Tag Archives: USA

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2013 Noble Vines 667 Pinot Noir

This week, a record-breaking scorcher for June (or Hell, for that matter), I found myself craving Pinot Noir as I thought about a good red to wedge its way through the heat. The 667 from the Delicato family answered the call, first with a down home Thursday meal of chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn, and again tonight with grilled steaks and crispy crowns.

2013 Noble Vines 667 Pinot Noir, Monterey, California, USA.

2013 Noble Vines 667 Pinot Noir, Monterey, California, USA.

The 667 Pinot Noir is a bit deeper in color than the Buena Vista on which I often comment (see here, and here, and others that should be in the Related Posts below), and it had a little more of a cherry vibe instead of a strawberry taste. This Pinot Noir, harvested and produced in Monterey, California, also has some earthiness to it and vanilla too. I know, I know–since when does this guy give a nod to vanilla? It works here. You get an easy finish, and ripe flavors that are very enjoyable. Thursday night is a “school night” so it took some restraint to have just a glass(ish) of the Noble Vines and leave the bottle for the weekend.

I read of the awards it’s won (i.e., the 2015 Monterey Wine Competition; 2015 Consumer Wine Awards; 2015 Toast of the Coast Wine Competition) and understood how the 667 performed so well. Several other Pinots are now here in the house so it’ll be some time before I get to circle back to this one, but that will be a good day too.

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2013 High Elevation Petite Sirah, Shannon Ridge

Still very much in a Petite Sirah place, and a nuanced wine like this makes me glad that I am. This 2013 offering from Shannon Ridge is made using sustainable farming practices, and it tastes even better than my predispositions thought it would. Never heard of this delicious red wine before, but it’s one that I will definitely know when I see it again.

2013 High Elevation Petite Sirah, Shannon Ridge, California, USA.

2013 High Elevation Petite Sirah, Shannon Ridge, California, USA.

The tasting notes, with apologies for cribbing these (I do hope they help you get up to speed quickly) from the Shannon Ridge website, are as follows: “This rustic varietal shows off dark fruits of blackberry, blueberry, and hints of cranberry. Black pepper, cedar, warm spices and toasty vanilla notes come out after aging this wine on a combination of French and America oak.” This bottle sounds good, right? Tell me you don’t want at least a flight for yourself after reading about all the berries and spices in the mix?

We had ours with a couple of different meals, finishing it tonight with juicy T-bone steaks and a mixture of green and wax beans…the former came off the grill right on time and the latter I seasoned with fresh crushed black pepper and butter. The spices of the steak come alive in the 2013 High Elevation Petite Sirah from Shannon Ridge; the earth tones of the Sirah really flourish in the glass and on the nose. The wine is aged for 9 months in both French and American oak, and the grapes are grown on the mountains sides (i.e., the “High Elevation Collection”) of Lake County, California. A couple of non-sequitors, perhaps, but good information for you as a reader and fan of good wine all the same. Enjoy the read and the Shannon Ridge!

 

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2012 Baron Cooper Old Vine Zinfandel

The Cooper Zinfandel caught my eye, not because it’s named for the winemaker’s support of rescue animals (which I wholeheartedly applaud), but because its original description in my email inbox sounded perfectly attuned to my tastes in wine. That being said, Baron Cooper is a Manchester Terrier that the Habashi Family adopted from their local Humane Society, and a percentage of its sales go to Best Friends Animal Society. Good idea and a good wine.

2012 Baron Cooper Wines Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi, California, USA.

2012 Baron Cooper Wines Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi, California, USA.

Our rescue is a hound retriever mix, and he’s eying me right now as I think about this 2012 Zinfandel from the Tamura Vineyard. I have several of these delicious bottles ready to go, and the first I enjoyed with pork chops and a mixed green salad. Apples, blue cheese, and candied walnuts helped bring the salad round, and citrus pepper seasoning did much the same for the chops. We’re on a good grilling streak right now, having cooked up pork chops, salmon, and steaks all with just the right temperature and timing.

I’ll leave some of the wine tasting notes for the next entry on the 2012 Baron Cooper Zinfandel. For now, let me just share with you that it’s rich, it’s got some pepper notes, and it’s got some great flavor that starts slowly. Its dark berries sit for a moment but ultimately come shining through as you sip it contentedly. Stay tuned for further updates and thanks as always for your readership of Notes.

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2010 Meritage, Dry Creek Vineyard

This 2010 Meritage was part of a great gift set that I received from my mother for my birthday last month. It was not supposed to be the headliner of this trio (that was due to be The Mariner) of reds, but in truth it was. We enjoyed The Mariner to be sure, but whereas that wine did not quite live up to its reputation (I still think of its sharp notes) this Limited Production 201o wine very much did.

2010 Meritage, Dry Creek Vineyard, Sonoma, California, USA.

2010 Meritage, Dry Creek Vineyard, Sonoma, California, USA.

We uncorked the 2010 without much fanfare as part of our dinner preparations and did not let it breathe before tumbling it out, fresh, berry, and vibrant, into our waiting glassware. By contrast to the vineyard’s Mariner, it is much more even and less tannic in its makeup. You get a big whiff of cherry and black berry layered together, and a subtle little ribbon of vanilla that winds through the red blend. I’ve previously broken down the mix of this big red, and I think you get that vanilla from the Cab but am not really sure. Is it perhaps the Merlot that helps get that nice, meaty balance here? Try it and let me know.

The 2010 Heritage from Dry Creek Vineyard–one of the first post-Prohibition vineyards in Dry Creek Valley–accompanied a set of delicious steaks. My wife had doctored up the meat with a great spice rub of rosemary and sage, plus the usual salt and pepper, and I for a change remembered to pull the steaks from the grill with enough time to let ’em set up nicely on our plates. Complement that and the wine with some roasted potatoes (fingerlings?) and fresh asparagus and you’ve got quite a nice spread to enjoy with loved ones.

My only disappointment was the end of the bottle, and knowing that no more of these rest comfortably on our wine shelf for next weekend. Here’s to always leaving ’em wanting…

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2013 Pinot Noir, BV Coastal Estates

The 2013 Pinot Noir from Beaulieu Vineyard Coastal Estates lasted several nights at our place, which says several things about a wine. Usually it means a bottle that we opened on a weeknight. It can also be a more tannic red, particularly a Bordeaux or Malbec that needed some extra time, or even a wine that just didn’t stick the landing for one reason or another. In this instance, however, it was that the wine was opened on a night prior to a long work trip. If you’re a reader who also knows the joys–and poor night’s sleep–of an early morning flight, you know what I’m talking about here.

2013 Pinot Noir, BV Coastal Estates, Rutherford, California, USA.

2013 Pinot Noir, Beaulieu Vineyard Coastal Estates, Rutherford, California, USA.

BV has been producing wine for more than 100 years, and the Latour name has long enjoyed a strong reputation for its Cabernet Sauvignons. A quick bit of research revealed that its founder Georges de Latour even sold wine to the Catholic Church during Prohibition (the only working Napa winery during that dark period of U.S. history), and his viniculturist Andre Tchelistcheff developed the first “cult” Cab in the first half of the 20th century. So you know they know grapes and how to get things done with a bang in the wine business.

Alas, this is not one of those smart-sounding Latour Private Reserve Cabernets but rather the 2013 BV Pinot Noir. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it. As a matter of fact it was nice and smooth, and a bit more of a cherry finish than a strawberry taste. I rushed through the pre-trip glass, and was too tired upon returning to make better notes of its profile. I do know that I finished off this 2013 vintage with some pepperoni pizza, and that the wine was enjoyable.

This is how the Beaulieu team describes the 2013: “Classic in style, our Pinot Noir is elegant and graceful, showing intense varietal character over a soft, supple profile. Fresh cherries and summer plums open the aromas. On the palate, the fruit gains complexity and depth, adding subtle layers of leather and forest floor. French oak stitches the bright fruit together, leaving just a hint vanilla.”

Forest floor? Missed that. I’m interested in another bottle of this, particularly a Friday night bottle, but even more so one of the Latour Cabs! I’ll be ready with my signature any time the good folks at BV decide they want to ship one to this humble writer.

 

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2012 The Mariner, Dry Creek Valley

This Bordeaux-style red blend is produced by Dry Creek Valley Vineyard, a family-owned winery in northern Sonoma Valley. It’s been in the Stare family since 1972 when, inspired by trips to the Loire Valley, founder David Stare purchased an old prune orchard in Dry Creek Valley and started planting grape vines that would become his family’s winery. Today they produce single-vineyard wines, reds and whites in their “signature” series, and this Mariner–which I received as a special birthday gift.

The 2012 vintage has had accolades from various reviewers, and you can find them scattered throughout the web. If you’re still reading here on Notes, though, you’re less interested in numeric scoring or some high-brow critic’s take on this 2012 meritage. You’re looking for a “real world” analysis and I’m happy to share.

2012 The Mariner, Dry Creek Vineyard, Sonoma, California, USA.

2012 The Mariner, Dry Creek Vineyard, Sonoma, California, USA.

The first thing you should know is that the 2012 The Mariner accompanied our steak dinner on this Memorial Day weekend. My wife and I had an opportunity to slow down from the usual pace of the week, and we used it to great advantage. Our steaks were seasoned with a special home-made “proprietary” blend of spiced salt and smelled of sage, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. The steaks set for perhaps an hour, and we thought The Mariner would be a great complement, given its own hints of spice and blueberry smells. We also had corn fresh from the cob and a killer potato salad that tied the summer meal together–quite a platform on which to display The Mariner.

Here’s how the Stare family shares its summary of this delicious 2012 red blend: “The wine displays high-toned perfume aromas of rose petal, cranberry, blueberry and oregano. Several more minutes reveal hints of wild sage, allspice and dark cherry characters. The palate is full and rich with mouthfilling complexity carrying notes of espresso, sweet vanilla, anise and dark fruit tones. The tannins are smooth and supple providing balance and sophistication.” I wholeheartedly support their fruit flavors, but I am not sure the tannin profile is quite accurately posed. Even after allowing the bottle to breathe for some time, my wife noted its sharper scent on the nose and, though I thought it less pronounced in tasting, it is definitely still present (is that from the Malbec?). Not sure if aging the bottle for a longer period or perhaps decanting would bring it more in line with the winemaker’s original intentions?

The 2012 is a red blend consisting of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 8% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc, and its is aged for 20 months in French oak (50% new oak). It is very easy drinking and would be great to have another at some point in the future. The meal was fantastic, and the wine was really damn good too–there’s not a drop of this left after our Sunday dinner.

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2012 Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvigon

Nice and smooth, this 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County’s Rodney Strong vineyard. It packs in fragrant, juicy smells of blueberry and blackberry, and perhaps even a bit of chocolate too. Rich, ruby, and red it tumbles into your glass, filled with promises that are effectively delivered as you make your way into the bottle.

2012 Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvigon, Sonoma County, California, USA.

2012 Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvigon, Sonoma County, California, USA.

This 2012 is very easy to drink; its even balance is an interesting contrast to the Bordeaux-style red that followed this Cab later in the holiday weekend. The Strong was served with hors d’oeuvres and one of my favorite pasta dishes–penne with salt and butter–and some garlic bread. It’s a mouthful unto itself, a juicy Cabernet that, at times, almost seems more like a Merlot than a California Cab. Really a nice, smooth beverage.

This one is a gift from my friend, and he went the extra mile to read through several Notes Of Note for my recent favorites and tendencies as he picked a drink to bring along for the evening. The 2012 Rodney Strong is a good one at that. Good research and an even better beverage! Thanks pal, and looking forward to your next visit.

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2012 Sterling Vintner’s Collection Cabernet Sauvignon

House guests always mean good things for a wine blog, as there’s nothing like splitting a fun bottle with friends and family. So here we are, warm May evening, sharing the 2012 Sterling Vintner’s Collection and some great conversation—my wife, my oldest friend in the world (we’ve been childhood friends, high school classmates and teammates, and college roommates) for more than three decades, and me.

2012 Sterling Vintner's Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, California, USA.

2012 Sterling Vintner’s Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, California, USA.

I’ve never had the Sterling before, but when we finished a couple Sam Adams (and yes a Miller Lite too, those of you who know) and were turning our thoughts to dinner, it seemed like a great pick to go alongside some killer pork chops. The meat had been marinating in the fridge all afternoon in a spicy mustard sauce that worked its way into the pork while it sizzled up on the grill. A salad of mixed greens, fresh mushrooms, and crushed pepper, seasoned with a light vinaigrette, provided an enjoyable cool to the hot main course. On another such occasion I might have gone with a Zinfandel for this meal but was pleased overall by the Cabernet.

It has deep flavors, blackberry and cherry in particular, that gives sustenance and substance to this wine. Really liked those flavors, and am pleased to share with you too that the Sterling works in some quiet vanilla and some enjoyable spice scents. Great value. This 2012 has a lot of the characteristics that you’ll see me remark about in other good Cabs, and I’d be more than willing to bring it back to our table again soon.

We’ll be looking forward to another visit soon, one where we can enjoy time laughing, drinking delicious adult beverages, and LIG moments together. Thanks to the Sterling for being a good part of this one.

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2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, 14 Hands Winery

I’ve dropped the ball almost entirely here for the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, produced by the team at 14 Hands Winery. I’m positive that I had this 2013 vintage on May 8 because I have the date/timestamp both in my iCloud photos and my Vivino app, but I am very lacking in other relevant details about this tasting experience.

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, 14 Hands, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA.

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, 14 Hands, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA.

I didn’t note the food accompanying the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, and I didn’t jot down anything significant regarding its smell, its taste, or its color. Based on the photo here it seems as though the 2013 has good depth and a rich, deep color but that’s less helpful if you’re looking to NotesOfNote as a resource for your upcoming wine selection. I can confirm that 14 Hands Winery is located in the Columbia Valley AVA, and its winemaker offers, “14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon is a bright, juicy red featuring aromas of blueberries and currants with subtle hints of dried herbs. Red berry flavors are complemented by a touch of spicy oak and accentuated by refined tannins.”

Those following Notes recognize that I usually affirm or redirect tasting notes from the winemaker, but here I can do neither and apologize to readers for the lacking post. On the plus side, it does mean that I have to have another go at the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon from 14 Hands in order to do this wine right. So at least there’s that?