Tag Archives: California

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2014 Karoly’s Selection Petite Sirah, Buena Vista Winery

I deserved this bottle. Yeah, I said it. I was bone weary last night, the final day in a work week that included late nights, crazy travel, and unyielding deliverables, but not too tired to take a moment to savor one of the finer things in life. Because that’s what a Buena Vista bottle is–it’s a “stop and smell the roses” event each and every time.

West Coast client deliverables meant I got a late start on this 2014 Karoly’s Selection Petite Sirah, but it also meant I was ready to fully immerse myself in the experience by the time I got to pour and enjoy a glass. Made the deliverable, confirmed with the client, and here we go. I’ve had a couple Buena Vista Karolys before, and this one was equal to the previous.

2014 Karoly's Selection Petite Sirah, Buena Vista Winery, Sonoma County, California, USA.

2014 Karoly’s Selection Petite Sirah, Buena Vista Winery, Sonoma County, California, USA.

The 2014 is delicious. It needs a moment or two to breathe, but when it does you can really pull on the black cherry or blackberry scent. There is a smoke of some kind here too…not quite earthy or a spice but an accent that I can’t quite isolate. It is full, it is robust, it has a great finish. If you drift toward Cabernet Sauvignon or other big reds in your wine tastes, you’ll dig the 2014 Karoly’s Selection Petite Sirah. If you prefer lighter Pinot Noirs this might not quite be your bottle–but you’ll be missing something fun!

Okay, a quick summary of the foodstuffs: What you see here is a seared chicken dinner and a creamy couscous with an olive and raisin sauce. The chicken came out great (for a change!)–pulled from the heat while cooked through but still juicy. The couscous was a blend of cool (that’s from the verjus blanc and creme fraiche plus celery) and hot, courtesy of red pepper flakes. I’m not sure a full-throated red was the right pairing for this dish, but I figured the best of both worlds was a suitable strategy regardless. Here’s how the Buena Vista folks describe the vino:

“Our 2014 Karoly’s Selection Petite Sirah offers seductive aromas of black cherry and dark chocolate with hints of anise. Upon the palate, flavors of blackberry pie, brambles, and a slight touch of granite are well-balanced with good density and a juicy structure.”

Can’t tell you what ‘brambles’ taste like, or if this 2014 Karoly has such flavor in it, but the black cherry I can very much confirm. This wine is aged 17 months in Hungarian Oak and I’m glad it escorted me into the weekend.

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2015 The Prisoner, The Prisoner Wine Company

Much like California Cabs, Napa Valley red blends have a special place in my heart. Given its reputation among wine aficionados and critics, The Prisoner had been on my target list for some time. I know friends have enjoyed immensely and I wanted to understand if the hype was real or just noise.

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2015 The Prisoner, The Prisoner Wine Company, Napa Valley, California, USA.

You know The Prisoner is the real deal after your first tasting. The scent is full and fruity, a mixture of cherry and chocolate, and no overpowering tannic notes. I did not decant the bottle and it seemed very stable as I smelled and poured. There’s some hint of spice and vanilla in the glass, but it was understated in comparison to a mass market Cab that I was drinking recently–in that wine the vanilla was out and in front of the grapes in a way that seemed artificial instead of innate. Not sure that makes sense as I write it, but by contrast The Prisoner seemed more nuanced.

Zinfandel is a big part of this red blend, along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Charbono, and no wonder the winery sources grapes from 80 different Napa locations to make their wines. Chrissy Wittman, winemaker at PWC since 2016, is now responsible for the legacy of The Prisoner, and after my first exposure to her work, I’d say its reputation is in good hands.  This is a really enjoyable wine and I’d feel lucky to continue drinking The Prisoner again in the future.

Unless it’s gifted to you, you’ll need to buck up for The Prisoner, and you can find it listed at $47 on the winery’s website. (I paid considerably less, courtesy of my favorite local wine store…) It’s a great drink, one that makes your evening special as soon as you uncork it. But if you’re on a tighter budget and looking for a similar tasting experience, I would suggest you pull a bottle of the Jeff Runquist 1448 that Notes recently covered. Their impact on your taste buds will be very close, but The Prisoner makes a greater impact on your wallet so you have to bear that in mind too.

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2012 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon

My first ever bottle of Silver Oak, one of Alexander Valley’s most well-recognized Cabernets. This one is of the 2012 vintage, and was part of a beautiful day and Easter celebration with my other family (you know who you are!). All afternoon we had great foodstuffs and sampled good grapes–none as delicious as this one.

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2012 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA.

Thanks for allowing me to join you all and partake in so many good things: food, “Patrick TV”, deck fishing, family, and friendship. Notes on this one will have to come some other time–while the 2012 Silver Oak is exceptional, it pales in comparison to the day we just enjoyed. Looking forward to the next one already.

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2014 Vintage of the 1448, Jeff Runquist Winery

This is the one they call the “kitchen sink” wine, the red blend conceived by Jeff Runquist.  The winemaker has been at it since 1982 and built his craft over time at the Napa Valley Cooperative Winery, J. Lohr, and others until he released 700 cases of zinfandel under his own label in 1997. In spring 2008 Runquist opened a tasting room in Amador County has been handling the majority of his production from that location since that time.

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The 2014 vintage of Jeff Runquist’s 1448; Sierra Nevada, California, USA.

And how does that production rate? Pretty well, in the opinion of this fan. My first exposure to the 1448 red blend was nearly two years ago, and in that tasting you’ll see some background on Amador County as well as the pairing (i.e., grilled chicken with orzo arugula salad and roasted red peppers). This time I had it with a garden salad (always with freshly ground black pepper), a grilled New York Strip, and roasted Yukon potatoes.

The 1448 pairs well with both the chicken and the steak; its inky red nearly looks like blood when you pour in the glass (see accompanying photo) and it is absolutely crammed with flavor. I note some similarities to other red blends such as the Michael David Petite Petit and the Conundrum Red (there are several tastings of both in Notes if you’re so inclined), and in the 1448 you get a whiff of gentle smoke or chocolate too. It’s really berry-rich, and very easy to drink. Less tannins than a Cabernet if that appeals to you.

This follows on the heels of a great 2015 Petite Syrah from Runquist that I experienced last week as part of a birthday celebration, and if you can have one of the vineyard’s bottles every weekend like this then the universe is being pretty kind to you. Enjoy…and thanks for reading.

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2014 Freakshow Red Wine, Michael David Winery

It is no secret that I am a fan of the Michael David Winery—Notes has featured the Petite Petit with regularity over the years, and I recently tasted their best-selling zinfandel too with much enjoyment. When my father mentioned having sampled their Freakshow I knew it had to be part of my next wine tasting experience, and here we are.

2014 Freakshow, Michael David Winery, California, USA.

2014 Freakshow Red Wine, Michael David Winery, Lodi, California, USA.

You’re going to love this wine. It has elements common the Petite, particularly its mash-up of different tastes and flavors, but this one is less jammy and has a bit more heft to it. A little more spice and chew. The 2014 Freakshow has more dark fruits, black berry and black cherry, with some dark chocolate underpinnings. In that way it sort of reminded me of the Apothic Dark that I sampled in Chicago many moons ago, but at a higher level of execution. I was not sure what grapes comprised this red blend, but surely it has some Syrah (yes) involved and a quick bit of research shows there is some Petite Sirah as well. I have no idea what the Souzao grape is, but some of that’s in the mix too. Incredibly rich and unmistakably Michael Davis in all ways.

Here is the winemaker’s explanation of what’s going on in the 2014 Freakshow Red Wine: “Aromas of blackberry cobbler, toasted walnuts, espresso bean, and hints of brandy. The wine is weighty with a velvet-like texture boasting flavors of ripe brambleberry jam, toffee, and dark chocolate mousse followed by wisps of pipe tobacco and mesquite.”

They do have a way with words–and wines. This 2014 was aged both in French oak barrels (15 months) and American oak (18 months), and I’d like another already.

2013 Freakshow Cabernet, Michael David Winery, California, USA.

2013 Freakshow Cabernet, Michael David Winery, Lodi, California, USA.

My first shot at the Freakshow actually dates back to September, when I pulled the cork on their 2014 Freakshow Cabernet. This too hails from the Lodi-based winemaker and it is similarly excellent. Lots of cherry in this solid Cabernet, but my notes from that time are less specific other than to say it was a great value and accompanied a delicious grilled steak and asparagus side. Have to get another one of these soon too! This winery always stands tall and will definitely go on the “must visit” list for the next time life winds me through California wine country.

 

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2014 Migration Pinot Noir, Duckhorn Wine Company

I’m here at Fleming’s having a great late night dinner, and the 2014 Migration is only a part of the fun. My first choice was actually the MacMurry Pinot, but the bartender just doubled back to notify me that they’re out–the Migration is his recommendation of a similar red from the Russian River Valley and I’m up for it.

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2014 Migration, Duckhorn Wine Company, Russian River Valley, California, USA.

The Hornets game went to overtime before spilling disappointed fans into the streets, but my prospects are on the rise here at my favorite Charlotte steakhouse. The lighting is mellow, the buzz calming, and good folks are here having good times. Since the hour grows late I’ve decided not to steak it up but picked out instead a seared ahi tuna that is cooked just right for me and has some cool ginger dressing drizzled on the plate to go alongside the funky little salad served with the fish.

The Migration probably shouldn’t accompany the tuna, but what the heck, right? It’s a pretty layered drink, this red, and I’ll share with you for sure notes of cherry (most dominant), cranberry, and strawberry. I do not quite taste orange in this 2014 Pinot, but it does have an aftertaste that I’ve come to regard as orange (which is not quite the same thing, is it?) as I swirl this in the glass and consider. This vintage is barrel aged in French Oak (100%) for 10 months, and the taste is worthwhile.

Excuse the brevity of this one but I am indeed spent. I’ll keep the Migration top of mind for some time–just one small part of trying to get the most out of the day and hope it does for you too.

 

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2014 Count’s Selection Sangiovese, Buena Vista Winery

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I am thankful for many things this year (you know who you are) and Buena Vista wines are one of ’em. This bottle is from the vineyard’s first-ever vintage of Sangiovese and is a harbinger of promising horizons for Buena Vista. Founded in Sonoma in 1857, Buena Vista is California’s oldest premium winery (also my favorite) and this tempting red shows the winery not content to rest on its laurels but rather the winemaker’s ongoing commitment to excellence and experimentation.

screen-shot-2016-12-03-at-4-35-18-pmWe pulled the cork on a gorgeous November afternoon; with the sun shining brightly and temperatures in the high 60s, all of us gathered for dinner were relaxing outside instead of watching football on a day I often call “Dallas Thursday” to the ire of all non-Cowboys fans. Tailgating games were in full swing, and beverages flowing–including this Sangiovese. Only a few entries of Sangiovese (see the Puglia, Amantis, or Biltmore) exist on Notes, but they do seem to coincide with family and holiday gatherings so this bottle is coincidentally relevant to this trend.

Our host and hostess provided an AMAZING spread (thank you so much, Brandon and Jackie), one that was bountiful and full of delicious treats. There were two turkeys, a spiral-cut ham, all kinds of vegetables, stuffing, cranberries, mac-n-cheese, rolls, and yes, 15 pounds of potatoes, too. So that’s the backdrop against which this 2014 Sangiovese made its (brief!) appearance.

The wine is really good, and it held up well on an occasion that calls for indulgences of all kinds. It’s got red berry scents too it, mixed with earthy spices. The 2014 Count’s Selection Sangiovese isn’t quite as tannic or peppery as, say, a Syrah or a Buena Vista Charbono, but it has a nice red/black fruit taste that is plenty inviting. It’s a nice, full finish like a Cab but a little less tannic. Since I had car tripping pending for the end of the day, I had to be restrained in my ‘tasting’ of the Sangiovese but would have gladly pushed for more if not a driver on this holiday.screen-shot-2016-12-03-at-4-32-58-pm

Here’s how the Buena Vista people describe the wine: “Our inaugural vintage of Sangiovese opens with complex aromas of Bing cherry, rose petals, and a touch of leather. Tempting flavors of cherries and orange marmalade, with a touch of anise, caress the palate.”

I know my friends enjoyed it too and were asking about the bottle, so here it is guys and gals in case you’re looking to order for yourself. Glad to share the day and its celebrations with you all, and looking forward to the next occasion. Miss you all already!