled with the cork and I wondered how many 15-year-old bottles he wrestles in a given week. He didn’t react to the vintage or region but I promise you my eyebrow was raised and I was excited to sample it for sure. The baby looked on as we partook of the grapes, and from this evening I’ll always remember Patrick rotating in his highchair like some toddler’s version of Linda Blair.

And the eats? I started with blue iceberg salad and snickered at the balls of the restaurant to charge $9 for lettuce. Granted, it was cut in some interesting way and covered with red onion, bacon, and blue cheese–all favorites–but it’s still just kicked-up lettuce. I also forked up some of the delicious Brussel sprouts and my entrée, a 14-ounce New York strip steak that was cooked just as ordered. It was good, but honestly the highlight was the company and the 2001 Chateau Mongravey.

I haven’t had a Bordeaux since April, and that bottle was a far cry from this Haut-Medoc gem. The Mongravey was fragrant, and had far less of a Cabernet Franc or Sauvignon bite to it, even without any time to breathe. The 2001 Chateau Mongravey had far more blueberry notes than strawberry or cherry, and it had just a whiff of leather to it. Not quite an earth tone but slightly fragrant in that way? It was gone too soon, but left us all with great memories.

Thanks pal for sharing your evening and your great bottle.

 

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2013 Judge & Jury, Kunde Family Estate

Is it odd that this wine catches my eye because of “The Prisoner”? While I’ve never had that particular red blend, this evening marks the occasion of my first bottle (a 2013) of the Judge & Jury from Kunde Family Estate in Sonoma, California. Years ago my wife and I visited this esteemed winemaker while traipsing through some of Sonoma’s amazing vineyards but I am 100% positive we didn’t taste the Judge & Jury on that trip. Candidly, I’m not sure it had been created by that time.

2013 Judge & Jury, Sonoma County, Sonoma, California, USA.

2013 Judge & Jury, Kunde Family Estate, Sonoma County, Sonoma, California, USA.

Fortunately, it exists today and my wine rack holds three more bottles even after this first one fades into distant memory. It is pretty delicious, the brain child of Kunde’s Zach Long, and a Zinfandel-influenced red blend. The 2013 Judge & Jury combines Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah grapes into one easy-drinking yet bold wine. It’s aged in 20% new oak to manage the tannins, and the outcome is a very smooth finish that you’ll enjoy. Of the Judge & Jury the winemaker comments, “The 2013 Judge & Jury artfully combines the intense fruit flavors and tannic qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon, the softness and body of Merlot, and the spice of Zinfandel and Syrah into its own unique style.”

This purple bit of goodness is packing notes of black cherry and black raspberry, and you’ll definitely vibe out some vanilla stick and white(?) pepper too. I’ll look forward to sharing additional notes on the Judge & Jury as I make my way through successive bottles of this Sonoma treat.

 

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2012 Summation Red Wine Blend, Vintner’s Reserve, Kendall-Jackson

Kendall-Jackson is recognized by oenophiles and neophytes, a brand you can find in fine wine stores and grocery stores alike. I picked this one up in the latter, looking for a midweek bottle that would pour for a few evenings after conference calls and “deliverables”. I’ve sampled a few vintages (2010, 2012) of the Summation in the past and thought this a worthwhile refresher course.

2012 Summation Red Wine Blend, Vintner's Reserve, Kendall-Jackson, Santa Rosa, California, USA.

2012 Summation Red Wine Blend, Vintner’s Reserve, Kendall-Jackson, Santa Rosa, California, USA.

And so pour it did, accompanying several meals that were fairly unremarkable other than their ability to provide some basic sustenance after days in the salt mines. The 2012 Summation Red Wine Blend, Vintner’s Reserve, from Kendall-Jackson, was the best thing about each of those meals (e.g., beef tacos, grilled chicken). It’s not quite a Merlot or a Cabernet Sauvignon but clearly a blend of their favorable attributes. There are fewer tannins in play in the Summation than a Cabernet Sauvignon, but it’s got a bit more heft than a Pinot Noir or a Zinfandel. The 2012 Summation is almost one of those wines you want to chew, because it has some near-edible notes of chocolate or dark cherry. Dark and juicy, and inky good red in the glass.

When the opportunity presented itself later this week, I bought another Summation (this one a 2010) and will keep it handy for the near future. That says as much as anything you just read. Give it a shot–you’ll find it very serviceable and accessible.

 

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2013 Origami Cabernet Sauvignon

I think this is my fourth and final bottle of the 2013 Origami Cabernet Sauvignon, and I’ve rushed or only photo bombed the previous three tastings. Means I’ve got to do right on this Napa Valley Cab this time around. So here goes…

2013 Origami

2013 Origami Hand-Crafted, Limited Edition Cabernet Sauvignon, Vintage Wine Estates, Napa Valley, California, USA.

This wine is doing double-duty, a Friday/Saturday back-to-back on a tough holiday weekend. I’m going to remember this one for a long time and wonder if the Origami will too stay in my memories. On one hand it’s a lovely beverage; on the other? There’s a lot of Cabernet that runs through this house and you have to be pretty special to stand out in the crowd.

This Hand-Crafted, Limited Edition Cabernet Sauvignon is typically offered only to members of the Clos Pegase wine club, but I snatched up a quartet courtesy of Wines Til Sold Out. From my distributor friends I learn that this bottle is a “micro-production” Cabernet Sauvignon…and while I have no idea what that means yet (perhaps sometime in the future) it is a great drink. Of course you have the notable black raspberry and spices of the region, and even some vanilla too. I let it breathe for probably 45 minutes and think it took on even better shape over the course of the evening. I also sampled in my favorite Cabernet Sauvignon glass, and I think that always bends my mind positively around a good wine.

Last night I had the ’13 Origami with steak, corn on the cob, and some macaroni salad. Today it accompanies a variation on that theme: corn, “crispy crowns”, and some grade-A steak burgers. Good flavors of char, pepper, and such.

It seems you’ll pay north of $50 if you’re buying this bottle at list, but at WTSO it was right at the $20 price point. Nice blend of cherries and spices, and nice combination of taste and affordability. Here’s raising a glass to the winemaker.