Tag Archives: USA

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2014 Mark West Pinot Noir Black

Notes has chronicled more than a single bottle of Mark West over the years; our favorite wine store in New Jersey often stocked it and gave us ample opportunity to sample with all manner of foodstuffs. A quick glance back at our archives says more than five vintages have been covered herein. Never before, however, had I seen this “Dark” variation and was intrigued as to its potential.

2014 Mark West Pinot Noir Black, Monterey County, California, USA.

2014 Mark West Pinot Noir Black, Monterey County, California, USA.

I had sort of drifted away from the West Pinot in recent months. I find winemaker Jason Becker’s “signature” Pinot to be slightly lacking in muscle, a light red that skipped some of the subtleties of good California grapes–almost like “diet” Pinot Noir. That being said, even the hint of a darker red in the Black label was promising and raised my eyebrow. Immediately I knew I had to give it a go much like I did the Apothic Dark when stumbling onto it in Chicago last year.

I uncorked it first on Friday after a travel week but am polishing it off tonight–mostly with a London broil and a peas and carrots medley. The vegetables are not the highlight of the meal, to be sure. I’m happy to share it’s the Black that holds the spotlight this evening.

It’s got much better legs than the ‘original’ Mark West, and packs in blackberry smells in abundance. This wine is a far cry from a Cab or deeper red, but also more saturated than a traditional Pinot. You get a whiff of vanilla too–faint but definitely present. Good swirl in your glass and mouthfeel for an affordable red. Becker, who uses the Saignée method of winemaking here, describes the flavor as “ripe black plums and blackberries along with mocha notes…” and ages this line extension in French and Hungarian oak barrels.

I’m glad I gave this Pinot Noir a try and definitely prefer it to the classic Mark West. Give it a go and taste for yourself.

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2014 Meiomi Pinot Noir

I’m of two minds on the Meiomi Pinot Noir. On one hand, this wine is ubiquitous in wine stores across the U.S., and Notes has covered it on several prior occasions. So has the mainstream wine media, and writing about this wine feels almost passe.

On the other hand, it’s friggin’ great. This is the 2014 vintage of a Pinot Noir that just might be my second favorite. I’m tempted to look back on all the Pinots we’ve covered here for the sake of comparison, and I know it’s solidly placed on the list behind only my favorite Buena Vista offerings.

2014 Meiomi Pinot Noir, California, USA.

2014 Meiomi Pinot Noir, California, USA.

Its black and red berry scents, much richer than a typical Pinot, help set it apart right away. It’s more than just the light strawberry you often get, the whiff of vanilla, in a less polished Pinot. Joe Wagner culls fruit from three different California counties to weave together blackberries, cherries, and a little something leathery in the 2014 Meiomi. Oh yeah, and it does still have some soft notes of strawberry and vanilla if you’re into such things. We had the Meiomi with steaks and asparagus, and worked our way right through the wine.

Santa Barbara, Sonoma, and Monterey all share a role in this very successful outcome. I’m sure that certain high-brow wine folks look down on the Meiomi for its mass production, but it’s a great thing that the Wagners have found a way to combine exquisite tastes with affordability in this bottle. Who likes an elitist, anyways?

For the vineyard’s own tasting notes, simply click here–and enjoy. As for us? We’re on next to Valentine’s Day and another Meiomi.

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2012 Conundrum, Wagner Family

This is Part 2 of Restaurant Week in the Queen City, a Friday night at Morton’s for steaks, vino, and quality time together. By the time our Uber driver dropped us at its front door, the steakhouse was hopping and filled with good people enjoying their evenings.

Both my wife and I had scoped out the menu several weeks ago when making the reservation and, by the time we were seated in a cozy booth looking over the dining room, we were ready to partake in grapes and grub. Morton’s obviously has an amazing wine list (we were seated directly in front of magnums of Caymus and Silver Oak Cabernet) that tantalized and transfixed this fan, but I felt great about this bottle of Conundrum that we had brought for the occasion–uncorking fees be damned.

2012 Conundrum, Wagner Family, California, USA.

2012 Conundrum, Wagner Family, California, USA.

The waiter complimented our Wagner selection and gave the usual preview, one I swirled just briefly before having him pour for us both. This plush red blend poured deep and rich, its blackberry and cherry notes wafting against the grilled meats and breads in enticing fashion–of course I was hooked immediately. I know Conundrum has its roots in both California Zinfandel and Syrah, and the latter seemed to take the lead in tonight’s dance. The wine was fruity yet full of earth tones, and I’m sorry to say was our last Conundrum on hand (already thinking about ordering more).

It also worked effectively with our meals. First we sampled lobster bisque and Caesar salad, and then our main courses were plated. Filet Mignon, cooked a healthy medium temperature, was juicy and delicious. Both of us had ordered a horseradish mashed potato side that was perhaps the one chink in Morton’s armor–the potatoes were not hot enough and didn’t have any appreciable bite to them, certainly not one you’d attribute to horseradish. Dessert was excellent, though, a chocolate mousse and key lime pie slice. Both were photo-worthy but you’ll have to take my word for it as I captured the entre course instead.

Notes has covered Conundrum on at least two recent occasions, and hopefully you have a good sense of its offering and characteristics at this point. Really approachable and delicious. Enjoy…

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2013 Chardonnay, Meiomi Wines

The Meiomi Pinot Noir gets a lot of attention from wine enthusiasts (this one included), and for good reason. It’s a fantastic wine, and it is well represented in Notes if you wanted to search for such reviews. What I didn’t know was that Wagner also had a comparable white blend in their Chardonnay.

2013 Meiomi Chardonnay, Meoimi Wines

2013 Meiomi Chardonnay, Meoimi Wines, St. Helena, California, USA.

The Meiomi Chardonnay (this one is obviously a 2013) is, like their red, a blend of grapes sourced from Santa Barbara (49%), Sonoma (30%), and Monterrey (21%) coastal counties. That mixture infuses a wide variety of interesting tastes in this white, which is not overly oaky  or buttery but rather characterized by some crisp apple-like fruits and some mineral undertones. Not quite what you’d expect from a wine that does some time aging in French oak. My wife and I both enjoyed, which is pretty high praise if you know us.

Thus did the 2013 Meiomi Chardonnay launch our house into Friday evening, the end of the year’s first work week. The stemware was ready and served up our drinks during the cocktail hour as well as during dinner–which consisted of two types of ravioli. Delicious dinner and wine for us both*.

My wife picked out this bottle, and we are likely to put it more frequently in the rotation over the coming year with pasta, fish, and the helluv it. Hope you enjoy yours as much as we did.

*Note that mine also consisted of more Wagner family wine. 

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2013 Geza’s Selection Pinot Noir, Buena Vista

It’s New Year’s Eve, right on the verge of 2016, and a perfect time for a double dose of great beverages–we’re celebrating here with the 2013  Geza’s Selection Pinot Noir, and with my wife’s favorite champagne. That‘s how you ring in the new year!

2013 Geza's Selection Pinot Noir, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

2013 Geza’s Selection Pinot Noir, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

Friends and long-time readers of Notes of Note may recall that Buena Vista wines and Veuve Cliquot have both made prior appearances for such occasions. They are fantastic examples of the craft, grapes that cost more than the norm (at least for our modest household) and taste better too. We are pouring amply and with big smiles; we hope to make it to midnight.

The staff at Buena Vista describes this offering from their cellar as follows: “A beautiful ruby color in the glass, this Pinot Noir opens with floral aromas and hits of raspberries and dusty herbs. Flavors of wild plum and brambleberries are accented by hints of pepper and rich chocolate.” If you’re one of those people who says you can’t tell the difference between a $10 wine and a $40 bottle, the 2013 Geza’s Selection is your proof. Numbered bottle or not, you know the quality in this Pinot Noir as soon as you smell and sip this bad boy.

And what of the food? It’s about new experiences for us…including potato pinwheels topped with sour cream, bacon, and green onions (pictured), and a delicious tuna nacho dish. This my bride adapted from a recent meal she’d had out in the city (before the Amy Schumer show) and featured fresh seared tuna and a wasabi mustard mix. It sort of has an aioli bite to it, and we enjoyed both dishes thoroughly. Hopefully both are indicative of good things for us in the year ahead.

Happy New Year everyone!

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2012 Conundrum, Wagner Family

I enjoyed a great bottle of Conundrum earlier this year and uncorked this one to share the experience with family. We have just returned from watching the new Star Wars (good flick) and are prepping a light dinner–a “must do” after all the rich eating on Christmas. This deep ruby red is now in the glass, so let’s touch on some details:

2012 Conundrum

2012 Conundrum, Wagner Family, Napa Valley, California, USA.

This 2012 red blend is going to accompany a Romaine salad, tossed with Buffalo-style chicken, and accented with a crumble of Gorgonzola. It’s luscious fruits, harvested from grapes in California’s Napa Valley, are presented evenly. In the Conundrum you have less spice than a Syrah and less tannins than a Cabernet Sauvignon, but both probably contribute to this proprietary blend.  In the 2012 vintage, I taste a little bit of cherry, blueberry, and even want to bite into it a bit–that’s an accent I usually attribute to a chocolatey profile of a wine. The actual blend is not disclosed by the Wagners but works to good effect in the Conundrum.

I know that the Wagner family would suggest this Conundrum be consumed not at room temperature but slightly colder; we’ll have to give that a shot next time instead. Would that have been a good contrast to the spicy Buffalo sauce? Interesting to consider. I’ll keep you posted and thanks again for following Notes here.