Tag Archives: Russian River Valley

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2013 Pinot Noir, Curlew Vineyards

Over the last week I’ve sampled some less than amazing red wines, and the kitchen counter is carrying about four half-consumed bottles that I’ll try to revisit over the holiday weekend. Perhaps. In the meantime, I decided I needed a palate cleanser and popped a cork on this 2013 Pinot Noir from Curlew Vineyards to get that job done, and done well.

2013 Pinot Noir, Curlew Vineyards, Russian River Valley, California, USA.

2013 Pinot Noir, Curlew Vineyards, Russian River Valley, California, USA. (Photo courtesy of http://www.cellartracker.com)

This delicious red is made by the Pedroncelli family and presents some excellent features for the price. It’s light but nuanced, with scents of cherry and other red berries in the glass. If you sometimes grimace at vanilla or strawberry in your pinots as I do, this is your wine. Neither are present (some tasters will beg to differ but I think them overstating the tastes and scents here) to any appreciable extent in this Russian River Valley red!

It’s 100% Pinot Noir with plenty of fruits without being the flavor bomb that, for example, the delicious Petite Petit can be. Saturday the wine accompanied pan-seared filet mignon; tonight some kicked up hamburgers grilled to taste. You sip this red contentedly, enjoying its rich color in your stemware and its rich red fruit on your taste buds. Only 1,500 cases of this micro-production Pinot Noir were made, so if you’re intrigued by its profile here be sure to act quickly to track some down for yourself.

I found this on Wines Til Sold Out and hope that helps in your search. Enjoy and thanks for reading!

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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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2012 William Hill Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon; 2012 Novy Zinfandel

This is the rare entry, the double down of road vino, and one I completed earlier this week in the Windy City. I’m attending a yearly trade show in Chicago and trying to fight off the deep February cold with a couple of warm reds and good acquaintances.

2012 William Hill Estate Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, California, USA.

2012 William Hill Estate Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, California, USA.

The first is the 2012 William Hill Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s an average red from the heart of Napa Valley, one with a decent jam-like start and easy finish. Since it was served with dinner at the Oral Health America charity fundraiser, I’m uncertain how long the William Hill was allowed to breathe prior to service. It also followed a cocktail hour and thus my palate came to the Cab with Pinot Noir as a precursor…so I trust my questionable tastes less than normal. The dinner was about far more than the banquet food or the California reds, though, but a great cause.

2012 Novy Family Winery Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA.

2012 Novy Family Winery Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA.

The Novy was recommended to me by a waitress at Rebar, a cool little hotspot located in the Trump International Hotel and Tower. It was spicy, it was lively, and matched the fun vibe at the heart of the bar. Tasted in conjunction with some popcorn that was kicked up with chili powder or something cajun-style, the Novy was a punch in the nose. Purple fruit flavors, votive candle ambiance that included great views out the side of the building, and a calm after the storm of the trade show day. Russian River Valley one of my favorites within the Sonoma AVA and the bias really held up well in this 2012 vintage. Looking forward to trying this one again in the future.

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2012 Gracenote Pinot Noir

After a tiring flight from San Antonio, the 2012 Gracenote Pinot Noir was a welcome treat that marked the end of a six-day work week.  My wife had opened in advance of my arrival, and the aromatic Pinot Noir had had a good opportunity to breath while I was en route from the airport.

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2012 Gracenote Pinot Noir, Ubben Vineyards, Russian River Valley, California, USA.

This Russian River Valley red, aged in oak barrels, was created by Ubben Vineyards (and winemaker Reed Renaudin) and had a great fruity scent to it.  Great, vibrant color too.  Notes from the pros read as follows:

“This sublime wine offers impressions of dark cherry, strawberry, lavender, vanilla, cedar, and a hint of toast.”

It had a bit too much vanilla for me, but the strawberry (not exactly my favorite) was subtle and I tasted more of the cherry and cedar–gladly.  I consumed a glass with a chicken cordon bleu and delicious orzo salad, and the Gracenote was an effective medium between the two.  A nice bit of comfort after the Saturday night flight.

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Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir 2011

The Russian River Valley is famous for its great wines and, like other notable regions in California wine country, the unique climates and soils that make grape growing so fascinating and rewarding for the vineyards located here.  Years ago on an amazing summer vacation, my wife and I learned that it’s the cool evenings and perfect year-round weather that make for effective growing seasons and the maturity of the grapes in this part of the country.  The Rodney Strong Vineyards is one such beneficiary, and those of us who sample its work from time to time are winners as well.

Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir 2011, Russian River Valley, California, USA.

Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir 2011, Russian River Valley, California, USA.

Even though we had a great Pinot Noir already open and beckoning, we vaulted this 2011 to the head of the class to accompany our Sunday dinner.  Our pork tenderloin, sliced into heavenly slabs each about an inch thick, had basked all afternoon in a great marinade of olive oil, basil, garlic, and lemon juice, and was grilled (thermometer-aided) to a tender finish.  Accompanying this was a delicious medley of Israeli couscous and quinoa that my mother magicked up with some roasted red pepper, feta cheese, calamatta olives, cucumbers, and white balsamic vinegar–as well as the Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir 2011.

Here’s the rundown from the winemakers at Strong: “Soft and silky, with intriguing floral and crushed pomegranate aromas, this medium-bodied wine was aged for nine months in small, French oak barrels which added a hint of toasty vanilla and spice complexity.  Ideal for current enjoyment, this Pinot Noir will age nicely over the next two to four years.”

If you read NotesOfNote with any regularity, you know that vanilla notes doesn’t usually play too highly in this house.  This scent is more locked away in the 2011 Pinot Noir from Rodney Strong, though, and I don’t think I would even have noticed if not for the prompt from the winemaker.  I think that’s a good thing but try it for yourself and see if you agree.