Round Lake Vineyards Sangiovese with pizza

Round Lake (MN) Vineyards & Winery Sangiovese with pizza

Sunday night dinner, Linda prepared a hearty three cheese and pepperoni pizza so I pulled from the cellar a hearty 'pizza wine' -  an Italian varietal Sangiovese that we discovered, tasted, and acquired at the winery during our cross country tour back in the summer of 2022. This was a perfect food wine pairing!

We visited Round Lake Vineyards and Winery in Round Lake, Minnesota where we had the pleasure to meet owner producer Scott Ellerbrook and his son, winemaker Logan Ellerbrook (below). We wrote about our estate winery visit in an earlier blogpost.

Round Lake Vineyards American Sangiovese 2019

We tasted this label as part of our Red wine flight selections at the Round Lake Bistro restaurant on the estate. I wrote earlier about this wine, that it was a standout high achiever of this Minnesota producer and we acquired some as part of a mixed case of their wines we brought home for occasions such as tonight. 

Fruit for this label is actually sourced from the Sierra Foothills in Amador County, California, hence it carries the 'American' wine designation on the label. 

Winemaker notes on this label: "The 2018 Sangiovese is a delicate fruit forward wine with flavors of dried cherry and red plum. A hint of spice and candied fruit give a sweeter finish on the palate."

Garnet colored, medium bodied, bright acidity, expressive plum, cherry and raspberry fruit flavors with notes of pepper, cinnamon, vanilla and hints of cola, caramel and sweet oak with moderate tannins on a moderate finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4413868

https://www.roundlakevineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/RoundLakeWinery

 

Bedell Cellars First Crush Red Wine 2014

Bedell Cellars 'First Crush' Red Wine 2014

I first discovered Bedell Cellars during my visit to the North Fork Long Island, New York winery/cellar visits in the early winter of 2001. At the time, my cellar notes record that I tasted their Bordeaux varietal wines, 1997 Beddell Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and their 1999 vintage Chardonnay and Chardonnay Reserve.

We then tasted Bedell Cellars wines at Murray's Cheese Restaurant and wine bar on Bleeker Street in the Greenwich Village, one of Son Alec's favorite eateries in the City. Again, we tasted Bedell Bordeaux varietal wines there based on Cabernet Franc.

What a fun surprise to find this Bedell Cellars artist series Bordeaux varietal release in our local wine shop, Sav-Way in nearby Hinsdale, IL. I must admit, were it not for the catchy artsy Artist Series label, I may have missed it.

Bedell Cellars are the namesake winery and vineyards of founders Kip & Susan Bedell who planted their first grapevines on their acquired fifty acre former potato farm on eastern Long Island back in 1980. Kip's passion and dedicated work over the next two decades earned him the moniker ”Mr. Merlot” in Wine Spectator magazine.

Bedell cellars was bought in 2000 by Michael Lynne, a New York film executive and art collector. Continued investment in the property and brand propelled Bedell to one of the benchmark wineries in the eastern US producing the best wines of the Long Island appellation.

The acquisition of Bedell allowed Michael to combine lifelong passion for wine and food with his love of the theater, film and art. A graduate of Columbia Law School, he leads an entertainment law firm with a long running association with New Line Cinema one of the world's most successful independent film companies. Today he is Principal of Unique Features, a film production company and an esteemed contemporary art collector and Trustee of New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

That convergence of his love of art and wine are manifested in the Bedell Artist Series featuring specially commissioned works by world renowned contemporary artists on the labels of special release wines.

This label, Bedell Cellars First Crush Red Wine features the artwork of  Mickalene Thomas, an internationally renowned artist and filmmaker. Her work explores the intricacies of female beauty through painting and collage. Her installation 'Better Days' was featured at Art Basel and her documentary, 'Happy Birthday to a Beautiful Woman' premiered on HBO. She painted the official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama for the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery.

For Bedell's First Crush labels Mickalene selected a collage from her 2014 series, Tête de Femme, portraying abstracted female faces constructed from abstracted geometric cutouts. In this work, Mickalene combines art-historical, political, and pop-cultural references to comment on notions of beauty and gender in the 21st century.

Is it coincidence or inspired that this label has similar design and color schemes of this legendary premium Italian label? In any event its a fun and interesting comparison in style and design between Mickalene Thomas' work and the Azienda Agricola Montevertine Le Pergole Torte Toscana IGT Italian Sangiovese.

First Crush is a red blend of young vine Merlot (75%) and Cabernet Franc (25%) fruits, aged in stainless steel. Dark garnet colored with purple hues, it is medium light bodied with initial aromas of damp wood, leather and dusty rose petals, gripping tannins are pervasive from the initial bright vibrant red berry and cranberry fruits through to the layer of spice, dusty rose and cedar with tones of green bell pepper and tangy black cherries on the lingering finish. The tangy notes of the fruit may be attributable to the youthful vines. The finishing floral aromatics are more desirable than the opening.

The bright tangy fruits go better with forward moderately spiced food.

At the release price of $30 there are better values out there, but at the 'street price' below $20, this provides good value QPR - quality price ratio. 

RM 87 points. Wine Enthusiast gave this 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2212217

https://store.bedellcellars.com/product/BEDELL-2014-FIRST-CRUSH-RED

Black Diamond Amador Zinfandel 2013

Guadagni Family Black Diamond Amador County Sierra Foothills Zinfandel 2013

I have written several times in these pages about Black Diamond Russian River Valley Pinot Noir  from this same producer. Now they've released a Zinfandel from Amador County up in the Sierra Foothills, an area noted for quality Zins.

I wrote earlier about Guadagni Family wines and stated at the time to expect to see more from them. As featured earlier, "sourced from fruit from GUADAGNI FAMILY WINES, a small family run business that according to records is managed by Donald, Joseph, Mary, William and Breanna at their location on Yokim Bridge Road in Healdsburg. They're reported to produce about 1000 cases a year but views of the property show large tracts of young vines and new plantings so we might expect to see much more of them in the coming vintages."

Well it appears they have expanded their portfolio as their website now features six different varietals, their Pinot Noir, a Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Rose, and this Zinfandel. Only their 2012 release of the Zin is featured and is said to be a blend of Zinfandel and Primitivo.

Either their website is hastily thrown together, or English is the second language of the publisher, or they're just plain careless, as the Winemaker's Notes for this wine contains several spelling errors. Perhaps it was written after a long tasting session (or during).

"Winemaker's Notes: Carfully (sic) selected lots were fermented seperately (sic) in small stainless steel tanks for ten days after a night harvest and four days of cold soaking which added color and depth. The wine was carefully transferred to American oak barrels while in the last stages of fermentation causing an increase in grape extraction. Finally lees were sirred (sic) once a week for eight months imparting a creamy, softer mouth feel. American Oad (sic)aged for 11 months, 1/3rd new oak and then blended to complete our 2012 Zinfandel."

I wrote in an earlier blogpost how they replaced a black diamond on the label with the skier, to bring attention to the skiing metaphor in their branding and naming their wines, the reference to Black Diamond, the designation given to the most difficult and challenging ski slopes. This metaphor works for the boldness of their wines, but doesn't work if considering black diamond slopes are known as Expert slopes, only suitable or applicable to expert skiers - a fun reference never-the-less.

They say their label name "Black Diamond" refers to the 'boldness and courage' of their wines. 'awe inspiring to look at from the rim and personally satisfying in the finish.... with both strength and elegance' symbolic of Black Diamond wines. 

My notes for this Zinfandel: Dark blackish garnet colored, medium bodied, a bit flabby initially with alcohol heat that burns off eventually, brambly black fruits with a layer of cognac tones, hints of kirsch, turning to a sweet mocha caramel tone on the finish. Well suited for BBQ, pasta or a great pizza wine at this price point. 

RM 87 points. 

Like their Pinot Noir, this provides a decent QPR (quality-price-ratio) at $15.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2602742

http://www.western-importers.com/california_wines/blackdiamond.htm

Robert Craig Amador County Zinfandel 2004

Robert Craig Amador County Zinfandel 2004 with BBQ After Family Day at Sox Park

I write often herein that BBQ ribs and Zinfandel are an ideal food-wine pairing. Everyone should keep a few bottles of hearty Zin in the cellar for such occasions.

After our annual family White Sox baseball outing, we brought home bar-be-cue ribs, served with baked potatoes and a caprese salad, along with Linda's decadent baked brie cheese in filo dough puffs with puree'd berries, toasted almonds and drizzled honey - a perfect setting for Zinfandel. So, we pulled from the cellar Robert Craig Amador County Zin.

We're huge fans of Robert Craig wines. His extensive portfolio provides quality wines for almost all occasions. While he's known for his broad selection of Napa Valley Cabernets, he typically also offers a hearty Zinfandel, whether it be from his estate domicile on Howell Mountain, from the Central Coast Paso Robles region, or from the notable Zinfandel appellation Amador County in the Sierra Foothills.
 
This is from the 24-acre Bowman Vineyard in the Shenandoah Valley of the Sierra Foothills, an area known for exceptional Zinfandel fruit. The rocky, well-drained soil stresses the vines to produce small, flavor-packed concentrated berries. Sitting at 1500-foot elevation provides ideal sun exposure, while the eastern mountains deliver cool evening breezes. This fruit is from 30-year-old vines. 

Winemaker Tasting Notes: The 2004 vintage produced an intense, robust Zinfandel with distinctive 'Amador' qualities of dusty spice, pepper and fresh, ripe berries. Picked in small lots, the berries were fully ripe and deeply flavored, creating a wine with generous mouthfeel. Aging in French oak added further complexity and layers of flavors.

This was dark garnet colored, up-front pepper and spice flavors lead with mouth-filling cherry and plum, turning to a zesty, broad-based finish of cherry-raspberry, interwoven with tobacco and cream. There was a layer of heat from the high alcohol content that detracted from the harmony of the fruit. 

RM 88 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=257574

http://www.robertcraigwine.com/

Family outing at the ballpark .... 

Robert Craig 1998 Duo - Paso Robles Syrah, Amador County Zinfandel

Robert Craig 1998 Duo - Paso Robles Syrah, Amador County Zinfandel

Pulled a couple of 1998 Robert Craigs to consume this weekend as they're reaching their last chapter of their drinking window so its time.  We took the Syrah to Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria BYOB. We then took the Zin to the kid's house for Father's Day bar-b-q rib dinner.

Of course Robert Craig is known for his portfolio of Napa Valley Appellation designated Cabernets - Howell Mountain, Mt Veeder, Spring Mtn, Mt George and 'Affinity' his blend that also includes various Napa Valley sources. He also produces a Zinfandel sourced from Howell Mtn. Back in the earlier days, he sourced fruits of other non-Napa sources such as these. We hold more than a dozen vintages of his various Cabs, and every single release since 1993 of his flagship inaugural releases, and a few various bottles of his other selections.

We've visited Robert Craig's Howell Mountain top estate on numerous occasions and host him at a couple of wine producer dinners back in the nineties during our Napa Wine Experience 98 and 99. We may likely own more Craig bottles than any other producer in our extensive cellar. Records show we acquired at the winery and subsequently consumed three vintages of this same Amador County label from vintages near the 1998, and the '97 release of this Syrah.

	Robert Craig Amador Country Zinfandel 2001 - Nov 25, 2011
	Robert Craig Amador Country Zinfandel 2000 - Nov 27, 2003
	Robert Craig Amador County Zinfandel 1997 - Nov 22, 2001
	Robert Craig Paso Robles Syrah 1997 - August 2, 2001, May 8, 2001

Interesting how they behaved alike upon opening and over the course of the next hour. Both were a bit funky and flabby initially with a slight black cherry tartness and earthy leather mustiness. Dark garnet colored and medium bodied, the Zin was starting to take on a rust bricking on the edges. Over the course of the next hour each opened to reveal black berry fruits and a similar tone of sweet vanilla mocha with a moderate tannin, acidic finish. Give them an hour, but then consume them in one sitting. We held back part of the Syrah to finish the next evening and the funk started to set in again.

RM 86 points each.

Syrah - https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=358629

Zinfandel - https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=157336

www.robertcraigwine.com

Robert Craig Amador County Zinfandel 2001

Robert Craig Amador County Zinfandel 2001

From Amador County nestled up against the Sierra Foothills. This ten year old Zinfandel shows dark garnet color showing its age with a slight brownish rust color. Medium bodied, its moments of polish and balance turn to a slightly awkward tart cherry taste at times. Flavors of black berry, black cherry, spice and tobacco predominate with hints of oak, floral, and touch of vanilla with moderate tannins on the finish. 

RM 89 points.

Alcohol: 15.3%

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=157348

Selected and pulled from the cellar for Thanksgiving dinner, it went well with bar-b-que ribs the following weekend.

Gala lunch with Robert Craig at the winery atop
Howell Mountain.

As noted in earlier blog posts, we're long time fans of Bob and the Craig team and their 'artwork'. Our friendship with Robert and our 'Affinity' for his wines dates back at our first visit to Robert Craig during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 1996, and then again at our Robert Craig featured producer wine dinners during our Napa Wine Experience 1998, and again in 1999. We attended special lunches and Harvest Parties up at the Howell Mountain Winery with its spectacular views of Napa Valley below and looking across to the Mayacamas Range from Diamond Mountain down to Mt Veeder. 

We last visited Robert Craig during our Napa Valley Mt Veeder Appellation Trail visit this spring. Indeed, we have a assembled a vertical collection of this wine dating back to the inaugural release 1993 vintage.