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2011 Robert Stemmler Pinot Noir

It’s easy to think Notes focuses exclusively on grilled steaks and red wines, but that’s only partially true. The blog does share occasional feedback on whites, and sometimes shares great foodstuffs that far outshine the grapes. This is one of those times.

2011 Robert Stemmler Pinot Noir, Los Carneros, California, USA.

2011 Robert Stemmler Pinot Noir, Los Carneros, California, USA.

The 2011 Robert Stemmler is a great Pinot Noir; no question about it. No rough edges, it is light berry and polished all the way, a rich and fragrant treat any night you uncork one. On this evening, it accompanied a special meal–cheese grits, sautéed shrimp, Italian sausage, and a mix of red, yellow, orange, and green peppers. Swirled all together and topped with home-grown parsley and chives, this was an immensely enjoying evening; it had just the right punch of heat to offset the cheese (and yes this was my first cheese grits tasting experience).

Great textures, intoxicating blend of hot and cold, and medley of colors…a good night for the memories.

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2013 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay

I’m polishing off this cool, refreshing Chardonnay in the waning moments of tonight’s cocktail hour. Hiding as it was in the bottom of the fridge, partially consumed from some previous evening, this 2013 Kendall-Jackson has lost a bit of its crisp, fresh tone but still pulls a smile from my weary face.

2013 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay, California, USA.

2013 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, California, USA.

Pear is present and accounted for, as is a nice easy finish that is hinting at a possible turn in the near future. Fortunately, she’s been liberated from the bottle just in time. The 2013 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay will accompany grilled tuna steaks, seasoned with lemon and a Mediterranean spice mix, white rice, and medley of scallions and mushrooms. Very promising stuff.

The Kendall-Jackson family always makes a good effort, and I’m sure this is one too. Excuse the brevity; the next time around we’ll be sure to polish with less of an interval between tastings and look forward to sharing those findings with you.

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2013 Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon

Lot on my mind these days, and seemingly less time for Notes. That, combined with delicious summer beers to beat back the nearly oppressive heat, and I find myself playing catchup tonight. Our focus is the 2013 Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon, first Cab that I’ve had from this winery; I’m fairly sure I’d just tasted their whites previously.

2013 Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon, Yolo County, California, USA.

2013 Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon, Yolo County, California, USA.

The Toasted Head had interesting taste pockets. It was a Cabernet equivalent of the summer pond–you know the one I mean? It’s cool, its refreshing, and then you hit this warm spot and the water changes all around you.

This 2013 is similar in that you are sipping some fine red wine, and then you hit this berry patch and your taste buds go crazy for all the cherry and dark berry flavors. We started on the Toasted Head yesterday and tonight are finishing it off with some great leftover steaks (not too proud to say Frank’s Red Hot was liberally applied to it) and white rice seasoned with fresh scallions. Good stuff, just like the vino.

Yolo County, from where this wine hails, is between Napa to the west and Sacramento to the east. This AVA is on the eastern side of the Coast Range Mountains–sounds like the usual “cool nights warm days” magic that does so right by California wines. Scanning the winemaker’s comments, and I see we agree on a couple relevant points that I share here for you:

“This wine opens with ripe plum and dark berry fruits on the nose, accompanied by a graham cracker toastiness from oak aging. On the palate this Cabernet focuses on ripe blackberry and dark cherry surrounded by bourbon vanilla and caramelized sugar notes.”

I’m nodding in agreement. Good berry, full mouth flavor in the 2013 Toasted Head. I’m up for another one…

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2012 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon

Big bunches of berry smells jump right out from the 2012 vintage of the Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon–not bad for some on-the-go wine. Picked this bottle in part because of some decent history with Layer Cake (which I somehow cannot find right now, despite distinct memories of drinking it in our rental house) and in part because its screw top is conducive to easy access sans corkscrew. So what of the taste, say you?

2012 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon, California, USA.

2012 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon, California, USA.

It’s juicy, it’s luscious, and there’s plenty of value here. Some of the depth (the chocolate?) that I recall from Carnivores past and other Cabs is in play here, as are some char-like flavors. No meal with this beverage; just some unwinding for a soul sorely in need of some. I’m glad I picked the 2012 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon instead of their Malbec, which was close by but less of a draw on this occasion.

Is it odd to say I liked the label? Its cake is not overdone but nevertheless memorable. I’m not talking about the font (which is sharp in and of itself) or the appearance of the label as much as I am its texture. The 2012 has a feel to it that’s almost embossed; some cool ink work that I admire from a production standpoint.

The 2012 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon hails from a California vineyard that has a clever back story. The grapes come from the Alexander Valley, and there is good reading all over the web on the particular minerals and terroir of this AVA. You should take a moment and Google the region–maybe even while enjoying a glass of this fruity red.

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2013 American Syrah, Linville Falls Winery

Near the Pisgah National Forest of Newland, North Carolina, are the Linville Falls and their namesake winery, both of which we visited on this beautiful day of our summer vacation. The state maintains well-traveled—and well-groomed—hiking trails that must bring thousands of visitors to the Falls each year; far fewer visit the winery I’m sure.

Linville Falls Winery, Newland, NC. Photo credit: J.W. Fulton

Linville Falls Winery, Newland, NC. Photo credit: J.W. Fulton

It was not just the road signs that brought us to the Winery but also this picturesque hillside. Rows of grapes stretching sunward, a pond shimmering off in this distance through the heat, and clouds so low and tumbling that you can almost pull them down from the sky. Yes, those are Christmas trees growing proudly all across the beautifully landscaped hills. The bar in the Winery tasting room was packed, and we opted neither to wait for open seats nor uncork on the festive outdoor patio (too hot) but rather grab a bottle of this American Syrah and head back to our waiting pup and the peace and quiet of our mountain cabin rental.

The hostess at the Linville Falls Winery complimented our choice and mentioned that the wine had fared well in competition at last year’s North Carolina State Fair. I missed what she said about the Syrah’s performance, but did enough research to see that over 1 million visitors hit the fair yearly, so it’s no small event. I wrestled that evening whether to open the Syrah in the spirit of our Linville Falls hike or the Aristocrat and ultimately saved this smooth, uncomplicated red for home.

2013 American Syrah, Linville Falls Winery, Newland, North Carolina, USA.

2013 American Syrah, Linville Falls Winery, Newland, North Carolina, USA.

That was a good idea, as we got to enjoy a great red on that evening and save the Syrah and the Falls memories it engendered for another night. That said, I have to think carefully about this vintage of the American Syrah. It’s notably different than other Syrah’s we’ve pulled recently; it’s smooth and uncomplicated, and has far less of the spice box or peppery accents that you often taste in a Syrah. Is it intentionally mild, or is the lack of these nuances indicative instead of a “local” winery fighting for legitimacy?

The smell of the Linville is similarly even, its color a brick red that’s somewhere between a Pinot Noir and Cabernet or Malbec. The finish of this Syrah is mild and smooth all the way down. Last night the Falls accompanied grilled steak; tonight it went with salmon accented with a slather of fresh cut peppers, capers, and jalapeno jelly. I don’t think the Syrah drew out any specific flavors with either meal but was a relaxing adult beverage nevertheless.

I’d enjoy the American Syrah again in the future, not as much for its complexities or lock-down flavor but more because of the amazing vacation trip it commemorates.

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2012 The Aristocrat, Buena Vista

The Aristocrat is one of the finest wines I’ve ever enjoyed, and it’s going right onto Notes‘ Top Five Reds list. It’s really special. This 2012 is the inaugural vintage, and it’s already sold out at Buena Vista so coming by this gem will not be easy–yet a worthwhile pursuit if you’re even remotely inclined toward great wine.

2012 The Aristocrat, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

2012 The Aristocrat, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

The 2012 Aristocrat is more cherry and blueberry in its flavor. It is crazy smooth, packed full of fruit, and has a spectacular, even finish. There is not even a hint of sharpness, of tannins, of the need for time the way you often get with a Bordeaux or similarly styled red blend. It has great legs, and a jammy color that you’ll find–like its bouquet–extremely enticing.

My wife and I enjoyed this 2012 from a mountainside cabin in western NC, along with a rack of ribs (that’s a dry rub you see in the photo) and a salad featuring some vegetables we picked up fresh at a roadside farm stand.

The team at Buena Vista did not assemble this winner haphazardly–it is filled with purpose and intention. It features Valdiguie (a first for me?), Petit Verdot, and Charbono grapes, each harvested from vineyards in Napa Valley’s Calistoga AVA.  Believe it or not, the vines of the Valdiguie, located at the base of the Vaca Mountains, date back before Prohibition. Poking through the Buena Vista website, I also relay to you that the Charbono is grown on one of Napa’s last remaining Charbono vineyards. This amazing wine is aged (in separate lots) in 100% French oak for 16 to 18 months before being blended.

Special thanks to my mother for presenting us with this amazing housewarming gift. We are thrilled at the reason you selected the 2012 Aristocrat, and thrilled too at the occasion to enjoy it. Hope we brought just a little bit of that back to you in the recap and the photos!

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2012 Maglieri Shiraz

A valuable Australian Shiraz, one that climbed with us up the Blue Ridge Mountains to our little cabin hideaway on the outskirts of Newland. The Maglieri was an online purchase–it sounded delicious, was the right bit of affordability, and struck a chord with my recent penchant for Syrah.

2012 Maglieri Shiraz, Padthaway, Australia.

2012 Maglieri Shiraz, Padthaway, Australia.

Granted, the ambiance helps put the right halo around this Mark Robertson (1999 New Zealand Winemaker Of The Year) wine from the Padthaway appellation of southeast Australia. I mean, look at the view. Seriously…

…but this savory red is far more than just mountain vistas. It’s nearly purple in color and has complex, rich aromas to it. The Maglieri smells of fruit, of spice, and of pepper. There are other scents too–both dark berry and smoky things. You sample this 2012 and then you re-taste the tip of your tongue, puzzling through some hidden flavors that emerge over time.

We had the 2012 Maglieri Shiraz along with grilled steaks (and yes this expensive-tasting wine opens up with pepper) seasoned just with salt and pepper. Wax beans (thanks love!) and baked potato too, lightly sauced up with nonfat yogurt. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable summer supper in the mountains of North Carolina.

“The wine is savory with loads of ripe fruit including blackberries, black cherries, dark raspberries, toasty vanilla oak, mocha, cassis and a cinnamon spice box,” is how one pro summarized the Maglieri. Now, I have no idea what a “dark” raspberry is, but I think it’s the cassis that I was fighting to identify above. Seems like every time I’m wrestling over a spice nuance it comes down to cassis–here too I think. No matter how you describe it, the 2012 Maglieri is a special wine to be sure.

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2012 TintoNegro Malbec

From the Mendoza region of Argentina comes the 2012 TintoNegro, a sharp-smelling Malbec that is actually much smoother to taste. My wife picked out this inky beauty and allowed me to sample it throughout this work week one glass at a time.

2012 TintoNegro Malbec, Ugo Valley, Mendoza, Argentina.

2012 TintoNegro Malbec, Ugo Valley, Mendoza, Argentina.

It accompanied grilled chicken one night (with our summer favorite orzo pasta and arugula salad), tuna and salmon sushi another evening, and pepperoni pizza on a third. My favorite was probably the chicken, maybe because it was the best “traditional” pairing and perhaps because the pizza was just too heavy in combination. I didn’t get heart burn–but it wasn’t far away, either.

The TintoNegro had some good things going on. It’s sourced from the Uco Valley, a “cool climate” high-altitude Malbec, and is aged for nine months in French oak barrels. The vineyard’s approach yields some enticing fruit flavors and dark colors in the glass. You taste for sure black raspberry–dark fruit but a hint of tang–and a full, textured finish. This 2012 definitely has some oomph to it.

If I can find another 2012, I think I’m going to give the TintoNegro another try to see if I can pin down more of its profile. I’m still intrigued and determined to delve deeper.