Tag Archives: California

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2012 Mumm Napa Cuvée M, Sparkling Wine

There are many ways to finish off a great holiday evening. One favored in my family is a chocolate cream pie, a flaky-crusted treat layered with plenty of cream and just the right amount of dark, sweet goodness. That’s what we had for dessert tonight, capping off an enjoyable Christmas celebration, perfectly accompanied by the 2012 Mumm Napa Cuvée M, Sparkling Wine.

2012 Mumm Napa Cuvee M, Sparkling Wine, Napa, USA.

2012 Mumm Napa Cuvee M, Sparkling Wine, California, USA.

I was an immediate fan. The bubbly was great as it intertwined with the chocolate in the pie; not too sweet and not too tart. This 2012 Mumm Napa Cuvée M is the byproduct of grapes from more than 50 vineyards–surely Pinot Noir and Chardonnay among them*–that are blended only after the initial fermentation process in order to keep some of the nuances of the individual fruit. For a sparkling wine, the Mumm Napa Cuvée M was not too dry and had a very level, balanced finish.

From the winemaker‘s notes: “Cuvée M exhibits a graceful stream of very fine bubbles gently rising to a persistent mousse cordon with a light peach rose color. The aromas are elegant, rich and complex, showing fresh white and yellow stone fruits with subtle hints of wild strawberry. A light touch of fresh brioche, with hints of vanilla and honey add to the wine’s complex bouquet. On the palate, full flavors of peach and pear combine with a creamy caramel character, which lingers into a long satisfying finish.”

It’s got a light, peach and citrus bouquet and taste to be sure, working effectively with the chocolate sweetness to brighten our evening. I didn’t necessarily hit the strawberry referenced above, but I am not really a fan of a strawberry and did not go pulling on this thread to separate it from the overall tapestry of taste that is the Cuvée M. Incidentally, it’s this wine that the San Francisco Giants used in both 2012 and 2014 in order to celebrate their World Series Championships. I’m less a fan of the champs, but really happy with their good luck drink that is the Cuvée M. Enjoy…

*Ed. note: Additional research reveals the actual makeup of the Cuvée M as 48% Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir, 6% Pinot Gris, and 3% Pinot Meunier.

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2012 Red Blend, Bell Canyon Napa Reserve

It’s the profile of the winemaker that originally drew me to the first reserve–the 2012 Red Blend–from Bell Canyon in Napa. We’ll revisit that idea in a later post on the 2012. For the time being, let’s focus instead on the wine itself.

2012 Red Blend, Bell Canyon Cellars Napa Reserve, Napa, California, USA.

2012 Red Blend, Bell Canyon Cellars Napa Reserve, Napa, California, USA.

You have some big, juicy grapes in play here. It’s easy to think cherries in some dominant way, with other dark berries in the mix, and just a hint of vanilla (less desired by this taster) too. I detect some spice accents, particularly as you swirl it in red waves around the glass, that come through in the taste too. It’s yards from a Pinot Noir, and more seasoned than a Merlot. The 2012 Red Blend Bell Canyon Napa Reserve is probably described by experts as a ‘Bordeaux-style’ red; I think of it more like a Cabernet Sauvignon that has a shallower tone to it. Is it wrong to talk about wine as a tone? I just mean a true Cabernet can have similar accents but is somehow deeper in its profile.

I’d also offer the analogy that the 2012 Red Blend is to (just one recent example) the 2012 Carnivore Cab as a tenor is to a bass. Does that make sense to you now?

Additional context–I’m having the Bell Canyon tonight during the cocktail hour but opened it earlier this week when having ground beef, a cheeeesy macaroni and cheese, and some broccoli. I was caught in some work-related time constraints at that time, but this evening it’s more about relaxing and mulling over this fine red wine from the country’s best known region. More on this bottle in the future!

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2012 Carnivor Cabernet Sauvignon

One of the deepest, darkest-colored wine I’ve ever seen, this carnivor loved the Carnivor this weekend. We pulled the cork last night and started working through it with some well-seasoned steaks, as the day was unseasonably temperate here for December and begged for some outdoor grilling. That was a vintage Cabernet Sauvignon meal, and I polished off the bottle tonight with some pasta and chicken. Also pretty damn good.

2012 Carnivor Cabernet Sauvignon California USA

2012 Carnivor Cabernet Sauvignon, California, USA.

Seriously, this wine isn’t red in the glass. It’s nearly purple. It’s got a fantastic bouquet for an affordable California cab. It’s virtually opaque in the glass, not even a little translucency as you swirl the 2012 vintage around. I’d more appropriately describe the 2012 Carnivor’s color by referencing the elevators of blood at the end of Kubrick’s The Shining–to the delight of the winemaker I’m sure. And it’s packed with dark fruits…cherry, most certainly, blackberry, maybe even one of those exotic type brambleberry deals…but all well balanced and with a smooth, easy finish.

At first the bottle/label design seemed familiar to me, but I’m thinking now I’m mistaken. My wife picked out this winner and, though it reminded me of a Vampire-themed wine I’d bought for a neighborhood Halloween party some years ago (not 2014), this is actually the first bottle of Carnivor I’ve had the pleasure of consuming. It’s an excellent buy for the money, and we’ll surely have others to write about in future posts for Note. Hoping you’ll enjoy it too.

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2013 Mark West Pinot Noir

A Friday night beverage, one that I sorely wanted after a work week that left me battered, bruised, and extremely tired. I’m sure that feeling is not unique and was a holdover from an extra-long Thursday that had fewer wins than I’d hoped.

2013 Mark West Pinot Noir, California USA

2013 Mark West Pinot Noir, California, USA.

Mark West, particularly the Pinot, is no stranger in our home. The Pinot Noir is slightly overpriced in NJ and better here in NC–but the 2013 is still not a bargain. It’s ususally fruit-forward but this one just feels rushed. Less nuanced, less undertones. Less distinguished, and generally underwhelming.

To be clear, we did knock this bottle right back. In retrospect, I chalk that up more to having great food, conversation, and company than to the wine itself. With all the great grapes from which we can choose, Mark West–at least the 2013–will not be on our table again until the calendar (or vintage) flips.

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2012 Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

Great meal tonight, a mustard-coated pork chop with our favorite orzo pasta and arugula salad, and featuring brussel sprouts as our vegetable. The sprouts were slow cooked in a pan with butter, holdovers from our Thanksgiving, and perfect for popping as we talked about the day’s challenges, and still delicious when we ate them with our dinner and the 2012 Josh Cellars Cab.

2012 Josh Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon California USA

2012 Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, California, USA.

Judging by the “Josh” story I’m pretty sure I’ve had the Josh Cellar experience at least once previously. That time it was the 2011 Merlot; this time it was an enjoyable Cabernet Sauvignon with a warm, home-cooked meal. There’s some smoke in the works here, some spice–a couple of my favorite accents–and an enticing interplay of dusky fruits and berries.

It’s a work night, however, so less time to ramble on here about the effect of the Josh or the meal itself. Suffice it to say we’re full, heart healthy here for tonight, and looking forward to the weekend and fun guests.

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2012 Count’s Selection Syrah – Old WInery Road, Buena Vista

Two glasses, two eager, excited glasses drinking from the 2012 Count’s Selection Syrah – Old WInery Road, and two glasses that we could not keep filled this Saturday evening as we gnosh on pan-seared steaks, asparagus, and mashed potatoes. The steaks were excellent, lean and delicious, and left us just a healthy bite for the dog as well. The mashed potatoes were fluffed and had just enough lumps in ’em. The asparagus–were they organic?–were really good but perhaps a bit thin or young.

2012 Count's Selection Syrah - Old WInery Road, Buena Vista, California, USA.

2012 Count’s Selection Syrah – Old WInery Road, Buena Vista, California, USA.

 

But for me? You know the highlight of the meal for this guy was the 2012 Count’s Selection Syrah – Old WInery Road from the team at Buena Vista. My favorite winery and one of Sonoma’s most storied vineyards, tonight they offered our family a fantastic dark, fruity, and spiced syrah. Killer beverage. I’d say plain and simple, but this wine is way too special for that trite phrase. This syrah is fragrant, it’s got one of my favorite pepper flavors, a deep purple color, and amazing taste.

If my phrasing doesn’t convey enough for you, he winemaker describes thusly: “Our 2012 Count’s Selection Sonoma Valley Syrah is a richly colored wine with a dense core of dark fruit flavors, notes of black pepper and touches of leather and chocolate that impresses immediately but expressly opens after a brief decant.”

I can tell you we did not decant for any period, and the Count was still a really great beverage. We had bottle 1886 of the 325 cases that the winemaker produced. Perhaps one that we should reorder while Buena VIsta will offer a 30% discount?

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2012 Karoly’s Selection Zinfandel North Coast, Buena Vista

I’m continuing the trend of drinking good wine when I get it rather than holding it in hopes of a bigger celebration. The November 2014 shipment of Count’s Club selections from Buena Vista has not been here long and I’m just pulling corks as the mood and opportunity presents. These wines ARE the occasion–know what I mean?

2012 Karoly's Selection Zinfandel North Coast, Buena Vista, California, USA.

2012 Karoly’s Selection Zinfandel North Coast, Buena Vista, California, USA.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so the meal tonight is not the main event. Know that we’re not starving, to be sure, but rather looking forward to a food experiment with a turducken and some of our favorite holiday food traditions. Not all of ’em, but enough to keep the day fresh for us. Speaking of fresh, let’s talk about the 2012 Karoly’s Selection Zinfandel. It’s a power-packed Zin that brings its A game right from the start. You don’t need to decant this bad boy; we poured in nice glasswear and just sipped contentedly. The best wines are either eagerly or contentedly consumsed, right? This one is a mix of both and infuses some interesting berry tastes and smells folded into this Zinfandel wrapper.

So how does Buena Vista describe Karoly? “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 brambleberry and vanilla. Ripe dark cherries abound on the palate, where the rich flavor is rounded with hints of anise and cola and culminates in a lengthy finish that begs for another sip.”

Well said. A great wine, and an even better description from Buena Vista.

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2012 Elenora’s Selection Chardonnay, Buena Vista

Sometimes when a Count’s Club shipment arrives from Buena Vista I go into a Charlie Bucket mentality. Do you remember how Charlie receives a Wonka chocolate bar for his birthday and savors tiny little bites, just barely addressing his fix while keeping more for the future? That’s how I often feel about a new bottle of wine from our favorite Sonona winery.  I want a sip right away but also to preserve as much as possible for the future; they only arrive a handful of times each year, y’know?

2012 Elenora's Selection Chardonnay Buena Vista Sonoma County California USA

2012 Elenora’s Selection Chardonnay, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

On this one, I held out for nearly a week before opening–and it’s a golden ticket unto itself. My wife and I split the 2012 Elenora’s Selection Chardonnay on a Sunday evening, and this flavorful white wine accompanied an expertly cooked shrimp/scallop entre. The seafood was accented a great orange sauce and fresh herbs that are growing indoors, protected against the changing seasons and their widely ranging temperatures. Be sure to check out the photo too–it shows the inviting Elenora and the “golden jewel blend” cous cous, combining elements for taste and the killer presentation visual.

“This richly complex Chardonnay has flavors of lemon cream pie, vanilla, and just a touch of coriander. With a medium plus body, balanced acidity, and great length to the finish, this wine is the perfect pairing for grilled lobster with garlic butter sauce or toasted polenta and sauteed mushrooms.” Well phrased, winemaker, well phrased indeed.

Wistfully I report that we polished off this 2012 Elenora’s Selection in one seating, and we’ll have to wait several more weeks for another possible Chardonnay courtesy of the good folks at Buena Vista.

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2012 Buena Vista Legendary Badge, Limited Edition

A ripe red, this Badge, and one we had held for months after receiving in our April 2014 shipment from our favorite Sonoma winery. We opened this and knew right from the first whiff of red fruits that the Legendary Badge was going to be ready to drink immediately.

2012 Buena Vista Legendary Badge, Limited Edition, Sonoma, California, USA.

2012 Buena Vista Legendary Badge, Limited Edition, Sonoma, California, USA.

Four glasses for the Badge, and four happy wine drinkers sampling the luscious red blend here. You get tons of cherry, probably some strawberry, and a bit of subtle plumb in the tasting too. It’s substantive too, more like a Merlot, a fastball down the middle of the plate, than a Pinot or a Cab at the ends of the spectrum. Less of the spices in either of those, too. Buena Vista says “…Legendary Badge is a powerful wine, brimming with personality.” Not far from the mark, honestly. It may be a kitchen sink blend but it works.

We had the Badge with light hors de oeuvres, salsas, cheeses, and some tortilla chips. With this bottle gone it will be time to turn our attention onto a new red to go with dinner. Thanks as always, Buena Vista.