Category Archives: Uncategorized

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Participate in Our First Reader Survey – Notes Of Note

Notes Of Note is conducting a brief survey to gather information about your interests in wine and your readership on the topic. We will be collecting data over the following weeks and look forward to sharing the results of the survey on a future post.

Participate in the survey by clicking here – and thank you in advance for your feedback. It will take less than 5 minutes of your time.

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2012 Simi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

The Alexander Valley I’ve “visited” on several previous occasions. Among the 30 or so vineyards of this Sonoma County AVA are Clos du Bois, Francis Ford Coppola, Rodney Strong, and Simi Winery–who produced this bold 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon.

2012 Simi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

2012 Simi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA.

Tonight this Cab accompanied black and blue bacon cheeseburgers, tossed beds of greens with mustard, and crispy crowns potatoes. The blackberry flavors, tinged with subtle inferences of spice, were a juicy accent to the burgers. The Simi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon smelled almost tart in the glass, but its actual finish was far gentler and more even than its nose suggested. My wife expressed this idea far more eloquently than I am here but, like this enjoyable bottle of red, her words were fleeting and I have lost them to time and space.

Here’s how the vineyard conveyed: “Balanced flavors of red and black fruits, smooth tannins, and soft spice give way to a velvety finish.” They used fruit from Los Amigos and Red Fan, and other Alexander Valley Vineyards (e.g., Encinos, Big River, Hoot Owl Creek, and Belle Terre) to develop the final flavors in this Cabernet, which is actually a red blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec. (It’s the Malbec and Verdot that convey the spices, if you’re curious…)

Last couple things: the grapes fermented 32 days in stainless steel (on the skins) and ultimately aged 16 months in small oak barrels–releasing in June of 2014. It’s a good value for the price, and the 2012 Simi Cab should be readily available in your local wine store. I’d pick up another and recommend you do the same.

 

 

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2012 Silver Palm Cabernet Sauvignon

Silver Palm is a new Cabernet Sauvignon to this taster, and one I was glad to try this December weekend. It’s label is definitely an attention-grabber, its platinum inlay and metallic finish an inviting beacon on the shelf of our local wine store.

2012 Silver Palm, Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast, California, USA.

2012 Silver Palm, Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast, California, USA.

We know that 2012 was a favorable year for California Cab, and that’s evident here in this dark ruby red wine. It has a definite cherry taste to it, and it is substantive. There are spices on the nose, and I’m drinking it from a Reidel glass made specifically for Cab Sauv. I think that helps bring out some of the nuances here. The finish is soft and silky; the tannins even and firm.

Says the winemaker, “We select grapes from some of the finest coastal vineyards in Northern California and, with traditional and cutting-edge artisan winemaking techniques, craft a sumptuous, seamless Cabernet.”

Enjoyed very much, both last evening with pan-seared steaks and broccoli, and again tonight with Mexican chicken soup. The 2012 Silver Palm Cabernet Sauvignon will go great with your steaks, your ribs, and virtually any meal seasoned with pepper. Or with none–just grab a bottle and give it a try.

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2012 Karoly’s Selection Zinfandel, Buena Vista

September of 2014 the good folks at Buena Vista shipped us the Karoly’s Zinfandel, and you know for damn sure this Russian River red sat beckoning from our wine rack each and every day until this holiday weekend when it finally made its appearance at our dinner table. The July 4th weekend is the perfect time to break out grilled steaks and all the summer fixin’s–including fresh corn, tomato, and arugula salad and the Karoly.

2012 Karoly's Selection Zinfandel, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

2012 Karoly’s Selection Zinfandel, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

We are drinking a bottle from one of just 504 cases of the Karoly’s Selection, and appreciating the complexity of what’s happening here. When you smell this deep red in the glass, you detect some acidity that seems to hint at a tannic finish–but that’s not how the drink actually tastes at all. It’s deceivingly smooth. When you taste this vintage of the Karoly, you actually get an entirely different vibe–it’s dark berry (plum? black cherry?) and kitchen spices that I called “peppery” and was unsurprised to read that I was in the right vicinity with that taste but not as detailed as you’ll hear from Buena Vista.

Here’s the vineyard’s summary: “The 2012 Karoly’s Zinfandel is a stunning ruby color in the glass with an aromatic bouquet of dark chocolate that evolves into notes of bramble berry and vanilla. Ripe dark cherries abound on the palate, where the rich flavor is rounded into hints of anise and cola and culminates in a lengthy finish that begs for another sip.”

2012 Karoly's Selection Zinfandel, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

2012 Karoly’s Selection Zinfandel, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

Am I crazy or does that sound sort of like the description I would give a wine? It’s a mash up of technical information (granted, slightly more nuanced than I could offer) and tasting experience. It was also a very good pairing for the grilled London Broil and an instant summer classic. Brian Maloney and Eric Pooler have done a great job with the harvest here and we should continue to expect great things from their collaboration at Buena Vista in the future.

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2004 Merlot, Buena Vista Ramal Estate Vineyard Series

This bottle has been along for quite the journey. It shipped eastward from our favorite Sonoma vineyard several years ago, originally landing in our NJ home, where it somehow escaped consumption for several years–perhaps as many as four or five? I’m not sure if I thought we should just have at LEAST one Buena Vista bottle on hand at all times, or perhaps I was caught up in a post-Sideways backlash against Merlot. Even good Merlot!

2004 Merlot, Buena Vista Ramal Estate Vineyard Series

2004 Merlot, Buena Vista Ramal Estate Vineyard Series, Sonoma, California, USA.

Regardless, this 2004 Buena Vista Ramal Estate Vineyard Series Merlot eventually moved with us down south, surviving 18 unopened months in our rental before sliding to our new home just two months ago. And then the cork came off and we started pouring. Who’s ready for theirs?

I confess that I made little record of the tasting, and an Ida’s Selection Pinot Noir (also from Buena Vista) followed close on its heels so I have some recency bias toward the Pinot. Didn’t record our meal here either. Based on some research, I can tell you the grapes originate from the Carneros appellation, a slice of heaven right in the corner of Sonoma and Napa’s southern boundaries that produces some great adult beverages like this one.

Since finishing the 2004, I’ve done some searching of Wine Searcher and other other retailers without finding this particular vintage. I’m not sure it was a great year or bottle, at least to critics, but I can tell you this one went fast and engendered many warm smiles in our home. Happy hunting!

 

 

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2012 Geza’s Selection Pinot Noir, Buena Vista

Great wine is often best paired with life’s big moments, and a Buena Vista bottle actually serves both requirements – effortlessly. Last night we pulled the cork on the 2012 Geza’s Selection Pinot Noir from Sonoma County’s Buena Vista Historic Winery in order to celebrate finding a new home for our family. We’re finishing it tonight, and before reading any further you should know this wine is simply amazing.

2012 Geza's Selection Pinot Noir, Buena Vista Historic Winery

2012 Geza’s Selection Pinot Noir, Buena Vista Historic Winery, Sonoma County, California, USA.

Long-term Notes readers, friends, and family all know our clear bias for Buena Vista wines, but the accolades are all well suited for this fragrant, luscious Pinot Noir. Throughout the winter we’ve been sampling California Cabernet Sauvignon and rich, Bordeaux-style red blends (a few Spanish reds are sprinkled in too), and the 2012 Geza is a fantastic counterpunch to them all. You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to immediately recognize the brilliance of this wine. It’s soft, it’s nuanced, and it’s finish is beyond smooth. The team at Buena Vista comments, “The 2012 Geza’s Selection Pinot Noir is a testament to its terroir. It is a rich, ripe wine with soft berry flavors and a bright fruit finish that makes it the perfect pairing for garlic and herb roasted pork tenderloin or oven-baked salmon filets.”

Our accompanying meals, coincidentally, didn’t stray far from those recommendations. We had the 2012 Geza’s Selection with grilled steaks and with pork chops, and the wine was spot on in both instances. There is virtually no acidity, no lasting tannin finish, and only ample smiles resulting from tasting Geza’s Selection. If we had opened this on a weekend it wouldn’t have lasted overnight!

We received the Geza with our November 2014 Count’s Club shipment, but you can get your own through the Buena Vista website if you’re not able to drive to that beautiful vineyard. There are only 300 cases of the Geza’s Selection for this vintage, however, so don’t too long to make up your mind and do the right thing. We had bottle number 0504 so you’ll have to choose another ;).

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2005 Concannon Limited Release Petite Sirah

The first thing you realize about the 2005 Concannon Limited Release Petite Sirah is its weight. I’m not talking figuratively but rather literally. The bottle itself is a heavy, crafted piece of art and holds so much promise in its customized glasswork. Without my muse here to document the Concannon, however, you’ll have to suffer with my crude photo instead.

2005 Concannon Limited Release Petite Sirah

2005 Concannon Limited Release Petite Sirah, Livermore Valley, California, USA.

I’m still thinking about how to best describe this 2005 Concannon Petite Sirah–which I actually picked from my mother’s wine cellar because it is from the Livermore Valley region of California. I did not have my favorite Sirah glass to further delve into the nuances of this grape, so it stands largely on its own merits. It pours rich and red, full-bodied and more tannic than the Pinot Noir we enjoyed last night. When you first sip it, the Concannon is more neutral and light…and then it warms in your mouth and has a much more substantive finish. Interesting complexity in that way for sure.

Helping to tame all the tannins here was our roasted pork loin, itself slathered in a purple fruity marmalade and expertly seasoned to taste. One of my favorites sides we had too–Wegman’s Golden Jewel Blend–and piled forkfuls of this on my plate. Alternating between bites of the couscous and pork, all the while sipping on the Concannon and listening to my family trading stories, made for an enjoyable and memorable dining experience.

Writes Jim Concannon on behalf of his vineyard, “This limited-release Petite Sirah is the essence of Concannon, displaying fantastic depth and character. It is full-bodied, rich with cherry flavors and has a hint of tasty oak for a smooth, silky finish.”

The oak eluded me but the cherry I definitely glimpsed here. Yet it presents itself to the consumer in a way very different from the Pinot Noir did just beforehand. I liked this Central Coast wine but it was not a world changer.