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

 

Lang & Reed Two-Fourteen Napa Cabernet Franc

Lang & Reed "Two-Fourteen" Napa Valley Cabernet Franc with grilled pizza

We had three of our grandsons for the day so Linda prepared pizzas on the grill. I pulled from our cellar a 'pizza wine' to pair for the occasion, a bold fruit forward wine that is not so complex or nuanced as to not be appreciated with the tangy pizza. I selected this aged Cabernet Franc which proved ideal for the occasion.

Lang & Reed Two-Fourteen Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 2014

I wrote last year that I've seen this label many times over the years but admit I believe that was my first initiation to a wine from this producer. I must say I was impressed and will pay more attention to this label in the future. 

The remainder of that blogpost from that earlier tasting. 

I am a fan of Cabernet Franc and will put this on my watch list for expressive wine drinking from a producer who appreciates and focuses on the varietal that is normally reserved for but a fraction of a Bordeaux blend, usually included to introduce color and structure.

This is produced by Tracey & John Skupny, who started Lang & Reed Napa Valley in 1993 with the goal to explore the distinct charms of Cabernet Franc and to craft wines that are both expressive and enjoyable to drink.

Their wine experience spans nearly a half century working in the restaurant trade in Kansas City as wine stewards (sommeliers). They pursued their passion for wine and moved to California in 1980, eventually settling in Napa Valley in 1984.

They were intrigued with the distinction of Cabernet Franc, one of the noble varietals from the Loire Valley and Bordeaux wine regions of France. Cabernet Franc is a foundation key varietal in Bordeaux red wine blends, included to contribute aromatics and robust flavors to round out and extend the tasting profile of the blend.  

In 1993, Lang & Reed Napa Valley was born with a focus on Cabernet Franc. Named after their two sons, J Reed and Jerzy Lang, Lang & Reed Napa Valley is family owned and operated. Through their winemaking, their wines tell their family story of a life dedicated to family working together to craft artisan wines.

Through exploration and investigation of all things ‘Cabernet Franc’, they selected Clone 214 that originated in the Loire Valley of France, home to some of the worlds’ most renowned Cabernet Franc vineyards and producers. 

In 2007 they selected the Sugarloaf Vineyard in the southeastern corner of Napa Valley, located on a hillside slope with ideal rocky soils with moderate temperatures and cooling breezes that emanate from the nearby northern reaches of San Francisco Bay. 

This new world climate combined with this old world Loire Clone 214 is the basis for Lang & Reed ‘Two-Fourteen’ Cabernet Franc, the only known bottling of this unique clone in California. 

Today, they work closely with grape growers to combine the appropriate clones grown in the soil and terroir and apply growing techniques to achieve the most desirable attributes they seek. They source grapes from vineyards in Napa Valley, Alexander Valley, and Lake County.

Winemaker notes: "This is the eighth vintage of the Lang & Reed ‘Two-Fourteen’ Cabernet Franc and, true to type, this wine shows a persistent purity of aromas and flavors.  At first scent, this wine shows a nice burst of raspberry and blueberry, with a top note of violet and  a  backdrop  of  savory  herbaceousness.    The  palate  is  medium  bodied  with  beautiful  Cabernet  Franc  purity,  texture,  and  length.    Though  very  appealing  for  immediate  pleasure,  the  structural  elements  will  allow  this  wine  to  age  gracefully for the next 7 to 10 years."

This is composed of 100% Cabernet Franc, the Loire Entav Clone 214, sourced solely from the Napa Valley Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard. The wine is aged 16 Months in French Oak Barrels. 849 Cases were produced. 

This was rated 93 Points by Wine Spectator, 92 Points by Wine Enthusiast and 90 Points by Wine Advocate. James Laube of Wine Spectator says its "Best  from  2020  through  2030.”

The fill level, label, foil, and most importantly the cork were all in perfect condition. The cork was inky black at the wine contact end. It was so tight that I opted to use a traditional cork screw for extraction, rather than my customary 'ah-so' two pronged cork puller, although I inserted and used the lead pronge to loosen the cork to ease removal.

We still have a few more bottles of this and at going on ten years, this is likely at or just passing the apex of its drinking window. It should be consumed over the next couple of years. 

Dark ruby colored, medium full bodied, forward full expressive ripe dark berry fruits with tangy spice and herbs, notes of tea and hints of cedar and oak with a moderate tannin lingering finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2536985

https://langandreed.com/

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/06/trio-of-big-reds-for-hearty-wine-tasting.html

Once & Future Napa Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah

Once & Future Wine Napa Valley Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah for pizza and hearty cheeses 

I wrote in detail about this wine a month ago (almost to the day) when I procured this wine, just for an occasion as tonight, simple casual sipping but big and bold and robust on Saturday night on the deck with hearty cheeses and some grilled pizza. 

Today I picked up the next latest release vintage of this label so drinking this tonight, we 'cycled' our cellar holdings, replacing this bottle with the next subsequent release.

As I wrote at the time, "I found this at Binny's and was intrigued to try it. Only 201 cases were made so its not surprising I had never seen or heard of the label before. Upon further research, they're known for producing Zinfandel. The premium packaging with the heavy bottle with its deep punt was impressive and we love Petite Sirah, a cousin of Sirah/Shiraz, an under represented varietal in Napa Valley, so, I took a chance and bought all six bottles in the store.'

This was ideal for casual sipping on the deck with artisan cheeses and fresh hot-house Flavor-Bomb tomatoes.

Winemaker Joel Peterson says, "It's my opinion Napa would be famous for Petite Sirah if it weren't for Cabernet Sauvignon."

According to the Once & Future Website, "Up until the 1960s, Petite Sirah was the most widely planted grape variety in Napa Valley. The few examples show that grown in the right places it does very well producing bright expressive full bodied wines that can be even darker and spicier than Zinfandel, that other “California grape” from Europe. Those that produce the varietal offer a distinctive and interesting choice (not to mention, often with better QPR - quality price ratio) over the leading Napa grape varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon.'

Once & Future Wine Napa Valley Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah 2017

This label was awarded 92+ Points by Erin Brooks of The Wine Advocate. The 2018 Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah Napa Valley was awarded 96 pts by Vinous Antonio Galloni. The only Cellartracker reviewer gave it 93 points. 

This was aged in 100% French Oak, 30% new barrels.

Totally consistent with that earlier tasting. This was opaque dark inky purple-black in color. Initially it was closed and tight but opened up after 30 to 45 minutes to full-bodied, firm, tightly wound black and blue fruits, floral notes with cassis, black tea, vanilla, with hints of black pepper and oak with a long gripping tannins on a moderate but lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3248253

https://www.onceandfuturewine.com/

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/06/once-future-napa-valley-petit-sirah-2017.html 

 

Il Bruciato Bolgheri w/ pizza dinner

Antinori Il Bruciato Bolgheri Tenuta Guada Al Tasso 2016 with collection of artisan pizzas

The kids came over for Mother's Day eve dinner, Sean and Michelle brought pizzas from Fiamii's (Naperville) - a selection including Detroit style (so they say) and a Margarita style plus classic basic cheese for the grandkids. The pizza's left a bit to be desired and they shorted us the salads from the order.

 Never-the-less, I opened this 'pizza wine' for the occasion. We discovered this wine when we had it two years ago at Saturday Brunch in NYC Chelsea Flatiron neighborhood with Alec and Viv at at La Pecora Bianca (The White Sheep) on Broadway at 26th. I liked it and came home and picked up some for every day casual sipping with pizza and pasta.

Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Antinori) Bolgheri Il Bruciato 2016

This is what is known as a Super Tuscan, made famous in the 70s when wine critics noted the quality rivaled that of high-end Bordeaux. The Bolgheri area was known for producing IGT and VdT wines based on the typical Bordeaux varietals. In 1994, the Bolgheri DOC appellation designation was created to recognize these quality wines.  These wines tend to offer great QPR - Quality Price Ratio values. 

This 2016 Il Bruciato provides good QPR value for everyday sipping with pizza and pasta. Amazingly, more than one million bottles were produced at this quality level. Pick up a case for great every day drinking wine that will also stand up to special occasions and quality drinking.

This wine, “Il Bruciato,” which means “the burned” is the second wine of Antinori’s Tenuta Guado al Tasso, second to the flagship wine, “Guado al Tasso”, named after the large vineyard in Bolgheri in which the grapes are grown.

This Il Bruciato, produced to be a more approachable and contemporary style of wine than the more traditional estate wine, is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 15% Syrah.

This is ideal for this food combination. 

Bright ruby colored, medium bodied, smooth, polished for casual easy drinking with vibrant red and black fruit flavors accented by spice, mocha and smoke with elegant soft tannins on a moderate lingering finish.

RM 90 points. This is less than earlier rating from previous tastings, I think due to the wine pairing, which is even better suited for spicy pasta dishes.

The Wine Advocate gave this 93 pts
Jame Suckling of Wine Spectator gave it 94 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2904858

https://www.antinori.it/en/vino/il-bruciato-en/ 

Château de Sylvabelle Bandol 2009 Pizza Wine

Château de Sylvabelle Bandol 2009 ideal QPR 'Pizza Wine'

Midweek dinner, Linda doctored up a frozen pizza with tomatoes, olives, onions and other trimming that we oven baked on the grill for a very tasty enjoyable experience. I pulled from the cellar a suitable 'pizza wine' for applicable pleasant drinking, a Château de Sylvabelle from Bandol in the Provencal region of southern France. 

Considering the sources, both the pizza and the accompanying wine exceeded expectations for a very pleasant and tasty dinner, amplified by a perfect spring alfresco evening on the deck. 

Château de Sylvabelle Bandol 2009

I believe we received this wine as a gift in a holiday gift box several years ago and have been sitting on it in our cellar waiting for a suitable occasion such as tonight to drink. 

This wine is from the Bandol appellation, named after the so named commune in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. 

The Bandol wine region is located along the coast east of the city of Marseille and Cassis, towards the city of Toulon. It is one of Provence's most recognized wine regions. The Bandol AOC covers the production of 8 communes.

The area is a popular tourist destination with idyllic climate and proximity to Côte d'Azur Mediteranean beaches. We drove through the area as we traversed the coastal region during a weekend visit to St, Tropez while we were visiting the region and staying in the city of Aix-en-Provence.

The terroir of the region consists of silicon & limestone soils and a warm, coastal climate which are ideally suited for the late ripening Mourvèdre grape, which is the major varietal of the region. Mourvèdre must account for at least 50% of a blended wine bearing the Appellation Controllee (AOC) designation. It is typically supplemented by Grenache, Cinsault, and perhaps a few other grapes.

Mourvedre is a late ripening, darkly colored, thick skinned berry that produces long, conical shaped bunches. The grape reaches its best level of ripeness in warm, sunny, dry and even hot climates.

The true home for Mourvedre is Spain, where more than 61,000 hectares of vines are planted. After Spain, France is next country with the largest amount of planted Mourvedre vines.

In the southwest of France, Mourvedre is the third most popular grape in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation. But third is a long way from first as it occupies less than 5% of the plantings in the Southern Rhone Valley.

When used as a blending grape, Mourvedre adds tannin and alcohol to wines as well as red fruits, cassis, spice, olives, herbs, pepper, sweetness, structure and depending on the producer, it could add a gamey, pleasant barnyard or animalistic character to the wine. Mourvedre is the perfect grape to blend with Grenache and Syrah.

Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-topics/wine-educational-questions/grapes-for-wine-making-flavor-characteristics-explained/mourvedre-wine-grape-flavor-character-history/

Mourvedre is a late ripening, darkly colored, thick skinned berry that produces long, conical shaped bunches. The grape reaches its best level of ripeness in warm, sunny, dry and even hot climates.

The true home for Mourvedre is Spain, where more than 61,000 hectares of vines are planted. After Spain, France is next country with the largest amount of planted Mourvedre vines.

In the southwest of France, Mourvedre is the third most popular grape in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation. But third is a long way from first as it occupies less than 5% of the plantings in the Southern Rhone Valley.

When used as a blending grape, Mourvedre adds tannin and alcohol to wines as well as red fruits, cassis, spice, olives, herbs, pepper, sweetness, structure and depending on the producer, it could add a gamey, pleasant barnyard or animalistic character to the wine. Mourvedre is the perfect grape to blend with Grenache and Syrah.

Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-topics/wine-educational-questions/grapes-for-wine-making-flavor-characteristics-explained/mourvedre-wine-grape-flavor-character-history/

The Cellar Insider writes about Mourvedre, "Mourvedre is a late ripening, darkly colored, thick skinned berry that produces long, conical shaped bunches. The grape reaches its best level of ripeness in warm, sunny, dry and even hot climates.'

"The true home for Mourvedre is Spain, where more than 61,000 hectares of vines are planted. After Spain, France is next country with the largest amount of planted Mourvedre vines.'

"In the southwest of France, Mourvedre is the third most popular grape in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation. But third is a long way from first as it occupies less than 5% of the plantings in the Southern Rhone Valley.'

"When used as a blending grape, Mourvedre adds tannin and alcohol to wines as well as red fruits, cassis, spice, olives, herbs, pepper, sweetness, structure and depending on the producer, it could add a gamey, pleasant barnyard or animalistic character to the wine. Mourvedre is the perfect grape to blend with Grenache and Syrah.'

This blend is popular in the Southern Rhone as well as Australia and is often referred to as a "G-S-M" for Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre.

The Wine Cellar Insider continues, "Mourvedre first gained popularity in Spain where it is known as Monastrell. At some point during the middle ages, vines were brought to the Rhone Valley. Prior to the attack of Phylloxera, it was the most popular grape in the region."

I believe we received this wine as a gift from our friends in the south of France whom we visited during our trip there to Aix-en-Provence, when we had a delightful authentic Provencal dinner with them at their home in Meyrargues. This wine-dine experience is chronicled in these pages in a blogpost from the trip, Four days in Provence - Aix - Meyrargues.

It is written about Bandol wines, they tend to be tough in their youth, a good Bandol needs time, like a Barolo or Bordeaux, a good 10 years of aging will soften the brutishness, and allow the true charracter and profile to reveal itself. When I opened this at a dozen years of age, I worried about its condition due to its ageability. It was likely at the apex of its drinking window, showing no diminution from aging whatsoever. 

Easy pleasant drinking, ruby colored, medium bodied with dark berry fruits accented by notes of licorice (nearby village Cassis), herbs, tobacco and earth. 

Dr Vinny of Wine Spectator writes about herbs de Provence, "There are a bunch of bushy, fragrant plants that grow wild there, such as juniper, thyme, rosemary and lavender, and garrigue refers to the sum of them. Think herbes de Provence, or a mix of fresh minty-herbal notes with more pungent, floral fragrances."

Look for Bandol as a high QPR - quality to price ratio, modestly priced every day drinking wine to serve with hearty food, what I call a "pizza wine". Tonight it was an ideal selection. 

RM 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1366446

Liked this so much, relatively speaking, researched and found Binny's has four bottles of one Bandol nearby. Went out and picked up some 2016 La Bastide Blanche Bandol Mourvèdre Blend. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2714762

Stay tuned.