Tag Archives: USA

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La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2011

Another great treat for a milestone birthday, the La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2011 was gifted to me by my cousins and their significant others.  Becca and I had occasion to laugh and share an evening with the four of them and the rest of the Heuseveldt family last month, and I’ve been holding onto this lovely red for about four weeks waiting for my birthday so I could finally give it a shot.

La Crema Pinot Noir 2011, Sonoma Coast, California, USA.

La Crema Pinot Noir 2011, Sonoma Coast, California, USA.

So easy.  I knew from the first pour, as I saw the lights from our kitchen bleeding all warm and cozy through our stemless Riedel glass, that this Pinot was going to be something special.  Light, fruity, and a smooth finish.  It perfectly accompanied a light flank steak, steamed veggies, and a couple lightly seasoned baby potatoes.

Here some [edited] notes from the talented winemaker: “This 2011 opens with lovely, vibrant aromas of cherry pie and sassafras, supported by subtle earth tones and hints of rose petal and vanilla.  Vibrant pomegranate and cranberry join in on the palate, with notes of black licorice, espresso bean, sweet pipe tobacco and cherry cola.  With elegant structure, the juicy mid-palate leads to a lingering finish of sweet spice.”

That’s obviously way more technical than I could taste (I’d have to simply nod and grunt out, “Yeah, red berries.“), but I can say it was ready for business, and business was good!  Thanks to you all, Erik, Laura, Adam, and Bekah!

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Blue Rock Baby Blue 2010 Red Blend

Hard to know how to title this wine–the bottle reads simply Baby Blue but the winemaker’s website calls it Baby Blue Cabernet.  Or Baby Blue Estate Red Blend.  Whatever it’s called, it is fantastic.  My wife picked out this crazy winner and gifted it to me for my 40th birthday.  It was part of a great weekend, and we polished it off on Sunday night with a perfectly grilled steak, some delicious tater tot crowns, and grilled asparagus.  Perfect pairing, in all the ways that matter to me–obvious and subtle both.

Blue Rock, Baby Blue 2010 Red Blend. Alexander Valley, USA

Blue Rock, Baby Blue 2010 Red Blend. Alexander Valley, USA

At the moment, red blends are very much vogue for this gent.  Here’s the makeup of the Blue Rock:

  • Cabernet Sauvignon 52%
  • Merlot 25%
  • Cabernet Franc 13%
  • Syrah 10%

The winemaker remarks further, “The wine spent 16 months in French Oak (once used) and has been bottled unfined. As a result, Baby Blue is delicious on release and is intended for mid-term cellaring.”  Fans of this blog know that’s a bunch of high-falutin’ language but in the end it means one important thing–the wine is great.  I’m ready for my next glass already.

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Wente Vineyards Morning Fog 2011 Chardonnay

If you remember our last post about Wente, you know we’re fans and were looking to echo the success of our last bottle with another of the finest from this Livermore Valley vineyard.  We anticipated sharing this one with good friends–originally from Park Slope in Brooklyn and now in Yonkers–for the Easter weekend.  My wife’s dear friend is a professional chef, and this light, nearly sweet Chardonnay was intended to accompany a mushroom lasagna and other festive plans we had in mind.

Wente Vineyards 2011 Morning Fog Chardonnay, Livermore, California, USA.

Wente Vineyards 2011 Morning Fog Chardonnay, Livermore, California, USA.

Unfortunately, our plans fell through and Becca and I were left with nearly two dozen eggs to color ourselves, a pile of delicious snacks, and a Paas kit ready to go.  Thankfully, we’re creative folks, and we do love our eats.  Makes for a powerful combination!

Anyway, we set up the kitchen table–cups for dunking, pens, crayons, and rubber bands, and this delicious white.  Perfect way to celebrate Easter!  You can see in the accompanying photo both our empty bottle as well as the colored treasures we created ourselves.  The wine was great, the occasion sound, and the company best of all.

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2008 Expo Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2008 Expo Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, USA. Featuring the artwork of Carol Schinkel of Fort Collins, CO.

2008 Expo Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, USA. Featuring artwork by Carol Schinkel of Fort Collins, CO.

Second tasting of the 2008 Expo Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. I’m really a fan of this Cab and trying to think of a way to explain in simple terms: On a day where you are reluctant to break out a proven superstar but are looking for some grapes that bring it, the Expo is a great option. It’s not a home run, but it’s a solid double into the gap and you’re looking to advance. The Expo kind of has a boutique feel to it and was paired last night with a killer green salad and pan-seared steaks. The fresh ground pepper on the salad, combined with the red meat, seemed to bring out some of the flavors (dark reds, spices) of this great cuvee.

Since I cheated a glass from this bottle earlier in the week (a great, heart-healthy after-work drink, incidentally), I was about one short last night but am already looking forward to the next taste.

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Buena Vista 2009 Ramal Vineyard Cardonnay Musque Clone

A delicous-smelling mushroom beef risotto is going to accompany this last glass of the Buena Vista Musque Clone Chardonnay 2009 tonight. The Chardonnay–my first white in some time–is a really nice, sweet Californian. Buena Vista always rings true for me, and this bottle is no exception. It’s got a great scent about it; some yellow fruits that I can’t quite pinpoint but surely enjoy on the nose and the tongue.
In addition to their usual language about the boutique approach, Buena Vista writes of this Sonoma beauty, “This Musque Clone selection showcases our most aromatic expression of Carneros Chardonnay with aromas of honeysuckle, orange blossum, and floral notes. The aromatic fruit and muscat-like characters carry through with a rich, oily texture that pairs well with intensely flavored foods and is also enjoyable on its own.”
Even now I’m just sipping the glass, drawing out the inevitable conclusion to a fun bottle. Wish they didn’t all come to an end, but all good things, right?

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2008 Expo Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Okay, now we’re getting somewhere.  Started this bottle Friday evening, and polished it off Sunday night with a delicious dinner of steak (perfectly done), asparagus, and baked potato.  Believe me, it took a crazy amount of restraint not to down the entire bottle in one sitting because it is flat-out excellent.  We have several bottles of this Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon on hand, so Notes will have a photo in subsequent posts–the Expo’s artwork (contributed by Colorado artist Carol Schinkel) is also great.

Know that the 2008 Expo is striking.  It has been grown and produced by Alison Crowe and reminded me of several recent Bordeauxs we’ve been lucky enough to try…will break out additional tasting thoughts in our next sampling but first recommendation is that you put your hands on one right now.  You’ll thank me.

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2010 Buena Vista Attila’s Selection, Dry Creek Zinfandel

This bottle of Buena Vista Zinfandel graced our table Sunday…either because we’re heart healthy or putting off the Sunday night blues just a while longer.  Or, as my wife would say, “Probably some of Column A an some of Column B.”  Light, red berries were immediately evident, and this was one of the milder zins that I’ve had–even immediately upon uncorking.  I had it with a rare Omaha(?) steak and some sides that now escape my memory.  Not an unusual occurrence for me, when I’m having a Buena Vista, to forget what else the menu held for us.

Additional information here from the winemaker: “Harvested in early October, the must was then fermented in separate, open-top vats for each vineyard block and aged separately in French oak barrels for 11 months before final blending.”

This numbered bottle (#2261) is from just 250 total cases and the varietal is named for the son of Count Agoston Haraszthy–the founder of Buena Vista and the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society, which he formed in 1863 to advance the winemaking prowess and expand its vineyards. The BVVS has been restored as a collection of small-production wines that, according to their press, “honor the winery’s pioneering spirit and contribution to California winemaking.  Available only at the winery and for club-members, the diverse selection of Vinicultural Society wines explores clonal selections, varietals, vineyards and the incredible terroir of Sonoma County.”

The steak was good; the Zin was better.

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Chateau Potelle 2005 V.G.S. Cabernet Sauvignon

Dear friends of my folks, upon hearing of our love of things Napa, sent us home from their beautiful Massachusetts lake house with this bottle of red last summer.  Our host pulled me aside, saying “The V.G.S. stands for ‘very good shit'” and advising that we break out this Cabernet Sauvignon for a special occasion.  We held this in check for the better part of a year before deciding to open in conjunction with our Valentine’s Day (which we celebrated on Friday the 15th instead).  It flat-out blew me away!

Chateau Potelle 2005 V.G.S. Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, USA

Chateau Potelle 2005 V.G.S. Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, USA

By no means is my nose or vocabulary for wine worldly, but I’ve had enough grapes to know this was the real deal.  So smooth and easy, it vaulted immediately into my all-time top five wines, trailing a Bordeaux or two and some Pinots of particular note.  You can look up its “points” some other place; just know you’d crawl across broken glass for just one more good pull from the V.G.S.  We had it with a combination of four-cheese and spicy ravioli, and every bite was almost…odd.  I usually love this pasta but on this occasion it was just a distraction keeping me from more of the killer Cab.

“Nine different soil types high up on Mt. Veeder, sustainable farming, natural yeast fermentation, unfiltered bottling, and gentle traditional winemaking shape these mountain wines with great personality.”  That’s straight from the winery, which produced just 895 cases of this heavenly stuff.

I sometimes wonder if I’ve learned any damn thing after all these bottles, but if I look closer the lessons are more easily discerned.  (I find lessons all the time by bottom’s up.)  The V.G.S. taught me–or at least restated in loud, proud lettering–that sometimes it is the opening of a good wine itself that is the cause for celebration.  A big thank you to the Lewandowski family for the amazing gift/memory!

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Wente Vineyards Charles Wetmore Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Heritage Block

With dear friends I’ve been to Wente out in the Livermore Valley–it’s in the San Francisco Bay area–and took part in a fun vineyard event this past fall.  I didn’t have the opportunity to sample this Cabernet Sauvignon at the time, and I definitely would have remembered it–it’s spectacular.  I cheated toward the weekend with the Cab on Thursday evening, opening the bottle to accompany a fantastic salmon that was slathered in a grape jelly/barbeque sauce mixture.  We had it with spiced and salted potatoes and an “antioxidant blend” of mixed vegetables.  The food was great; this dark, berry-tinged Cabernet Sauvignon was even better.  My wife nodded and asked right away about the potential of more bottles.

Wente Vineyards Charles Whitmore 2010 Heritage Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, CA, USA.

Wente Vineyards Charles Whitmore 2010 Heritage Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, California, USA.

Friday night we had “Happy Hour”, with the Wente Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Heritage Block again playing a great role. This red didn’t have the spicy undertones that I often enjoy in a Pinot Noir or other Cabs, but there was plenty of red berry and something else (oak? earth?) that rang true for me. With spicy sausage ravioli (accented by basil and olive oil), this was great. A highlight of the week…bought this $20ish bottle for $15 and it was a steal. A must-have for sure.

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Cambria Julia’s Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir

A Christmas gift from my folks, the Cambria Julia’s Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir was the red of our birthday weekend.  Friday night, the date of my wife’s celebration, we started this velvety red–decanted–with cheese, cracker, and veggie snacks.  It meandered for a time and ultimately found its way over to our pizza dinner.  She enjoyed a slice or two of pepperoni and mushroom (and a birthday Miller Lite kicker), and I with a straight-up pepperoni.  The Cambria went well and we were, quite literally, in good spirits.

Tonight this Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir accompanied a meal I’d never had before: sweet and sour pork with pineapple, over jasmine rice.  The breading on the pork was interesting–I really liked its taste, but its texture didn’t hit as high a mark for me.  The pineapple, peppers, and onions were great, and jasmine rice is always a favorite of mine.  The Cambria rolled with the punches throughout, and was a great nightcap as we watched a flick.  Here’s what the Cambria folks offer:

“While this Pinot Noir may seem innocent at first, wit bright, fruit-forward flavors of cherry and strawberry; it gives way to its seductive side with velvety layers of blueberry and blackberry and subtle hints of delicate vanilla and spicy cinnamon.  Located in the cool climate of Santa Barbara, my family’s vineyard produces an elegant Pinot Noir with a silky mouthfeel that I hope you enjoy.”

That’s obviously a bit of marketingspeak at play, but the light berry layers are fairly well described.  As cataloged in this blog, however, I’m usually a fan of darker berried-Pinots, and darker spices too.  If you’re a strawberry or vanilla fan, this is going to be a hit for you.