Tag Archives: USA

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2013 Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon

Lot on my mind these days, and seemingly less time for Notes. That, combined with delicious summer beers to beat back the nearly oppressive heat, and I find myself playing catchup tonight. Our focus is the 2013 Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon, first Cab that I’ve had from this winery; I’m fairly sure I’d just tasted their whites previously.

2013 Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon, Yolo County, California, USA.

2013 Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon, Yolo County, California, USA.

The Toasted Head had interesting taste pockets. It was a Cabernet equivalent of the summer pond–you know the one I mean? It’s cool, its refreshing, and then you hit this warm spot and the water changes all around you.

This 2013 is similar in that you are sipping some fine red wine, and then you hit this berry patch and your taste buds go crazy for all the cherry and dark berry flavors. We started on the Toasted Head yesterday and tonight are finishing it off with some great leftover steaks (not too proud to say Frank’s Red Hot was liberally applied to it) and white rice seasoned with fresh scallions. Good stuff, just like the vino.

Yolo County, from where this wine hails, is between Napa to the west and Sacramento to the east. This AVA is on the eastern side of the Coast Range Mountains–sounds like the usual “cool nights warm days” magic that does so right by California wines. Scanning the winemaker’s comments, and I see we agree on a couple relevant points that I share here for you:

“This wine opens with ripe plum and dark berry fruits on the nose, accompanied by a graham cracker toastiness from oak aging. On the palate this Cabernet focuses on ripe blackberry and dark cherry surrounded by bourbon vanilla and caramelized sugar notes.”

I’m nodding in agreement. Good berry, full mouth flavor in the 2013 Toasted Head. I’m up for another one…

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2012 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon

Big bunches of berry smells jump right out from the 2012 vintage of the Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon–not bad for some on-the-go wine. Picked this bottle in part because of some decent history with Layer Cake (which I somehow cannot find right now, despite distinct memories of drinking it in our rental house) and in part because its screw top is conducive to easy access sans corkscrew. So what of the taste, say you?

2012 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon, California, USA.

2012 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon, California, USA.

It’s juicy, it’s luscious, and there’s plenty of value here. Some of the depth (the chocolate?) that I recall from Carnivores past and other Cabs is in play here, as are some char-like flavors. No meal with this beverage; just some unwinding for a soul sorely in need of some. I’m glad I picked the 2012 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon instead of their Malbec, which was close by but less of a draw on this occasion.

Is it odd to say I liked the label? Its cake is not overdone but nevertheless memorable. I’m not talking about the font (which is sharp in and of itself) or the appearance of the label as much as I am its texture. The 2012 has a feel to it that’s almost embossed; some cool ink work that I admire from a production standpoint.

The 2012 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon hails from a California vineyard that has a clever back story. The grapes come from the Alexander Valley, and there is good reading all over the web on the particular minerals and terroir of this AVA. You should take a moment and Google the region–maybe even while enjoying a glass of this fruity red.

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2013 American Syrah, Linville Falls Winery

Near the Pisgah National Forest of Newland, North Carolina, are the Linville Falls and their namesake winery, both of which we visited on this beautiful day of our summer vacation. The state maintains well-traveled—and well-groomed—hiking trails that must bring thousands of visitors to the Falls each year; far fewer visit the winery I’m sure.

Linville Falls Winery, Newland, NC. Photo credit: J.W. Fulton

Linville Falls Winery, Newland, NC. Photo credit: J.W. Fulton

It was not just the road signs that brought us to the Winery but also this picturesque hillside. Rows of grapes stretching sunward, a pond shimmering off in this distance through the heat, and clouds so low and tumbling that you can almost pull them down from the sky. Yes, those are Christmas trees growing proudly all across the beautifully landscaped hills. The bar in the Winery tasting room was packed, and we opted neither to wait for open seats nor uncork on the festive outdoor patio (too hot) but rather grab a bottle of this American Syrah and head back to our waiting pup and the peace and quiet of our mountain cabin rental.

The hostess at the Linville Falls Winery complimented our choice and mentioned that the wine had fared well in competition at last year’s North Carolina State Fair. I missed what she said about the Syrah’s performance, but did enough research to see that over 1 million visitors hit the fair yearly, so it’s no small event. I wrestled that evening whether to open the Syrah in the spirit of our Linville Falls hike or the Aristocrat and ultimately saved this smooth, uncomplicated red for home.

2013 American Syrah, Linville Falls Winery, Newland, North Carolina, USA.

2013 American Syrah, Linville Falls Winery, Newland, North Carolina, USA.

That was a good idea, as we got to enjoy a great red on that evening and save the Syrah and the Falls memories it engendered for another night. That said, I have to think carefully about this vintage of the American Syrah. It’s notably different than other Syrah’s we’ve pulled recently; it’s smooth and uncomplicated, and has far less of the spice box or peppery accents that you often taste in a Syrah. Is it intentionally mild, or is the lack of these nuances indicative instead of a “local” winery fighting for legitimacy?

The smell of the Linville is similarly even, its color a brick red that’s somewhere between a Pinot Noir and Cabernet or Malbec. The finish of this Syrah is mild and smooth all the way down. Last night the Falls accompanied grilled steak; tonight it went with salmon accented with a slather of fresh cut peppers, capers, and jalapeno jelly. I don’t think the Syrah drew out any specific flavors with either meal but was a relaxing adult beverage nevertheless.

I’d enjoy the American Syrah again in the future, not as much for its complexities or lock-down flavor but more because of the amazing vacation trip it commemorates.

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2012 The Aristocrat, Buena Vista

The Aristocrat is one of the finest wines I’ve ever enjoyed, and it’s going right onto Notes‘ Top Five Reds list. It’s really special. This 2012 is the inaugural vintage, and it’s already sold out at Buena Vista so coming by this gem will not be easy–yet a worthwhile pursuit if you’re even remotely inclined toward great wine.

2012 The Aristocrat, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

2012 The Aristocrat, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

The 2012 Aristocrat is more cherry and blueberry in its flavor. It is crazy smooth, packed full of fruit, and has a spectacular, even finish. There is not even a hint of sharpness, of tannins, of the need for time the way you often get with a Bordeaux or similarly styled red blend. It has great legs, and a jammy color that you’ll find–like its bouquet–extremely enticing.

My wife and I enjoyed this 2012 from a mountainside cabin in western NC, along with a rack of ribs (that’s a dry rub you see in the photo) and a salad featuring some vegetables we picked up fresh at a roadside farm stand.

The team at Buena Vista did not assemble this winner haphazardly–it is filled with purpose and intention. It features Valdiguie (a first for me?), Petit Verdot, and Charbono grapes, each harvested from vineyards in Napa Valley’s Calistoga AVA.  Believe it or not, the vines of the Valdiguie, located at the base of the Vaca Mountains, date back before Prohibition. Poking through the Buena Vista website, I also relay to you that the Charbono is grown on one of Napa’s last remaining Charbono vineyards. This amazing wine is aged (in separate lots) in 100% French oak for 16 to 18 months before being blended.

Special thanks to my mother for presenting us with this amazing housewarming gift. We are thrilled at the reason you selected the 2012 Aristocrat, and thrilled too at the occasion to enjoy it. Hope we brought just a little bit of that back to you in the recap and the photos!

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2013 Noble Vines 446 Chardonnay

This is the second Noble Vines wine we’ve had in recent weeks, this one a white–not a frequent Saturday night beverage in our house but one to which we both surrendered this evening.  In the interest of time I’ll explain that the 446 originates from the San Bernabe AVA, one termed the “cool climate Monterey” by the winemaker.

Your label on the 446 gives simple instructions – “Enjoy with grilled fish, chicken or pasta with creamy sauces.” And we did. Tuna steaks, so fresh and tender, we had alongside orzo pasta, peas, and asparagus. The pasta and vegetables were a contrast in styles and tastes, intertwining hot and cool elements into a great accent for the fish.

2013 Nobel Vines 446 Chardonney, Monterey, California, USA.

2013 Nobel Vines 446 Chardonney, Monterey, California, USA.

Fresh citrus is the best way, in my limited vocabulary and experience with whites, that I can describe the 2013 vintage of the 446. It doesn’t have a “buttery” taste to it, and in that way is similar to the Simi that we had not too long ago.  In Notes for both I find myself struggling for specifics, for nuances that help differentiate among California Chardonnays and am determined to improve on my palate so as to offer more useful advice on whites in the future.

This is not that occasion, though, so let me close simply by saying it brought a smile to my face to know we both were giving a go to the 446 on this sultry Summer evening. Hoping you and yours had a good Saturday too!

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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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The Ones That Got Away – Spring 2015 Sampler

2013 Ida's Selection Pinot Noir, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA; Santa Margherita Prosecco, Italy; 2012 Avant Chardonnay, Kendall Jackson, California, USA; 2013 Avant Chardonnay, Kendall Jackson, California, USA; 2013 Vintner's Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Kendall Jackson, California, USA; 2013 Ruffino Pinot Grigio Delle Venezia, Italy; 2013 Trivento Malbec Reserva, Mendoza, Argentina.

2013 Ida’s Selection Pinot Noir, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA; Santa Margherita Prosecco, Italy; 2012 Avant Chardonnay, Kendall Jackson, California, USA; 2013 Avant Chardonnay, Kendall Jackson, California, USA; 2013 Vintner’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Kendall Jackson, California, USA; 2013 Ruffino Pinot Grigio Delle Venezia, Italy; 2013 Trivento Malbec Reserva, Mendoza, Argentina.

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2014 Merlot, Wente Vineyards

It is just a short flight from JFK to the ROC tonight and I wasn’t originally going to have a cocktail on the trip. We were delayed while the ground crew flipped the late-inbound flight, however, and by the time we got this silver bird rolling I had already power napped for a few moments on the tarmac and was excited to get to Rochester. So, okay, an excuse for a glass of vino…

…I also chose this drink because I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Wente in the past, a worthwhile field trip with my good bud and his wife out in the Livermore Valley. This is an airplane red, and those of you in the know are already picturing it being served just a bit too cold from the galley to really enjoy. That’s sort of the case here, but you make up for lost time by eagerly splashing your plastic cup–easily warmed stemware at its American Airlines finest.

2014 Merlot, Wente Vineyards, Lissimore Valley, California, USA.

2014 Merlot, Wente Vineyards, Livermore Valley, California, USA.

It’s a young grape, one without the deeper flavors (you can tell even before checking the year) or nuances yet juicy and fruity nevertheless. Enjoyable. The 2014 Merlot from Wente and its Selected Estates isn’t going to medal in any competition this weekend, but the family does good work, and you know some effort went into this red. It’s comforting. I sipped contentedly and wished away the miles and the encumbrances of a long work week–thoughts on the horizon and the fun weekend in store.