Arnaut Avenida Boushey Vineyard Columbia Valley Syrah

Arnaut Avenida Boushey Vineyard Columbia Valley Syrah

Sunday evening dinner, we dined in and eagerly opened this just acquired highly regarded Columbia Valley Syrah. I admit I’d never heard of this producer or this highly acclaimed vineyard source, hence I was curious to try this highly rated label that I picked up at Binny’s, our ‘big box’ beverage superstore.

Arnaut Avenida Boushey Vineyard Columbia Valley Syrah 2017

Avennia is the partnership project of entrepreneur Marty Taucher and winemaker Chris Peterson, founded in 2009 based on core principles; “a passionate commitment to signature vineyards and natural processes in the cellar - resulting in timeless, world class wines that are solely and undeniably Washington”. 

This approach and objective is similar to another high profile Washington State producer, Long Shadows, and their Vintners Collection Series of labels, which we love, and have collected as wine club members since discovering them on our trip to the region back in 2017. 

Interesting, that like Long Shadows, Avennia also sources their fruit from contract growers, and promotes their brand through three different tasting rooms in three of the major Washington State wine areas, Woodinville, Walla Walla, at their sole estate vineyard site in the Red Mountain appellation in Yakima Valley. We visited both the Woodinville and Walla Walla wine areas during trips to the region. 

In their first year of production, 2010, they acquired 16 tons of fruit that they transformed to wine that was ultimately released in 2012, Receiving much acclaim in that inaugural release, and affirming and building upon relationships in place with several of the state’s most legendary growers, the stage was set to secure the best fruit in the region for follow-on vintages. More than a decade later, the same core principles continue to guide the direction of the winery and the business.

Marty Taucher, Managing Partner, a native Oregonian, Marty graduated from Oregon State in 1977 and started at then upstart Microsoft in 1984. He went on to lead Public Relations and Event Marketing, then, spent his last five years as Director of Marketing and Brand Strategy for a consumer and online product group.

In 2009, Taucher signed on as a crush intern at DeLille Cellars where he met Chris Peterson and together they laid the plans for what is now Avennia.

Always inspired by new ideas and fresh thinking, Marty is an angel investor. He serves on numerous non-profit boards. When he’s not in the cellar, he’s an avid golfer, a world traveler, and a perfectly reliable

Chris Peterson, Winemaker/Partner was engaged in the Washington wine industry for more than a decade,  working to make some of the state’s most heralded and award-winning wines at DeLille Cellars. 

Together they founded Avennia with the quest to showcase Washington as a unique and compelling place for great wines, acquiring fruit from some of the finest vineyards in Washington, with a specific focus on the grape varieties used in Bordeaux and the Rhône, in light of their similar latitude to Washington, which makes them a natural fit to excel there.

In thoughtfully choosing vineyard sites to match their winemaking style and preferences, they chose not only the vineyard sources themselves, but down to our favorite vineyard blocks. There is an emphasis on older vines, and moderate climates, as these features tend to create wine with more depth and complexity—a balance between fruit and non-fruit characteristics. 

They strive to craft wine that is balanced and harmonious - the fruit, acid, tannin, perhaps oak. 

Avennia "Arnaut - Boushey Vineyard" Yakima Valley Syrah 2017 

The 2017 Syrah Arnaut Boushey Vineyard is 100% Syrah from Dick Boushey's highly regarded vineyard on the western side of the Yakima Valley AVA, considered one of the state's premier Syrah vineyards. 

This is a cooler site, that tends to instill Northern Rhone-like character in the fruit. Dick Boushey was the first grower with whom Avennia partnered. 

From the Boushey site they source three different varieties which go into the three flagship wines. Boushey is best known for Yakima Valley Syrah and Avennia is the only winery that uses both of the oldest blocks of his coveted fruit. The combination of these two Syrah blocks makes up this Arnaut, a wine we have made since our first vintage, 2010. 

The older, called Grand Côte (meaning "great hillside”), produces wine that is piercingly pure and focused, with meaty and mineral aromas backing up its deep blackberry and damson plum fruit flavors. Wines from the second block, Factory Road, show richer body and feature savory cured meat notes, along with orange peel, and a distinct iron note. 

This release was awarded 95 points by Decanter, 93 pints by Jeb Dunnuck and Vinous, and 92 points by Robert Parker and Wine Enthusiast, an Editor’s Choice. 

Aged 18 months in 15% new French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Case production was 354 caees

Winemaker's Tasting Notes - "This vintage brings an exceptional level of finesse to Arnaut, but no shortage of the wild, savory aspects we expect from this wine. The nose features, blueberry, salted blackberry, charcoal-grilled pork chop, asphalt, bittersweet chocolate, bee pollen, and a hint of grapefruit pith. Rich and beautifully textured on the palate, with pure Boushey notes of blueberry reduction, bacon fat, cacao nibs, charcoal embers, and grilled thyme. The elegance here hints at this wine drinking well on release, and it should age nicely for 8-12 years." - Chris Peterson, Winemaker

Dark garnet colored, medium to full-bodied, black berry and black raspberry fruits are layered with intense almost obtuse notes of black pepper with accents of creosote, dark spices, black olive, black tea, garrigue, and cigar leaf.

RM 91

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3277603

https://avennia.com/

PureCru (Napa) Lodi Rosso Sangiovese 2017

PureCru (Napa) Lodi Rosso (Sangiovese) 2017

This is from well known California Winemaker, Mitch Cosentino who has been making wines in Northern California since 1980 when at 28 years of age, he began Crystal Valley Cellars, where he produced wines at a winery in Santa Clara and two wineries in Sonoma County before setting up operations in Modesto and later moving to Lockford, producing wines under the Crystal Valley Cellars and Cosentino Select  labels. 

Mitch produced award winning wines winning medals at the Orange County and Los Angeles County fairs in 1982. In 1986 Cosentino won Best of Class and a gold medal at the Los Angeles County Fair for several of his wines bottled under Crystal Valley Cellars. In those early years he sourced most of his grapes from Central Valley vineyards, but later he began sourcing more grapes from vineyards closer to the coast. 

In 1990 Mitch opened Cosentino Winery in Napa Valley which he operated for 20 years, selling out in late 2010. He consulted for the new owners for a few years but is no longer involved, however, his former winery still carries his name, a tribute to his work in developing the property and brand.

PureCru wines released their first wine in 2007, primarily focused on Napa grown wines from local vineyards, however, some of their wines such as this one, are sourced from other parts of Northern California. PureCru wines do not own any vineyards, rather they source the grapes from relationships with premium vineyards that Mitch has developed over his long career in the valley.

“For many years, I had been reminiscing about creating a small, hands-on winery, like I had in the beginning; the result was pureCru where I released my first premium vintage in 2007, says Mitch.” The pureCru label and brand he regards as a “Winemakers Wine Project,” as he is personally involved in every aspect, from the vineyard to the bottle. 

PureCru Wines was originally established as the result of a business partnership between winemaker Cosentino, a grocer broker, a real estate developer and an oncologist, partners that shared mutual interests in winemaking and golf. So, he and the three friends formed pureCru to focus on small lot wines that are handcrafted to be enjoyed on their own or with food. Today, pureCru Wines is owed by the Scotto family, proprietors of Scotto Cellars.

This label is sourced from family owned and operated farmer growers Mohr-Fry Ranches who started back in 1855 with just row crops and over time grew to develop vineyards and farming 12 varieties of wine grapes, 2 varieties of cherries and over 25 varieties of dry heirloom beans. 

The agricultural history of the Mohrs and Frys dates back to the 1850s when Bruce Fry's great-great-grandfather on Jerry's mother's side, Cornelius Mohr left his job on a whaling ship in the port of San Francisco and began a farming operation on a Spanish land grant in Mt. Eden near what later became Hayward. Today Mohr-Fry Ranches farm 12 unique varieties of wine grapes in Lodi in the central valley of California.

With over 165 years of farming in California over 5 generations, Mohr-Fry Ranches consists of 5 properties in the Lodi area. The grow 12 varieties of wine grapes they grow are: (Alicante, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier & Zinfandel). 

I take a little bit of umbrage with the branding of this wine as the label prominently features the "PureCru Napa Valley" logo implying this is a Napa Valley wine consisting of Napa Valley fruit. While they produce several other labels of such wines, this one is sourced from Central Valley fruit from vineyard sources around Lodi.

While this wine is produced and bottled by PureCru Wines that is based in Napa, it is not a Napa Valley wine. This is misleading and takes improper liberties leading consumers to the believe this is a Napa valley product. Only when one reads the rear label is there a reference to Lodi, while both front and rear labels sport the PureCru logo with the word Napa Valley. 

Wine labels are mystifying and confusing enough for consumers without misdirection or misleading information added. I think this is wrong and should be corrected. 

I am surprised Napa Valley folks don't address this since appellation rules cite that for a wine to be labeled "Napa Valley", it must be at least 70% sourced from Napa Valley fruit to bear that designation on the label. Otherwise, this should rightfully be labeled California or some other specific designation. 

No other region in America commands a greater 'tax' or premium on its wine prices than Napa Valley, as witnessed by the escalation in land prices and associated wine prices over the years. That said, its egregious to attach a Napa Valley label to a wine sourced from Central Valley California - especially in light of the specific rules associated with such labeling. 

In any event, I picked up this Sangiovese based wine, albeit California Sangiovese, at the recommendation of wine merchant Michel Chang at Malloy's Finest wine shop in Lisle ((IL). I try to stop in and support him and other local wine merchants as the Chicagoland market becomes more and more dominated by big box wine and beverage super store Binny's who now has 45 outlets and take a larger and larger market share. As their market presence and share increases, their margins and applicable prices and discounts have become increasingly predatory and less consumer friendly. 

Perhaps Cosentino and Purecru were held to task and they corrected their alleged mis-deeds because as I pull up this label on  Cellartracker, the on-line repository of a million labels, I only find 2017 pureCru Rosso di Sangio in which the 'offending' Napa Valley designation is missing.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4761278

Another (the only) Sangiovese label listed on the pureCru website is 2016 Purecru Sangio Vetta. The description states, “Proving that Sangiovese can triumph in Northern California, this small production, 38-month barrel-aged red shows all the charm of old-world acidity and vivid red cherry. Its juicy middle is armed with oregano and chervil, with chalky plum skin tannins and a weaving of salty minerality." - Meridith May - Publisher’s Picks"

Composition: 93% Sangiovese, 7% Merlot Winemaking: Each lot was hand-picked and destemmed where it was fermented and then aged individually, primarily French and eastern European oak barrels for over three years then blended about a month prior to bottling. It is released when it is considered ready for tasting, much like a Brunello. Historically this wine from its hillside vineyard has a potential for developing and complexing for up to two decades.

Tasting Notes: Briary with red and black fruit, rhubarb, and baking spices that tend to dominate upfront. Big structured and intense pomegranate and plum with ripe tannins, minerally mountain characteristics. Brunello style, polish, and balance with depth and long aging future. - Mitch Cosentino, Winemaker

Under the "Wine Specs" for that label, it specifically states, Appellation: Napa Valley.

The Cellartracker community records show nine vintages of this label dating back to 2007. Five vintages show labels, four of which refer to this wine being Napa Valley Sangiovese, except the fifth for the 2007 vintage, which interestingly designates "California Sangiovese". 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2181367

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1332407

Notably, that label logo for PureCru, does not mention Napa Valley. Should this same treatment be applied to this 2017 Rosso label as well?

Other similarly situation and branded PureCru wines and their appellation designations are:

Vintage	Wine	Appellation
2015	Rosato di Sangio	Lodi
2014	Purety White Meritage	Napa Valley
2013	Chardonnay	Napa Valley
2012	Sangio Vetta	Napa Valley
2009	Pure Coz Red Blend	Napa Valley
2017	pC Verdelho	Lodi
2017	pC Rosato	Lodi
2015	pC Rosso	Lodi

I don't know or can't tell the intent, or the outcomes of this branding confusion, so I leave it here. 

Never-the-less, the focus on Sangiovese by Cosentino continue where he writes:

From pureCru "Spotlight on Sangiovesse", 4 wines from 1 grape ... Rosso di Sangio,  Brut Rose, Nuovo, Rosato

From Mitch: "While pureCru Winery is a Napa Valley Winery, occasionally we will acquire grapes from an old Lodi family that has been growing prized fruit for many decades. I first discovered them in the early '90's. I found Mohr-Fry vineyards to be growing grapes to Napa Valley standards. Exceptional quality with excellent balance. I still use several grapes they grow for clients for whom I make wine. And I still use one of their youngest vineyards albeit about 25 years old. The grape is Sangiovese. This vineyard is quite amazing because over the years I have made award-winning Red and Rose wines from these grapes."

This offering is somewhat unique, based on rare American, California (not Napa Valley) Sangiovese. The specific label from this vintage calls this PureCru (Napa Valley) Rosso. The rear label denotes Lodi Sangiovese and mentions the Mohr-Fry vineyard sources. It states the blend is 89% Sangiovese and 11% Alicante Boushete.

Traditional Rosso comes from the Italian designation once called 'Vermiglio' (vermilion), Rosso di Montalcino, a dry, fruity red wine produced in the village of Montalcino in Tuscany. Rosso comes from the same area of origin as the prestigious Brunello di Montalcino, sharing the same Mediterranean climate and also based on 100% Sangiovese. 

In the modern era, Sangiovese is now blended with Bordeaux varietals in the Tuscany region in wines called Super Tuscans, a branding and wine style that has gained much notoriety and become very popular. As noted, this wine is a blend is 89% Sangiovese and 11% Alicante Boushete.

Somewhat opaque garnet colored, medium bodied, notes of black berry and black cherry fruits with tones of tobacco, black tea and hints of smoke and oak with a smooth moderate finish. 

RM 89 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4767044

As noted above, this Cellartracker record and label did not exist until I created it just now. 

https://www.purecruwines.com/

https://www.purecruwines.com/blog/Spotlight-on-Sangiovesse

https://www.mohrfry.com/

https://www.purecruwines.com/Wines

Newton Napa Valley Unfiltered Chardonnay 2017

Newton Napa Valley Unfiltered Chardonnay 2017

Friday night stay at home movie date night, we opened this premium Napa Valley Chardonnay with a plate of artisan cheeses, ham and sweet gherkins. We served this producer's Newton Napa Valley Cabernet in a large format 6-liter Imperial bottle from our son Alec's birth year vintage at his wedding celebration welcome reception back in 2021. We wrote about that in this blogpost - Big Bottle Birthyear wines for Wedding Celebration at the time. (Our collection of large format bottles for our kids' birth years was the basis for our cellar being featured in the Collecting section of Wine Spectator Magazine back in June 2001).

Newton was founded in 1977 by English businessman Peter Newton and his Chinese wife Su Hua. Peter Newton was already renowned as a pioneer Napa Valley winemaker having founded Sterling Winery near Calistoga in the 1960s. We visited Sterling with its Disneyland like aerial skylift up to the mountaintop art museum and winery in the late seventies during our very first trip to Napa Valley. 

Peter Newton developed a single square mile of hillside on high up Spring Mountain in 1977. The site's terraced mountain estate has less than one-fifth of its total 490 acres planted to vines at elevations ranging from 500 to 1,600 feet above sea level. The non-farmed acreage remains in its native forested state providing natural habitat for indigenous wildlife.

The Newtons transformed one square mile of rolling hillside in Spring Mountain into one of the Napa Valley’s most prestigious estates, whose wines have graced the official dinners of several US presidents. The Newton estate encompasses 170 acres of prime Napa Valley terroir, distributed over four separate, wholly owned vineyards: Spring Mountain, Yountville, Mount Veeder and Carneros. 

Newton is known for producing wines that are uniquely characterful expressions of varietals emblematic of the Napa Valley, notably Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

For this Chardonnay, they source grapes primarily from the Napa Carneros AVA,  along with Rutherford, and with small quantities coming from Mendocino Ridge AVAs.

Carneros is marked by well-drained soils and rolling hills that border the San Pablo Bay. Sea breezes from the nearby bay, combined with morning and afternoon fog, keep temperatures cool and consistent. As a result, the area supports a long growing season, which allows grapes to achieve even and optimal ripeness—leading to wines of exceptional length and freshness. Rutherford is located in the heart of Napa Valley, is characterized by warmer days and richer soils. Rutherford fruit adds volume and body to the blend. 

Winemaker notes - Nose of tropical fruit, vanilla and lemon merangue. Medium to full bodied, lots of honey, some beeswax, and citrus flavors. Some butter and toast as well. Still a bit oaky, but not to a level as to interfere with enjoyment of this wine. 

This is barrel-fermented and unfiltered making the wine very creamy on the palate. A classic fragrant with orange blossom aromas, dry, mouth-filling on the palate with white florals, ripe red apple, pear, tropical fruit and toasty oak spice flavours. - Community Wine Reviews

This was awarded 93 points byJames Suckling and 91 points by Natalie McClean.

A style signature of Newton: Elegant and precise, excellent balance between freshness, complexity, richness and structure.

Straw colored, medium to full bodied, bright expressive, complex, dense forward ripe stone, pear and apple fruits with a pronounced layer of distinctive butterscotch. 

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3445650

https://www.newtonvineyard.com/

Family birthday dinner at Son Ryan's features a flight of big red wines

 Family birthday dinner at Son Ryan's features a flight of big red wines - Back-up

For grand-daughter MacKenzie's birthday, son Ryan and D-inlaw Michelle hosted a gala family celebration dinner.  They grilled beef steaks and chicken on Ryan's new outdoor kitchen grill with a range of accompaniments. Before dinner they served shrimp, assorted veggies, fruits and an medley of artisan cheeses. With the snacks and hor d'ovres Ryan served vintage Roederer Champagne.

With dinner Ryan served from his cellar several vintage premium wines:

• Fantesca All Great Things - Freedom 2009
• Cliff Lede High Fidelity Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
• Lillian California Syrah 2017

Family friend Dustin R brought from his cellar this premium Argentinian Malbec by Viña Cobos.

Cliff Lede “High Fidelity” Red Wine, Napa Valley 2017 

Ryan has an extensive collection of Cliff Lede estate Cabernets. As a member of their club he gets allocated special vineyard block designated bottlings from the Stags Leap District Napa Valley estate including this red Bordeaux Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Merlot based blend label. 

The 2017 'High Fidelity' is composed of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Cliff Lede's Twin Peaks estate vineyard, along with the Cabernet Franc from acclaimed viticulturist David Abreu’s Madrona Ranch. 

We've visited the Lede estate numerous times over the years and its alway a highlight of our Napa visits. 

This was rated 94 points by Antonio Galloni of Vinous.

Dark inky purple garnet colored, medium-full bodied, smooth, polished and nicely balanced black berry and plum fruits with notes of graphite, mocha, expresso, anise, spice and black tea with earthy floral on an elegant soft tannin finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=3526988

http://www.cliffledevineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/CliffLedeWine

@CliffLedeWine

Fantesca All Great Things - Freedom 2009

This is the handicraft of legendary veteran winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett, whose Napa Valley resume includes winemaking stints at Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle, and her own La Sirena. She signed on with Fantesca in early 2008.

Fantesca Estate and Winery Napa Valley "All Great Things - Freedom" 2009 

This label "All Great Things" is Heidi Barret's annual Bordeaux blend produced for Fantesca - a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.  

 

This is the inaugural release of the series, which is inspired by the words of Winston Churchill:  “All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.”  

 

Each vintage release commemorates one of those notable words from the legendary Churchill quote - freedom (2015), justice (2016), honor (2011, 2017), duty (2012, 2018), mercy (2013), and hope (2014) - this one christened the (first) "Honor" release.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, smooth, elegant and polished with bright black fruits with floral notes of and subtle notes of spice, mocha, tobacco and leather with smooth moderate tannins on the finish.

RM 92 points.  

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1491039

 

http://www.fantesca.com

 

@FantescaWine -  https://twitter.com/FantescaWine

 Lillian California Syrah 2017

An interesting wine I had never heard of or seen before Ryan brought this premium artisan Syrah from his cellar when we were over last fall. That night we tasted the 2016 release.

This is from winemaker Maggie Harrison who worked at legendary Sine Qua Non for eight years.  and is also winemaker of Antica Terra. During Maggie's seventh year working at Manfred Krankl's Sine Qua Non, she was given the opportunity to produce a few barrels of her own Syrah and in 2004, Lillian Winery was born with an inaugural release of 150 cases. Lillian represents Maggie’s personal project and reflects everything that she learned during her time at Sine Qua Non.

First released in 2004, she sources fruit for this small production artisan label from the prestigious White Hawk Vineyard in Santa Barbara County. 

She produces this Lillian Syrah and a some other labels from vineyards sources such as the Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria Valley, and the Stolpman Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Lillian wines are crafted from Rhone varietals — Roussanne, Syrah and Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Lillian shares a winemaker, winery, and tasting room with Antica Terra, in Dundee, OR.  While Antica Terra is focused on Pinot Noir from OR, Lillian is dedicated exclusively to producing Rhone varieties, as noted on the label, the wine is designated California Syrah, attributing the vineyard sources of the fruit. 

Dark purple, medium-full bodied, balanced savory dark fruit with hints of smoke and bacon fat on the nose and palate with a big lingering tangy finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3042313 

https://www.lillianwinery.com/

Viña Cobos, Vineyard Designate Malbec, Marchiori Estate, Luján de Cuyo, Argentina, 2019

Paul Hobbs, renowned California winemaker is founding partner and winemaker at Viña Cobos. 

In addition to his global consulting career, Paul Hobbs has navigated producing wines globally, engaging annually in two harvests across nine countries. Today, Paul is the owner and winemaker for Sebastopol, California based wineries Paul Hobbs Winery and Crossbarn, as well as his international partnerships: Viña Cobos of Argentina, Crocus of Cahors, France, Yacoubian-Hobbs of Armenia and his two latest projects in development: Hillick & Hobbs, focusing on Finger Lakes riesling, and Alvaredos-Hobbs in Galicia, Spain.

Paul Hobbs visited Mendoza in Argentina in 1989 and started working with Malbec, exploring different terroirs of Mendoza, looking for the most distinguished regions in Luján de Cuyo and the Valle de Uco, to produce wines that uniquely express their origins.

He established Viña Cobos in 1998, After twenty years of experimenting, development, innovation and improvement, Viña Cobos has evolved to become internationally recognized for producing luxury-class wines and a world quality leader for Malbec based wines. Viña Cobos creates extraordinary wines of outstanding quality, highlighting Malbec as the emblematic variety of Mendoza.

With the inaugural vintage of Cobos Malbec in 1999, Viña Cobos marked a milestone in viticulture, defying existing standards and firmly positioned Malbec and Argentina on the international wine scene.

Viña Cobos, Vineyard Designate Malbec, Marchiori Estate, Luján de Cuyo, Argentina, 2019  

The winery’s elegant and balanced wines are a result of meticulous vineyard farming and utmost attention to showcasing the specific terroir of the region. This Malbec is sourced from Estates and vineyards in Luján de Cuyo and Valle de Uco. The Marchiori Estate is the cornerstone of Viña Cobos. Malbec grapes grown in block C2 have been the key source since the inaugural vintage release, Cobos Malbec 1999. 

Luján de Cuyo is the premier growing region of Mendoza, fed by the snow-melt of the Andes through the Mendoza River. High altitudes range from 945 - 1,100 m (2,624 - 3,608 ft). The soils are alluvial, with a subsoil of clay, sand, silt and rock.

Valle de Uco with proximity to the Andes Mountains characterizes this cool, high altitude region. Vineyards sites range from 900 - 1,400 m (2,950 - 4,600 ft) in elevation. The soils are alluvial, sandy and rocky, and in some areas, limestone.

In addition to Malbec, Viña Cobos grows and produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay.

The 2015 Cobos Marchiori Estate Malbec was awarded 98 points by JS.

This is really dynamic and focused with blueberry, blackberry and mineral character. Hints of lavender and sandalwood. Full body, yet so tight and lifting. The palate just grows at the finish which goes on and on. Juicy, meaty and dried herb flavors at the end… – J.S.

The first release of this wine was 2018, under the 'Viña Cobos Vineyard Designate' label. The Viña Cobos Vineyard Designate line captures the richness and power of exceptional vineyards and estates within Valle de Uco and Luján de Cuyo. 

This was dark inky purple colored, full bodied, rich, concentrated extracted black and blue fruits with notes of bacon, tobacco, black tea, spice and herbs with a full lingering finish. 

RM 94 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4240423 

https://www.paulhobbsselections.com/vinfata-cobos

 

https://twitter.com/VinaCobos

@VinaCobos

Ramey Sonoma County Syrah

Ramey Sonoma Coast Syrah with Sunday Night Pizza

 

Sunday night, pizza night ... I picked up this recent vintage Sonoma Coast Syrah 2017 for the occasion. 

 

This is from David Ramey, best known for his work with Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, so I was intrigued to find this Syrah from such a notable winemaker/producer and an area becoming known for Syrah. 

 

David Ramey spent his early career creating benchmark wines for such wineries as Matanzas Creek, Chalk Hill, Dominus and Rudd leading up to he and his wife Carla founding Ramey Wine Cellars in 1996. They have been producing critically acclaimed, award-winning wines ever since, committed to Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay as their primary varietals, and, I now see, Syrah.

This Sonoma Coast Syrah is grown on the cooler, western slopes of Sonoma Mountain, sourced from the Rodgers Creek Vineyard that was planted to Ramey’s specifications to take advantage of the cool Pacific winds blowing through the famed Petaluma Gap. This is combined with grapes from the Cole Creek Vineyard in the warmer Russian River Valley. The 2017 vintage is comprised of 50% Cole Creek Vineyard and 50% Rodgers Creek Vineyard, combining terroir of Cole Creek's very gravelly Felta clay loam and Rodgers Creek's volcanic Kidd series gravelly loam.

We toured the area during our Sonoma County Wine Experience back in 2017 and have since collected some other big Syrahs from the area, also known for full hearty cool climate Chardonnays.

Interesting that Ramey captures the style and elegance of Northern Rhone Syrahs, all the while showing the bright ripeness that comes from California - he's crafted a wine that taste like top-flight Hermitage or Cornas from a top-flight vintage, at a fraction of the price.

Like wines produced in the Cote-Rotie, Ramey co-ferments this Syrah with 5% Viognier. The addition of this aromatic white grape adds a floral perfume to the wine, increasing the already seductive powers of the wine! A third of the wine is aged in new oak, with the remainder only used oak, adding a touch of spice and vanilla to the oak tones. 

Ramey Sonoma Coast Syrah 2017

This is an incredibly aromatic Syrah with aromas of wild flowers and herbs, couple with cracked black pepper and blackberries. These characteristics carry over into the flavors, showing the savory side of Syrah, with lots of dark, ripe, black fruit. 

This is a blend of 89% Syrah  co-fermented with 11% Viognier, then aged sur lies for 19 months in 70% new French barrels from François Frères and Demptos.

Winemaker Notes: "The 2017 Syrah Sonoma Coast has a medium purple/ruby hue as well as classic Syrah gaminess and pepperiness. With lots of blackberry fruit, some ground herb, bacon fat, and olive notes as well as medium to full-bodied richness on the palate, it's already drinking nicely and has a supple, approachable style."

This release was awarded 95 points by Virginia Boone of Wine Enthusiast, 93 Points by Wine Advocate, 92 Points  by Wine Spectator and Jeb Dunnuck.

This is the big bold forward concentrated style that we love in a Syrah - ideal for bbq, smoked meats or tangy pizza, such as tonight. 

Medium purple/garnet colored, medium to full-bodied, tightly structured, concentrated full and round blackberry, black currant and blueberry fruits complemented with notes of pepper, bacon fat, black olive and garrigue with floral notes turning to fine grained tannins on a full lingering finish.

RM 92 points.  

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3729368

https://www.rameywine.com/vineyards/

https://www.rameywine.com/wine-release/2017-syrah-sonoma-coast/

 

https://twitter.com/RameyWineCellar 

 

@RameyWineCellar

Merryvale Silhouette Napa Chardonnay with Chicken Tetrazzini

Merryvale Silhouette Napa Valley Chardonnay with Chicken Tetrazzini

Linda prepared a delicious hearty rich Chicken Tetrazzini so I pulled from the cellar a big full bodied Napa Chardonnay as an accompaniment.

This ultra-premium label is from the premier Profile collection of Merryvale, who crafted the first Profile red blend in 1983, from the finest Napa Valley fruit of the vintage. The proprietary Profile brand name first appeared on labels with the 1987 vintage.

For the next 25 years, Profile was the flagship Bordeaux-style red blend of Merryvale Vineyards, branded as part of the larger winery’s portfolio. With the release of the 2012 vintage, Profile revealed a new contemporary look with this label that honors their historic legacy, featuring glass etched silhouettes of the modern-day proprietors — René and Laurence Schlatter, who took the helm from the founder, René’s father Jack in 2008.

It all started in the early 1990s when visionary partners Swiss-born Jack Schlatter and winemaker Bob Levy sought out vineyard sites of exceptional quality and character from which to craft wines.

The Swiss-born Schlatter family became sole proprietors of the brand in the mid-1990s, when Jack Schlatter and his son René acquired this historic hillside site and worked closely with viticulturist David Abreu to replant and redesign the vineyard from the ground up. Beginning in 1997, they planted 25 acres with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc.

In 2004, the family acquired a parcel of the historic Stanly Ranch property in Carneros, with the goal of producing world-class Chardonnay worthy of joining the Profile Collection. That second estate vineyard now provides the luminous fruit used to craft into the Silhouette label.

Jack Schlatter spent his earlier career selling cotton in Hong Kong and tasting coffee in Brazil, but his favorite passion was great wine. After spending much of his life working hard in industries that held no particular excitement for him, he shifted gears to invest in a business he actually loved when a real estate deal introduced him to Bill Harlan and the other Merryvale founders.

Jack joined the Merryvale founders as a partner in 1991, building the winery’s international presence with his established import/export connections. A few years later in 1996, Jack and his family became the sole owners of the winery, and the Schlatters began to create a family estate. Twenty years later, the Profile Estate Vineyard and Stanly Ranch Estate Vineyard are the foundation of Merryvale.

Jack turned the CEO duties over to son René in 2008 and now offers counsel and support for the family business from his home in Vevey, Switzerland where he lives with his wife, Lilo.

Proprietors René and Laurence Schlatter grew up in the same small town near Geneva, Switzerland, but never met until Laurence’s brother introduced them at the Merryvale tasting room in St. Helena.

Merryvale Winemaker Andrew Wright grew up in the Sonoran Desert. His interest in wine arose when he visited the Finger Lakes wine region of upstate New York while on a post-college road trip. From that point on, he devoured volumes of wine literature and the wines they described, expanding his palate and shaping his philosophies.

Andrew began his winemaking career planting vines in the high desert outside of Sonoita, Arizona. He moved to Napa Valley in 2012, where he worked in the vineyards and cellars of Harlan and Bond Estates, Promontory and The Napa Valley Reserve, as well as Fruition Sciences where Merryvale was a client, eventually taking on winemaking duties there.

This Silhouette is Merryvale's flagship white wine, crafted to the same exacting standards as Profile, crafted from only the best lots from their top vineyards each year.

Striving to create a white wine of the 'utmost integrity, depth and grace', Silhouette is limited production old-world style crafted from the finest Chardonnay grapes of each vintage.

This is sourced (90%) from the best Chardonnay block in the historic Stanly Ranch Estate Vineyard on the Napa side of the Carneros AVA, plus some fruit (10%) from Hyde Vineyard, down at the bottom of Napa Valley where the Mayacamas range foothills meets the flat shorelands of San Pablo Bay.

Producer's Tasting Notes - "Silhouette is everything we love about great Chardonnay— bright, fresh, full, complex, long and delicious. Barrel fermented with native yeasts in the classic Burgundian style, the wine is unctuous and full while expressing the bright acidity of the cool Carneros appellation. Lemon curd, hazelnuts, orange blossoms, and jasmine delight aromatically and on the palate as the wine evolves in the glass. This is a complex Chardonnay, with layers of flavor dancing on the taut line of natural acidity. The long, balanced finish both satisfies and entices—this is a deeply enjoyable wine. An excellent food companion, the wine is also stunning on its own and will continue to evolve over the next 10+ years."

It aged 16 months with the full lees in 40% new French oak, Burgundy barrels from Tronçais, Jupilles and Fontainebleau forests in central France, with light toast.

700 cases were produced.

This was rated 95 points by Jeb Dunnuck of jebdunnuck.com, and 92 each points from Lisa Perrotti-Brown of robertparker.com, Kim Marcus from Wine Spectator, James Suckling, and Wine Enthusiast. 

Producer Notes - "Silhouette is a captivating wine. The outstanding quality of the fruit allows for long native fermentations where we carefully monitor its progress. We are striving for the best expression of Chardonnay; an exercise of balance with one goal in mind: finesse, refinement and complexity. Our intent is to surprise you with this unique, exquisite and noble wine that has the potential to age for 10 years or more."

"The 2017 Silhouette Chardonnay has an intense nose filled with exotic fruit notes including pineapple, stone fruit and tangerine, and a fragrant vanilla finish. The mouth is very round with a nice sweetness and very clean minerality. The wine is dense and ample with a touch of sweetness and citrus (yuzu) finish. A very balanced and elegant wine with a stylish touch of oak and a beautiful finish."

Each vintage, their very best Chardonnay fruit goes into the Silhouette bottling. For the 2017 vintage, the wine is comprised primarily of grapes grown on thee Stanly Ranch Estate Vineyard with a small percentage from the neighboring Hyde Vineyard in Carneros.

The result is a 'beautiful wine with great acidity and drinkability' that Merryvale says is one of the best Chardonnays that they have made.

Silhouette is packaged in a heavy oversize bottle with etched glass markings featuring the silhouettes of each of the proprietors on each side, requiring turning the bottle or multiple images to see them both.

Light straw colored, medium to full bodied, concentrated, rich, round, intense almost obtuse, forward green apple, tropical and stone fruits, notes of guava, pineapple and hints of melon, peach, and nuts, with a long racy acidic finish. Definitely needs some rich seafood or pasta with sauces to balance the acidity and intensity. 

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3814485

https://profile-collection.com/silhouette/

https://profile-collection.com/wine/2017-silhouette/

Zaca Mesa Mesa Reserve Santa Ynez Syrah

Zaca Mesa Mesa Reserve Santa Ynez Valley Estate Syrah 2017 with Baby Back Rib Dinner

We just received our wine club allocation fall shipment from Zaca Mesa Winery. We visited the Zaca Mesa Estate and Vineyards in Santa Ynez Valley during our Santa Barbara County Wine Experience last spring. We joined their wine club after tasting their portfolio of Rhone varietal based wines highlighting Syrah, one of our favorite varietals. 

Zaca Mesa Estate Winery on Foxen Canyon Rd
Los Olivos, CA

We were eager to try this Reserve 'flagship' Syrah from this producer who specializes in California Syrah. Their feature of wine says, this "Mesa Reserve Syrah represents the best of our mesa top vineyard, focusing on our favorite blocks of Syrah on our estate, ranging in vine age between 9-22 years."

Zaca Mesa's focus on Syrah intensified when in 2004, they planted their "first true high-density vineyard,” said Director of Vineyard & Winery Operations Eric Mohseni, at the time. “This new vineyard was planted to new Syrah clones and rootstock combinations for Zaca Mesa. The resulting wines had a different tannin and flavor profile. This was the birth of the Mesa Reserve.”

The resulting grapes harvested from that vineyard site displayed a "purity of fruit, broad tannins, and complex aromas of the wine" such that they believed it merited a higher-tier "reserve level" Syrah. Such was the birth of this label Mesa Reserve Syrah, crafted from select barrels from the different sub-blocks to create this wine.

Zaca Mesa Estate Vineyard

This is a blend of fruit sourced from sites "high on a mesa top in Santa Ynez Valley, where the various clones of Syrah ripen in the sun. They are planted on multiple varieties of rootstock, huddled close together in a high-density planting scheme. The microclimate here is unique – several degrees cooler than the neighboring town of Los Olivos."

"The Mesa Reserve is more of a 21st Century wine,” says Brand Ambassador Dane Campbell. “It’s the culmination of our 38 years of experimentation with Syrah, leading to a match of the correct clones and rootstocks to our specific vineyard site.”

“These younger blocks offer a great contrast to older Syrah vines on the property,” says Winemaker Kristin Bryden. “These new clones planted and grown with modern viticultural practices give the Mesa Reserve a brightness of fruit and complex richness that is unique when compared to our older blocks.”

Zaca Mesa Mesa Reserve Santa Ynez Valley Estate Syrah 2017

Winemakers' Notes on this release.  The 2017 Mesa Reserve Syrah’s black ripe fruits are saturated with aromatic notes of churned earth, smoked meat, sweet cigar, and dark chocolate. Upon the first sip, the texture and tannins are bold, delivering a decadent middle palate layered with flavors of plum and blackberry jam.

I love it and applaud that Zaca Mesa shares the credit across the winemaking and vineyard team - Kristin, Randy, Agustin, Ruben, José, Angel & Ramirez.

This is 100% Santa Ynez Valley Syrah, sourced from Zaca Mesa estate vineyard Blocks Mesa A, B3, C6 & Chapel G4, G5, it was aged 21 months in 25% new French oak. A total of 856 cases were produced.

The 2017 release was rated 93 points by Antonio Galloni, 92 points by Wine Enthusiast and 91 points by Jeb Dunnuck.

To pair with this wine, Linda prepared Baby Back Ribs, baked beans and mashed potatoes - one of favorite food wine pairings. 

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, firm tight but vibrant aromatic blackberry and ripe cherry fruits, more restrained than those brooding overpowering unctuous fruit bombs, this shows more minerality and wet stone, highlighted by essence of what the winemaker aptly calls 'smoked' or another pundit calls 'roasted' meat, notes of soy, baking spices, hints of tobacco and bitter dark chocolate on the lingering moderate tannin laced finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3909879

https://www.zacamesa.com/

Zaca Mesa Winery Twitter - @ZacaMesa_Wine

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Chardonnay for Smoked Turkey Dinner

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Chardonnay for Smoked Turkey Dinner

For a weeknight dinner, Linda prepared a smoked turkey breast with mash potatoes, gravy, and mixed vegetables. For a wine pairing,  I opened one of Linda's favorites, Mayacamas Mt Veeder Chardonnay.

We tasted this wine at the historic old winery and vineyards high atop Mt Veeder at the south end of the Mayacamas mountain range that separates Napa and Sonoma valleys during our Mt Veeder Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2011. We obtain and keep a half dozen vintages in our cellar ever since. 

We pulled this from the cellar for tonight's pairing, the oldest vintage release for this label, as part of effective cellar management.

The mountain terroir at Mayacamas ranges from 1,800 to 2,400 feet in elevation and the estate spans 475 acres, only 50 of which are dedicated to vines.

I wrote in detail about the original historic Mayacamas winery (left) tht dates back to 1889 in earlier blogposts including one in January 2016. 

The modern era Mayacamas dates back to 1968 when the property was taken over by Robert Travers who had worked at Heitz Cellars. He and his wife Elinor continued to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay striving to make wines of great character, depth, complexity, and longevity.

In July 2013, Mayacamas was purchased by Charles and Ali Banks in partnership with Jay Schottenstein and his son, Joey. Andy Erickson took over the Estate’s winemaking duties, and Phil Coturri took over farming and vineyard development. This release was crafted by Winemakers Andy Erickson and Braiden Albrech.

The old vines of the Terraces vineyard had been deteriorating, so after a long and productive life many were retired with the 2013 Harvest being their last. 

The 2013 harvest was small but was of exceptional quality, character, and intensity – a stand-out special release. That was bottled as a special designated one time bottling for the 2013 vintage year. 

 

Since then, many of the vines from the old historic vineyards have been replanted with only a few plots remaining from the old historic vines. 

 

In 2017, the Schottenstein family of Columbus, Ohio, took over the remainder of the 100% ownership of Mayacamas Vineyards to become sole proprietors of the estate and brand. As noted above, Jay Schottenstein and his son Joey had been partners in Mayacamas Vineyards since it was purchased from long-time owner Bob Travers in 2013. 

 

A month later in October 2017, the Nuns Fire reached Mayacamas Vineyards. One of the property’s historic buildings burned to the ground but the historic stone winery building constructed in 1889 survived intact.

The burned structure, was a building they called “the residence.” that served as the hospitality center for the winery (though Mayacamas is generally not open to the public for tastings). That building was completely destroyed.

This 2017 vintage of Mayacamas Chardonnay was the current era producer's team's fifth vintage release and they note it showcases both the site and vintage beautifully, a combination of old vines and new.

 

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Napa Valley Mt Veeder Chardonnay 2017 

 

The fruit for this 2017 release was sourced from Mt. Veeder Appellation vineyard sites, and harvested primarily from 40-year old dry farmed vines located between 1,800 and 2,000 feet in elevation above the fog line. It also includes some young vine Chardonnay from the newly replanted Hill Block. 

 

The producers were fortunate to have picked the grapes for this release well before the October 2017 fires that ravaged the area. Those that waited till late in the harvest were denied a harvest that year. 

The blend was aged 22 months in oak and 6 months in steel.

 

Winemakers notes for this release: "Aromas of ripe lemon honeysuckle and crushed oyster shell highlight the nose. On the palate, the wine has the classic Mayacamas acidity and is framed nicely by the textural richness in the mid-palate that comes from a warm vintage".

 

This release was awarded 95 points and *Editors' Choice* by Wine Enthusiast, 94 points by James Suckling and Vinous, 93 points by Decanter and 92 points from Wine Spectator.

 

Golden straw colored, full-bodied, structured and tight with dense but bright vibrant apple and pear fruits with notes of lemon citrus and peach and wet stone, with bright tangy acidity and creamy Oak on a lengthy finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3218950

http://www.mayacamas.com/

 

https://twitter.com/mayacamaswine

Paitin Serraboella Barbaresco

Paitin Serraboella Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2017 BYOB at Angeli's Italian

Midweek dinner, we dined at Angelis Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria. I took from our cellar this Italian Barbaresco Nebiollo for the occasion, to pair with our Italian cuisine. I ordered the basic classic Spaghetti pasta with Bolognese meat sauce with Italian meatball and sausage.

The Paitin Pasquero-Elia estate in the Barbaresco appellation is in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy between Turin and Genoa. It has been in the family for 8 generations, since 1893, and the Grand Cru vineyard (MGA) of Serraboella is one of the traditional expressions of Neive’s Barbaresco.

Bricco di Neive is located 2 miles South-east of the Commune of Neive, nestled in the picturesque hillside area some 1.000 feet above sea level. The winery started in 1796, when Benedetto Elia purchased 5 acres of vineyard in Bricco di Neive, planted in Nebbiolo and Barbera. Thirty years later he purchased the house, the cellar and 5 more acres of Nebbiolo.

For years, the wines were sold in barrels. In 1890, his nephew, Giuseppe, built the “new” section of the winery, started in the 15th century, and bottled the first Barbaresco, Nebbiolo and Barbera wines.

In 1948, Secondo Pasquero Elia, took over the winery, and started to replant the vineyards. The vineyard planted in 1953 produces the flag ship Barbaresco label, Vecchie Vigne Riserva. 

In the 1980’s, Secondo’s sons, Giovanni and Silvano, joined the winery. In 1994, they bought a small estate in Alba where the Nebbiolo d’Alba Ca Veja is produced. At this location, they also run a Bed & Breakfast with 6 apartments in a 16th century farmhouse.

Today, they produce a dozen vineyard specific designated labels, all estate grown representing, the terroir of the region and the specific vineyard.

The Serraboella vineyards and label is the most famous cru in the Southern Neive. They were planted in 1980-1995. Up to 1999, these fruits were integrated into the Barbaresco Sorì Paitin, but since then they are harvested and vinified as this Serraboella vineyard designated label. 

Two Barbaresco vineyards contribute to this wine. The Serreboalla vineyards sit on a long hill exposed to West, and gently bends towards the South where it gets steeper. The steepest and the warmest side Barbaresco has a unique expression of powerful but elegant texture. The ‘d Tourun vineyard shares a border with the Bricco and exhibits mineral and rough character. The Schiena d’Ernestin vineyard is more sheltered position and shows more fine and elegant character. 

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia Barbaresco Serraboella Nebbiolo 2017

This is 100% Nebbiolo grape varietal all vinified, subject to pressing and destemming then fermented and macerated from 3 to 6 weeks in stainless steel. At the end of the winter it is moved into wood barrels where it rests for around 1 year and a half to 2 years  in barrels between 25 to 50 hectoliters, made of Slavonian and Austrian oak with an age of 15 years.

Winemaker Notes for this 2017 release: "Soft, open-knit and gracious. Succulent red cherry, mint, white pepper and chalk make a positive first impression. Hints of rose petal, mint and cinnamon blend into the creamy finish."

It was awarded 95 points by James Suckling and 93 points by Wine Spectator.

James Suckling calls it a vivid, solid Barbaresco,  extremely flavorful and powerful with intense density of fruit and ripe tannins. It’s full-bodied with lots of plums and chocolate with some walnuts and bark.

Wine Spectator said it will be best from 2023 through 2040.

 

Perhaps we drank this too young but I don't believe so. I suspect it is at the apex of its drinking profile even though it may be at this level for another decade or more. We have at least one more bottle so we'll take that advise and set it aside for some period before we're tempted to consume it. 

 

We're accustomed to bold, large, forward concentrated  wines with more body, structure and density. This was a much more subdued, moderate, lighter and more delicate, more akin to the style and character of a Pinot Noir than a Bordeaux or Rhone varietal. 

 

This was a nice accompaniment to our pasta and red sauces, nicely balanced and complementary, but much more subdued and modest than our typical wine selections.

 

Ruby colored, light medium bodied, balanced and polished, black berry and cherry fruits are accented by notes of tar and black tea with hints of white pepper, smoke and menthol, with soft but gripping tannins on the finish. 

 

RM 91 points.

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3603308

 

https://www.paitin.it/en/

 

http://www.angeliscatering.com/

 

Hugh Hamilton Black Sheep Shiraz Saperavi

Hugh Hamilton Dark-Arts Black-Ops South-Australia Shiraz Saperavi 2017

For our family gathering for my birthday bbq, we also opened this South Australia McLaren Vale Shiraz. I found this interesting blend at Binny's, Chicagoland's big box beverage super store and picked up a couple bottles to try. It proved to provide good QPR - Quality Price Ratio with its $22 pricepoint. There were 1,200 cases producer of which only 180 were imported.

This is from Hugh Hamilton Wine, a family owned producer for six generations spanning 180 years. Current owners Hugh Hamilton and his daughter Mary Hamilton are the 5th and 6th generation of the Australian Hamilton wine dynasty that stretches back over 180 years. In 1837 Hugh’s great great grandfather Richard emigrated to the new colony of South Australia and planted Australia’s first wine grapes starting perhaps South Australia’s first wine dynasty that continues to this day.

Before emigrating to South Australia, Hugh’s great, great grandfather Richard was a tailor on the high streets of Dover, England. He was also known to be engaged in smuggling contraband Bordeaux from France. Hamiltons speculate his dark secret caught up with him because Richard, with his wife Anne and eight children packed up and left the country, emigrating to Australia where they settled on 80 acres of remote rural land. There he planted what may have been the region's first wine grapes. 

Hence, the Hamilton brand plays on the sordid past of a 'black sheep' character. 

I've written often in these pages about the Australian sense of humor and some of their whimsical branding and labels (Mollydooker). This label is one of those whimsical fun play on words labels: "As with all families one is a Black Sheep and (co-owner-producer) Hugh is it. Hugh Hamilton wines are far from ordinary. Hugh has a clear vision about the way he sees wines and he produces accordingly. Hugh’s legacy continues as Mary is now the CEO of the family winery and brings insight, energy and enormous talent to this exciting winery." 

The Black Sheep branding carries over to their Wine Club, the Black Sheep Club, where they offer special and limited production labels, "and our premium range of eclectic wines designed by the family themselves to be of an outstanding quality".

Today, Hugh and Mary produce a own unique trio of wines, a Grenache, a Shiraz and a Pedro Ximenez in honour of their forebear, Richard Hamilton along with this interesting Red Blend, 60% Shiraz and 40% Saperavi. I admit I had never heard of our encountered this varietal before and knew nothing of it. 

The Saperavi grape roots (pun intended) trace back to Georgia where the name translates literally "paint, dye, give color". It is a hardy variety able to handle extremely cold weather and thus is popular for growing in cold climate inland regions.

It is the most predominant varietal in Georgia and is also found grown throughout the region east of Europe in Russia, Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. It is the basis for the region's most popular wines. It has also been imported and is grown in the Niagara and Finger Lakes regions of New York State and the Erie region of Northeast Ohio. 

 

Seperavi produces an extractive wine with a characteristic bouquet, a harmonious taste, and pleasant astringency. Saperavi grapes produce very deep red wines that are suitable for extended aging. It has the potential to produce high alcohol levels, and is often blended with lighter varieties. 

 

Hamilton vineyards are on the north-eastern fringe of the broader McLaren Vale region in the Blewitt Springs sub-region. There the higher elevation and distance inland from the sea have a cooler climate and later-ripening than the main region, hence the use of Separvi is found in conjunction with Shiraz. 

 

The Hugh Hamilton ‘Black Sheep’ vineyards are planted mainly to Shiraz, Grenache, Saperavi and some Cabernet, each of which is divided into smaller sub-blocks according to the patchwork of soils. Many of the vines are what Hamilton calls ‘Old’ Shiraz, differentiated from the ‘Ancient’, with vineyards dating back well over 60 years old. The Cabernet date back as much as 25 years.

Hugh Hamilton Dark-Arts Black-Ops South-Australia Shiraz Saperavi 2017

This is sourced from the Church Vineyard which stands east of the winery surrounding on three sides the old Bethany Chapel for which it is named. It is planted to Shiraz, Saperavi, Merlot and Sangiovese. The soil is alluvial as the vineyard is an ancient creek bed  with a deep, winter-only creek in a distinct very shallow gully which cuts across the Merlot and Shiraz vineyards; and at the western end has a band of soil which is shallow and tough, with bits of quartz and scattered ironstone. The rows run east/west, which provides maximum shade from the sun during heatwave conditions.

Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast both rated this label 88 points. 

 

Dark inky purple colored, full bodied, muscular, rich blackberry and black plum fruits are accented with herbal notes of black olive, bell pepper, black pepper and hints of spice and mint with a full firm lingering finish. 

 

RM 89 points. 

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3303145 

https://hughhamiltonwines.com.au/product/black-ops-shiraz-saperavi-2020/

https://hughhamiltonwines.com.au