Tag Archives: $10-$15

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2013 High Elevation Petite Sirah, Shannon Ridge

Still very much in a Petite Sirah place, and a nuanced wine like this makes me glad that I am. This 2013 offering from Shannon Ridge is made using sustainable farming practices, and it tastes even better than my predispositions thought it would. Never heard of this delicious red wine before, but it’s one that I will definitely know when I see it again.

2013 High Elevation Petite Sirah, Shannon Ridge, California, USA.

2013 High Elevation Petite Sirah, Shannon Ridge, California, USA.

The tasting notes, with apologies for cribbing these (I do hope they help you get up to speed quickly) from the Shannon Ridge website, are as follows: “This rustic varietal shows off dark fruits of blackberry, blueberry, and hints of cranberry. Black pepper, cedar, warm spices and toasty vanilla notes come out after aging this wine on a combination of French and America oak.” This bottle sounds good, right? Tell me you don’t want at least a flight for yourself after reading about all the berries and spices in the mix?

We had ours with a couple of different meals, finishing it tonight with juicy T-bone steaks and a mixture of green and wax beans…the former came off the grill right on time and the latter I seasoned with fresh crushed black pepper and butter. The spices of the steak come alive in the 2013 High Elevation Petite Sirah from Shannon Ridge; the earth tones of the Sirah really flourish in the glass and on the nose. The wine is aged for 9 months in both French and American oak, and the grapes are grown on the mountains sides (i.e., the “High Elevation Collection”) of Lake County, California. A couple of non-sequitors, perhaps, but good information for you as a reader and fan of good wine all the same. Enjoy the read and the Shannon Ridge!

 

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2013 Simi Chardonnay

This 2013 Simi Chardonnay, originating from Sonoma, California, is more pear and citrus than it is buttery. Most Chardonnay that I have is more of the latter…but I think that’s perhaps because I rarely buy white myself, except in wine shipments from Buena Vista. Whites are more the purview of my lovely bride.

2013 Simi Chardonnay, Sonoma, California, USA.

2013 Simi Chardonnay, Sonoma, California, USA.

That being said, the Simi went along with a simple Italian dinner. We had penne pasta, a little bit of ground beef, and a couple of forkfuls of sausage mixed in as well. The beef (we reheated) was only okay, but the sausage kicked a little bit of tang into the equation to good effect.

This was a weeknight meal and, though it was ultimately pretty tasty, this food was more about function than aesthetics. That’s kind of how I would describe the 2013 Simi Chardonnay as well.

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2012 Sterling Vintner’s Collection Cabernet Sauvignon

House guests always mean good things for a wine blog, as there’s nothing like splitting a fun bottle with friends and family. So here we are, warm May evening, sharing the 2012 Sterling Vintner’s Collection and some great conversation—my wife, my oldest friend in the world (we’ve been childhood friends, high school classmates and teammates, and college roommates) for more than three decades, and me.

2012 Sterling Vintner's Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, California, USA.

2012 Sterling Vintner’s Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, California, USA.

I’ve never had the Sterling before, but when we finished a couple Sam Adams (and yes a Miller Lite too, those of you who know) and were turning our thoughts to dinner, it seemed like a great pick to go alongside some killer pork chops. The meat had been marinating in the fridge all afternoon in a spicy mustard sauce that worked its way into the pork while it sizzled up on the grill. A salad of mixed greens, fresh mushrooms, and crushed pepper, seasoned with a light vinaigrette, provided an enjoyable cool to the hot main course. On another such occasion I might have gone with a Zinfandel for this meal but was pleased overall by the Cabernet.

It has deep flavors, blackberry and cherry in particular, that gives sustenance and substance to this wine. Really liked those flavors, and am pleased to share with you too that the Sterling works in some quiet vanilla and some enjoyable spice scents. Great value. This 2012 has a lot of the characteristics that you’ll see me remark about in other good Cabs, and I’d be more than willing to bring it back to our table again soon.

We’ll be looking forward to another visit soon, one where we can enjoy time laughing, drinking delicious adult beverages, and LIG moments together. Thanks to the Sterling for being a good part of this one.

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2013 Ruffino Prosecco

We’ve got our first houseguests in the new place tonight; a special welcome to Jackie, Colin, and Brooke! Thanks for stopping over on your way home from Florida, and hope that you enjoy the visit as much as we do. Grapes are only for the adults on this trip, and we’re going to stay in white country tonight. No reds, no blushes…but whites both sparkling and flat are fair game. So keep your arms inside the vehicle at all times, people, the car is leaving the station now and headed for Italy.

2013 Ruffino Prosecco, Italy.

2013 Ruffino Prosecco, Italy.

Our first stop is the 2013 Ruffino Prosecco named above. On a hot summer night this sparkling Italian is a refreshing way to finish up a long car trip or a long day at the office. We poured in our favorite champagne flutes and chased away our thirst and our fatigue. That’s easy to do when you’re seeing good friends, and we were soon all smiles as we caught up with each others’ lives and watched the kids color their color books and our driveway. Much merriment in the new house tonight!

I found the Ruffino to be nice and crisp. It’s very even-toned, and I would definitely say you have notes of pear and apple in this sparkling wine. It’s not too sweet, and it is not too harsh. Thirsty as I was, I found the Ruffino to cleanse my palate and a nice complement to the hors d’oeuvres—the cheeses, turkey pepperoni, and fresh veggies. All three adults seemed to dig into this wine, and it was soon exhausted and time to turn our sites to the next stop—the Avanti.

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2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, 14 Hands Winery

I’ve dropped the ball almost entirely here for the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, produced by the team at 14 Hands Winery. I’m positive that I had this 2013 vintage on May 8 because I have the date/timestamp both in my iCloud photos and my Vivino app, but I am very lacking in other relevant details about this tasting experience.

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, 14 Hands, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA.

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, 14 Hands, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA.

I didn’t note the food accompanying the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, and I didn’t jot down anything significant regarding its smell, its taste, or its color. Based on the photo here it seems as though the 2013 has good depth and a rich, deep color but that’s less helpful if you’re looking to NotesOfNote as a resource for your upcoming wine selection. I can confirm that 14 Hands Winery is located in the Columbia Valley AVA, and its winemaker offers, “14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon is a bright, juicy red featuring aromas of blueberries and currants with subtle hints of dried herbs. Red berry flavors are complemented by a touch of spicy oak and accentuated by refined tannins.”

Those following Notes recognize that I usually affirm or redirect tasting notes from the winemaker, but here I can do neither and apologize to readers for the lacking post. On the plus side, it does mean that I have to have another go at the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon from 14 Hands in order to do this wine right. So at least there’s that?

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2013 Feudi del Duca Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

The Montepulciano grape is the heart of this 2013 Italian red, which drew me in through its interesting label design and logo. Okay, that plus its price. The 2013 Feudi del Duca Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is very affordable and offers some interesting charm that includes its deep ruby color and a pleasing aroma. You get ample doses of black cherry fruit and a hint of spice…I describe as earthy and kind of graphite-based?

2013 Feudi del Duca Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

2013 Feudi del Duca Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Italy.

The photo, taken from a cramped hotel room, is not one of the best you’ll find on Notes. Hopefully you can make out enough of its black and red shimmering seal to help you locate it among your local spirits and wines. The 2013 hails from Abruzzo, Italy, and is very drinkable. I sampled from this bottle over the course of several nights this week. It complemented various road meals that are not worth including; suffice it to say the Montepulciano was the highlight each time.

The 2013 Feudi del Duca Montepulciano d’Abruzzo was serviceable and had an easy finish but I feel that I’ve covered off on this wine; no real imperative to revisit in particular but better than others of similar price point (~$10).

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2003 Jewel Merlot

Okay, this is an interesting experiment – I just unearthed some VERY old tasting notes that mark this oenophile’s first real foray into the world of wine. The comments are unrefined, the palate even more so…but there are some good wines from this period and it’ll be a pleasure to share those remarks with you here. I’ve dated as originally chronicled in my wine journal and have kept all the original remarks even if adding a few recent additions to help inform anyone reading here. Just bear in mind this is probably 300 bottles ago!

The 2003 Jewel Merlot hails from the Lodi AVA in the Central Valley region of California. Purchased from Wine & Spirit World for $12, I thought the wine was a rich red, with a “deep & earthy” bouquet. Since my thoughts on its taste (“nice aftertaste; smooth”) don’t really share any meaningful information with you, I’m making a quick detour to the professionals from wine.com and their tasting notes: “This distinct Merlot has a rich garnet color that is filled with aromas of toasted oak and cherry complimented by flavors of black cherry and plum. Soft vanilla oak and delicate tannins add richness to the finish.”

Yes, always been a fan of cherry and plum if not the vanilla noted in that summary. At the time, I commented “Nicer than recent California and Australian Merlots we’ve had recently” and rated the 2003 Jewel as a 7 of possible 10. Becca and I split this bottle over dinner as iTunes played in the background of our Midland Park kitchen. “I would buy again – nice result.”