Tag Archives: USA

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2010 Michael Pozzan Special Selection Annabella Cabernet Sauvignon

This fantastic cab we purchased from one of our favorite wine stores in Ridgewood, NJ, based on its display and it hit the mark in every which way.  A very affordable Napa County cab, it served in part as a “test” sample for a Christmas gift that we’ll be sharing with my folks in a few weeks.  This 2010 is actually a blend of 75% Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Napa Valley Merlot, 5% Sonoma Coast Cabernet Sauvignon, and it’s aged in French oak for 16 months.

2010 Michael Pozzan Special Selection Annabella Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa County, USA.

2010 Michael Pozzan Special Selection Annabella Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa County, USA.

Rich in its color, you could tell the Annabella was going to be great as soon as you started to pour it. It smelled fantastic…a mix of dark berries and hearty spices that were a knockout.  Already I want another…and here some initial thoughts from its producer:

“This medium plum-colored Cabernet Sauvignon is from one of the best places in the world for producing the varietal–Napa. The aromas are textbook Cab, from the fruit profile being dark cherry with ripe cassis notes…”

It would absolutely kill if served with a nice medium rare steak, but I simply had a single glass(ish) on several nights this week rather than a meal.  Next time it’s served with blood and will be part of the night’s highlights.  If you have a chance to pick this up I strongly recommend–you will NOT be disappointed.

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Eclipse 2006 Heron Hill Red Blend

Starting off this cool yet sunny Fall weekend was this red blend – a 49% Cabernet Franc, 48% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon from New York’s Finger Lakes (Keuka Lake) region.  Labeled as a “table wine” I was concerned it would be more of a dessert wine and overly sweet but as soon as we opened the bottle you could smell that wasn’t the case.

Eclipse 2006 Heron Hill Red Blend, Finger Lakes region, New York, USA.

Eclipse 2006 Heron Hill Red Blend, Finger Lakes region, New York, USA.

The Eclipse–a Christmas gift from my wine-loving folks–was pretty excellent.  Settled in like a good cab once it had a chance to breathe for a few minutes and was ample accompaniment for an iceberg wedge salad with blue cheese and a perfectly cooked steak.  Dark berries, tannins that provided initial bitterness before settling into a nice warm comfort, and an easy aftertaste.

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2008 Buena Vista Ramal Vineyard Merlot

Fantastic.  Perhaps the best merlot I’ve ever had, and by no means an overstatement.  I hadn’t pulled a merlot since we started logging these tastings, and that’s a mistake when it comes to grapes this good.  As soon as the cork was out you could smell the dark berries wafting up…scents of blackberry and spice all mixing together.  It tasted even better–rich, fruity (and yet not too sweet), and almost cabernet-like in its composition.  The spice was a great undertone and made me pull the label to see what my taste buds were experiencing.  This merlot could have been perfectly paired with everything or nothing, but I had it with a great steak, covered with a butter/wine reduction sauce, and sides that included broccoli and a mixed white and wild rice combo.  Here’s what the winemaker offered:

“With 112 small vineyard blocks, the 564-acre Carneros Ramal Vineyard Estate offers a gorgeous palette of aroma, flavor, and texture.  Winemaker Jeff Stewart layers wine selected from individual barrels to create this elegant Merlot.  Alluring aromas of blackberry, plum, and cherry introduce concentrated flavors of black cherry, spice, green tea, and tobacco that linger on round, soft tannins.”

Just amazing.

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2000 Hayman & Hill Meritage

The second bottle of wine that we killed on the occasion of George’s move to the west coast was this one–the 2000 Hayman & Hill Meritage, a red bordeaux blend from Monterey County on the Central Coast region of California.  It followed a great bordeaux from France and had little trouble muscling up for our taste buds.

2000 Hayman & Hill Meritage – Monterey County, from the Central Coast of California, USA.

My brother from another mother always picks great vino for every event, and this one was right on point.  Most had pasta entres and I think this worked well for them; it definitely went well with my fish special and my garlic mashed.  I haven’t included any winemakers notes in this particular summary but will look forward to having another bottle in the future–and at that time I’ll be sure to add that info to our NON.

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Hanzell Pinot Noir 2006

Once we put away that amazing d’Issan bordeaux, the three of us turned our attention to this Hanzell Pinot Noir and our entres.  Of course we had a couple filets on the table, and a New York Strip graced the plate of my pal–who also brought this tasty gem for our consumption.  The steaks–to the usual impeccable standards of Morton’s–were perfectly cooked and a great backdrop for this berry-tinged treat.  We did some family style brussell sprouts and creamed corn too as part of a heart-unhealthy dinner.

Hanzell 2006 Pinot Noir, Sonoma, California, USA.

The pinot was a part of our dinner courtesy of Hanzell, a Sonoma County vineyard from our favorite region in California.  Here a few of the winemaker’s notes:

“Blackberry, strawberry compote, and blueberry pie give this vintage a very prominent fruit character, but there is the darkness of tea leaf, humid forest, and a feral quality, like the fur of an animal or the nape of a neck. Clove and cardamom are warm spice notes that give the impression of sweetness to balance the firm presence of ripe tannins.”

Great accompaniment for the great steaks.

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Blanc de Blanc – Brotherhood Winery

Today we’re embarking on a wine tour by boat, circling the island of Manhattan with a group of fellow passengers ready for some vino.  As we steam out of Pier 62 and head north on the Hudson, we’re kicking things off with a Blanc de Blanc from the Brotherhood Winery in New York–just a quick thirst-quencher to get things started.  This is the basic sparkling white on which we’ll be layering the world’s wines this gorgeous afternoon!

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2010 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay

The 2010 Kendall Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, California, USA.

We stayed up at Lake Monomonac an extra night for an opportunity to relax after the family picnic, and it was time very well spent.  After saying goodbye to the departing guests and rafting leisurely in the humid summer afternoon, it was time to head out on our hosts’ party boat for a relaxing cruise in Vermont and New Hampshire waters.  Six of us–plus Finn the dog–checked out the amazing waterfront properties and felt the lake breezes in our faces to great effect.

Already I’ve forgotten the good champagne that immediately preceded this bottle, but I recall it being a lovely, light way to celebrate the coming of dusk.  Next up was the 2010 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay.  We’re no strangers to KJ and this one was definitely on point.   California is easy territory for us and never disappoints.  I don’t know if it was the great company or surroundings (how can you have an unsatisfactory bottle, away from the pressures of work and with family on the lake?) but had to be certain to document this label for the blog.

I’m sure there are some taster’s notes available to assist you if you’re looking for a professional’s writeup of the Kendall-Jackson.  But if you’re looking for plain speak, just know this varietal is affordable, a light citrus dynamite, and entirely pleasurable–even if you’re not enjoying it in scenic boating spot like we were.  You can thank me later!

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2009 Buena Vista Pinot Noir – Clone 5 Pommard

Tonight was a good livin’ night.  Broke out a new pinot noir–this 2009 Clone 5 Pommard–to celebrate the end of the work week from the comfort of our deck.  We snacked on some favorites (e.g., olives stuffed with jalapeno peppers, cheddar/colby cheese) and broke out this red and some Miller Lites to enjoy the sunset and great temperature here in New Jersey.  Buena Vista remains one of our favorite Sonoma wineries, and it’s in no small part due to great pinots like this Clone 5 Pommard.  Perfect for a barbecue and outdoor grillin’.

2009 Buena Vista Pinot Noir Clone 5

2009 Buena Vista Pinot Noir Clone 5 Pommard, Buena Vista, Carneros, California.

This bottle was a screw top (still getting used to this trend) and was promising even from the first pour.   A deep lovely red, and all kinds of great berry smells wafting up even as it splashed down, inviting, into a stemless glass.  I didn’t let it sit at all, simply swirled it around the Reidel for a quick second, and then took a first sip.  Great stuff!  I’m pretty sure I got a feel for some cherry in this mouthful, and all kinds of amazing undercurrents that you know I don’t have the palate or experience to better describe.

I can say that we enjoyed this bottle with a lovely salad (arugula, onion, corn, real bacon [and cooked perfectly], blue cheese, and pepper) that didn’t even need dressing it was so good.  Our main course were grilled filets that helped bring out some of the character of our pinot.  Wish we could enjoy ambiance and tasty treats like this every night!

Not being familiar with this Clone 5 varietal, I thought I would share with you here the winemaker’s comments on it:  “Our Ramal Vineyard Estate in Carneros includes 112 vineyard blocks and 13 Pinot Noir clones.  Each vintage, winemaker Jeff Steward crafts small bottlings of clones that display distinct style and character.  The Clone 5 Pommard shows intense aromas of red cheery, black plum, and jasmine over opulent red and black fruity with a forest floor base.  Note the depth of color and remarkable intensity.”  If you’re reading this post because you’re thinking about grabbing this bottle for yourself, know that I am nodding vigorously.  Enjoy!

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2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling

A rare miss.  Sometimes it seems that every entry here is a raving success, an unmistakable masterpiece that has to be enjoyed time and time again.  This is not one of those times.  This 2010, from the highly regarded Columbia Valley in Washington, is described by some as “refreshing” and “off-dry”.  It may be those things, but even more so it is sticky sweet.

2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling

The 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, from Woodinville, in the Columbia Valley region of Washington state.

If memory serves, we pulled the cork on this to accompany a lovely pasta dish, penne with peas and bacon in a delicious white sauce. The food was very much the highlight of the meal, as my unrefined taste buds could only handle a single glass without needing some water chaser for the sugary taste of the Riesling (which I normally enjoy immensely come the summer months).

What else can I say here?  One, that it tasted better after we left the bottle sitting uncorked in the fridge overnight; and two, it was better when used as a cooking wine later that week.  As I said at the start, this one was a rare miss for us.  But give it a shot and let us know what you thought!