Vineyard Wedding in Michigan

Vineyard Wedding and Wine in Michigan

Friends Dave and Marie's daughter Jacki wanted a wedding amidst the vines of a vineyard. The thought of a vineyard wedding prompts thoughts of a destination wedding in Tuscany, Provence or Sonoma. But with a lake home on the Michigan shores in southwestern Michigan wine country, this was not a far-fetched idea for them.

About two hours from Chicago is a burgeoning wine producing region the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Country, an designated AVA - American Viticultural Area. Starting at the Indiana border, it reaches across the southwestern corner of Michigan north to the Kalamazoo River and east toward the City of Kalamazoo.

Those of us that live near the Great Lakes are familiar with 'Lake effect' weather - more moderate near the Lake - cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter. Those along the eastern shores of the Great Lakes are affected even more profoundly by snows that are produced by the more moderate lake warmed air crossing the lake and picking up moisture to be deposited as it is sharply cooled on landfall. We've all seen the news footage of highly localized snowbelts that measure their snowfall in feet rather than inches. 

These more temperate climates with moderated extremes of heat and cold, also protect the varietal grape vine's fragile buds in spring and ripening fruits in summer. The deep, lake-effect snows insulate the rich soil so the vine roots don’t freeze, and the consistent annual rainfall enables the production of clusters of grapes for producing abundant wines. And the soil is sand for optimal maximum drainage to starve the vines to produce intense fruits.

Michigan has 15,000 acres of vineyards making Michigan the fourth largest grape-growing state.

• Most of this acreage is devoted to juice grapes such as Concord and Niagara.
• About 2,650 acres are devoted to wine grapes, making Michigan the fifth state in wine grape production in the nation.
• Vineyard area has doubled over the last 10 years.
• Michigan's 117 commercial wineries produce more than 1.4 million gallons of wine annually, making Michigan 13th in wine production. The vast majority of production is from Michigan-grown grapes.

Wineries are popular tourist destinations, attracting more than 2 million visitors annually.
The wine industry contributes $300 million annually to Michigan's economy.
Three types of grapes are used for wine in Michigan:

• Vinifera varieties - these are the classic European varieties such as Chardonnay, Riesling (the most widely planted white), Pinot Noir (the most widely planted red), Pinot Grigio/Gris and Cabernet Franc; about 65% of Michigan's wine grapes are vinifera. Since 1997, 90% of the new plantings in Michigan have been vinifera varieties.
• Hybrid varieties (sometimes called French/American hybrids) - these are botanical crosses between vinifera varieties and grapes native to North America. Typical names are Vidal, Chambourcin, Marechal Foch and Vignoles; about 35% of Michigan's wine grapes are hybrids.
• Native varieties - actually close relatives of true native varieties. Typical names are Concord and Niagara. About 3% of Michigan's wine is made from these varieties.

Most of Michigan's quality wine grapes grow within 25 miles of Lake Michigan. Here, the "lake effect" protects the vines with snow in winter, retards bud break in spring helping avoid frost damage, and extends the growing season by up to four weeks.
Michigan has four federally approved viticultural areas (AVAs). In the northwest part of the state, near Traverse City, lie the Leelanau Peninsula and the Old Mission Peninsula. This area has a growing season averaging 145 days and an average heat accumulation of 2,350 growing degree days; 51% of Michigan's wine grapes grow here. In the southwest part of the state lie the Lake Michigan Shore and Fennville appellations, where 45% of Michigan's wine grapes are grown. This area has a growing season averaging 160 days and an average heat accumulation of 2,750 growing degree days. Both are Region 6 on the USDA plant hardiness zone map.
Harvest begins for early hybrid varieties at the end of August in the southwest and may extend into November for late-ripening vinifera varieties in the northwest.
Increasingly, Michigan wines are receiving high honors at national and international competitions. In addition, the Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition provides for head-to-head comparisons of the best of Michigan. Results are posted online following each year's competition.
Michigan wineries make many styles of wine, from dry to sweet including Ice Wine, sparkling, fortified, fruit wines and eau-de-vie (fruit brandy).
Michigan wines are typically "cool climate" - clean, crisp, balanced wines that exhibit real varietal character
- See more at: http://www.michiganwines.com/fast-facts#sthash.SgElcqLG.dpuf

People outside the region will be astonished to hear that Michigan has 15,000 acres of vineyards making Michigan the fourth largest grape-growing state. While most of this acreage is devoted to juice grapes such as Concord and Niagara, about 2,650 acres are devoted to wine grapes, making Michigan the fifth state in wine grape production in the nation. The amount of vineyard area has doubled over the last 10 years.

Today, Michigan has 117 commercial wineries that produce more than 1.4 million gallons of wine annually, making Michigan 13th in wine production. The majority of the grapes produced are the classic European varieties such as Chardonnay, Riesling (the most widely planted white), Pinot Noir (the most widely planted red), Pinot Grigio/Gris and Cabernet Franc.

About one-third of the production is Hybrid varieties - crosses between the European vinifera varieties and grapes native to North America, such as Vidal, Chambourcin, Marechal Foch and Vignoles.

So, last weekend we attended Jacki and Chris' wedding and sipped on local Michigan wines. Being the wine snob that I am, I've been known to say there are no appealing Michigan wines. Previous experiences of Michigan Bordeaux varietal based wines were 'grassy' and 'woody' with musty subdued fruit. This weekend we tasted and toasted not only respectable tasty wines, but wines of European Bordeaux varietals that here-to-for unremarkable, showed nice somewhat complex yet approachable fruits with balanced fruit, moderate acid and tannins.


In fact, the local Cabernet Sauvignon served was a great accompaniment to the grilled steak, and the Chardonnay to the salmon filets. 

The story book setting amongst the vines on the temperate summer evening could've been in Sonoma, Provence or Tuscany! Bocci balls aside!






Twelve Corners Vineyards Lake Michigan Shores Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black berry and currant fruits with tones of smoke, hints of earthy leather and all spice on a moderate tannin finish.

RM 87 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2162940





 

Twelve Corners Vineyards Lake Michigan Shores Chardonnay 2012

Butter colored, medium bodied, tangy citrus and wet stone predominate, dry white wine with aromas of apple and vanilla. Oak barrel and steel tank aging lends to the complex and zesty finish. 


RM 86 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2162944

http://www.12corners.com/



Twelve Corner Vineyards Beach Cottage Vacation White and Red names and labels reflect the Lake Michigan Shore appellation lifestyle and scene.

Michigan has 15,000 acres of vineyards making Michigan the fourth largest grape-growing state.

• Most of this acreage is devoted to juice grapes such as Concord and Niagara.
• About 2,650 acres are devoted to wine grapes, making Michigan the fifth state in wine grape production in the nation.
• Vineyard area has doubled over the last 10 years.
• Michigan's 117 commercial wineries produce more than 1.4 million gallons of wine annually, making Michigan 13th in wine production. The vast majority of production is from Michigan-grown grapes.

Wineries are popular tourist destinations, attracting more than 2 million visitors annually.
The wine industry contributes $300 million annually to Michigan's economy.
Three types of grapes are used for wine in Michigan:

• Vinifera varieties - these are the classic European varieties such as Chardonnay, Riesling (the most widely planted white), Pinot Noir (the most widely planted red), Pinot Grigio/Gris and Cabernet Franc; about 65% of Michigan's wine grapes are vinifera. Since 1997, 90% of the new plantings in Michigan have been vinifera varieties.
• Hybrid varieties (sometimes called French/American hybrids) - these are botanical crosses between vinifera varieties and grapes native to North America. Typical names are Vidal, Chambourcin, Marechal Foch and Vignoles; about 35% of Michigan's wine grapes are hybrids.
• Native varieties - actually close relatives of true native varieties. Typical names are Concord and Niagara. About 3% of Michigan's wine is made from these varieties.

Most of Michigan's quality wine grapes grow within 25 miles of Lake Michigan. Here, the "lake effect" protects the vines with snow in winter, retards bud break in spring helping avoid frost damage, and extends the growing season by up to four weeks.
Michigan has four federally approved viticultural areas (AVAs). In the northwest part of the state, near Traverse City, lie the Leelanau Peninsula and the Old Mission Peninsula. This area has a growing season averaging 145 days and an average heat accumulation of 2,350 growing degree days; 51% of Michigan's wine grapes grow here. In the southwest part of the state lie the Lake Michigan Shore and Fennville appellations, where 45% of Michigan's wine grapes are grown. This area has a growing season averaging 160 days and an average heat accumulation of 2,750 growing degree days. Both are Region 6 on the USDA plant hardiness zone map.
Harvest begins for early hybrid varieties at the end of August in the southwest and may extend into November for late-ripening vinifera varieties in the northwest.
Increasingly, Michigan wines are receiving high honors at national and international competitions. In addition, the Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition provides for head-to-head comparisons of the best of Michigan. Results are posted online following each year's competition.
Michigan wineries make many styles of wine, from dry to sweet including Ice Wine, sparkling, fortified, fruit wines and eau-de-vie (fruit brandy).
Michigan wines are typically "cool climate" - clean, crisp, balanced wines that exhibit real varietal character
- See more at: http://www.michiganwines.com/fast-facts#sthash.SgElcqLG.dpuf

Fogdog Sonoma Chardonnay 2010

Fogdog Sonoma Chardonnay 2010 - Lot 101 Columbia Valley Syrah for pleasant casual summer sipping

Dr's Pat and Carol-Ann came visiting so I opened this crisp casual sipping Chardonnay for the gals to enjoy with french bread, cheese and fruits. The term Fogdog  speaks to a ray of light poking through the fog - a not uncommon occurance in the mist shrouded vineyards near the coast in northwest Sonoma County.

As written in earlier blogposts, this is an interesting whimsical label from the legendary Joseph Phelps known for Bordeaux varietal wines from Napa Valley. Yet Phelps loved the wines of Burgundy and wanted to craft wines in that style. Originally he sourced Chardonnay from Napa Valley St. Helena, then Yountville and later from Carneros, down at the bottom of the Mayacamas Range (the range that separates yet helps form Napa and Sonoma Valleys) at the top of San Pablo Bay where Napa and Sonoma Valleys meet. Like the Sonoma Coast, Carneros is another locale notable for growing Burgundian varietals Chardonnay and Pinot Noir due to the milder climatic effects of the Bay with the fog that creeps into the low lying vineyards up against the hills.

Through the years, he continued searching for the ideal spot to grow both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He found the perfect combination of climate, soil and location in Freestone, in the Sonoma Coast appellation AVA, just five miles from the Pacific Ocean. In 1999, Joseph Phelps Vineyards began developing 100 acres of vineyards just outside of Freestone.

In 2005, he built a new winery which was completed in time for the 2007 harvest. Today, 80 acres of Pinot Noir and 20 acres of Chardonnay produce remarkable estate-grown wines bearing the Joseph Phelps name.

The moniker 'fogdog' refers to 'a bright or clear spot that appears in the breaking fog'. Being just five miles from the coast, the fog rolls in from the ocean and graces the vineyards early in the day before being burned off by the late morning sun.

We've also enjoyed the Fogdog Pinot Noir on several occasions including during one of our New York/Hoboken getaways.

Winemaker Notes: This wine has a very expressive floral bouquet with notes of baking spices, wet stone and toasted vanilla bean. There is a hint of mid-palate sweetness that nicely buffers the core of acidity and complements the array of pear tart, white peach, green apple and lemongrass flavors. 

Sonoma Coast Chardonnay sourced from the Dutton Ranch Mill Station Vineyard (67%) and the Freestone estate vineyards (33%). 

The 2010 Chardonnay growing season was slow and cool, producing excellent fruit quality with uniform sugar and acid levels, despite the late season weather challenges, making for excellent natural winemaking conditions. The finished wines are balanced and fresh with a distinctly Freestone spice element.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1342737

http://www.josephphelps.com/visit-us-sonoma-coast/

Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 101 Syrah 2009

While the ladies sipped on Chardonnay, I opened a more hearty, fruit forward robust Syrah for enjoyable summer sipping. Like several earlier tastings against several Shiraz' or Syrahs, this has served as a tasting benchmark.  

I've written several times in these pages that this high QPR (quality-price-ratio) negociant label at less than half the price of some of the vineyard designated Napa Syrahs, may be one of our favorite drinking wines in our cellar right now.

Dark inky garnet colored, medium to full bodied, this full throttle Syrah reveals layers of blackberry and black currants fruits with tones of sweet vanilla, caramel and spice with hints of black pepper on a lingering smooth silky tannin finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1742790

http://www.ninetypluscellars.com/wines/lot-101-collectors-series-syrah

Silvercreek Urbana Wine Dine Experience

Silvercreek Urbana Wine Dine Experience

Traveling cross-state we stopped enroute in Champaign/Urbana for a fine dining experience at Silvercreek Restaurant. Their website speaks to their Silvercreek Restaurant 'modern American cuisine' - 'quality interpretations of classic dishes using only the freshest ingredients from local farmers, or right from our own garden'. Their on-line menu featured many enticing selections, so we planned our route accordingly and called for reservations.

The Silvercreek website has only a terse mention of 200 wines on offer but no details so we took a chance on committing to the experience. Readers of this blog know that wine is a major determinant of our dining experience so imagine our delight when we arrived, settled in and were presented with an award worthy extensive wine list. It offers a respectable selection by region, varietal and includes a nice selection of WBTG - wine-by-the-glass, as well as a couple half bottles. Several of our favorite and reliable standby wines were available such as Napa Valley staples Robert Craig, Caymus, Silver Oak, and Seavey. But there was also a selection of French and other regions represented as well. Prices were a bit steep at two times retail which we would consider big city or Chicago prices.

I ordered the roasted duck with balsamic cherry jam, wild mushroom risotto, baby kale and arugula salad, while Linda ordered the Crispy Potato-Crusted Michigan Whitefish with carrots, grilled asparagus, pancetta, wild mushrooms and citrus cream. The offer of half bottles provided the perfect opportunity to select a quality red wine pairing for my entree, while  Linda could get a well matched white pairing for her fish. While convenient and accommodating for casual sipping, WBTG seldom offer premium or more sophisticated selections for a wine-dine pairing.

When asked how things were by the server, I admonished him that the wine was too warm, and the food too cool. The wine was room temperature which detracts from the enjoyment and discrimination of fruits. The food was warm, not hot, which in retrospect on viewing the pictures may be due to the fact they combined cool salad on the same plate as the hot entree, a practice I would avoid for just this reason.

I then ordered the multi-layered chocolate desert - dark chocolate over chocolate mousse over chocolate cake. This also was a great accompaniment to the Chateauneuf-du-Pape we orderd.

While delicious and a great pairing, it wasn't as moist or fresh as it could be, and begged to be served with au-lait or coffee, which inexplicably and regretably always seems to be served as a follow on course!

Domaine de Beaurenard Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2010

As noted above, ordered from 375ml half bottle. I wrote the other day about the imperative of keeping Zinfandel in the cellar for the occasional pairing with BBQ. Another such collection note is to keep Chateauneuf-du-Pape (CDP) for game dishes such as duck, another natural perfect pairing. Duck and CDP are one of my favorite such pairings - the complexity and boldness and forward fruits of CDP with the bold forward flavors of duck and the bright expressive compote accompaniment.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape complexity comes from the fact that it is typically a blend of several grape varietals, as many as thirteen are sanctioned by the Appellation tenants, with bold fruit forward Syrah being one of the more predominant. This Chateauneuf cuvée represents classic terroir and representation from a strong vintage. This is a blend of Grenache (70%) and the rest of equal part Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault.

Dark purple colored, medium full bodied, complex but nicely balanced dark berry and black cherry fruits predominate with a layer of a mix of tones of black olive tapenade, garrigue, tree bark, spice, floral, hints of leather, anise and pepper with nice balance and smooth approachable tannins on the slightly acidic finish. 

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=1225374

So what is garrigue? According to Dr Vinny of Wine Spectator - "Garrigue refers to the low-growing vegetation on the limestone hills of the Mediterranean coast, not the limestone itself. 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." And of course Provence is the doorway to the Rhone River Valley of which Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the standard bearer premier wine region and style of the southern Rhone.

Linda's white fish was nicely prepared and tasty. We ordered the Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc by the glass which complemented nicely.

For desert Linda order the trio of creme-brulee - one of rigorous bold blueberry, one of pronounced orange peel, and one of chocolate. Had we known or internalized the ramekin portion size we would have shared. Regretably, the chocolate selection came with canned spray on creme rather than creme fraiche. Nevertheless they were tasty.

Overall, Silvercreek offered a trendy stylish building setting in the rustic historic building with open rafters, high ceilings, natural oak, and airy well lit window seating. The staff were students, who are still learning the trade and getting settled into the routine but were earnest, sincere and attentive. The overall food and wine experience was very pleasant and good quality, although if they're going to ask big city prices, they need to be slightly more attentive to the details. I suspect that as they get into the school season, they'll catch their stride. We look forward to visiting again.

http://www.couriersilvercreek.com/

Zinfandel for Barbecue and more

Zinfandel for Barbecue, Ribs, and More ...

We always keep a couple of bottles of Zinfandel in the cellar for when we have barbecue (BBQ). They're made for each other ... Neophyte wine drinkers should also venture into Zinfandel as it provides fruit forward, easy, casual sipping and goes well with pizza, pasta, fruits, salads and grilled meats. For the more discriminating Oenophile (a lover or connoisseur of wine), Zinfandel can also offer complex sophisticated drinking as well. And Zinfandels generally provide great QPR - quality to price ratios.

I recently picked up a selection of Zinfandels at auction for such occasions. I was delighted to find selections from Lamborn Family Vineyards, producers of fine Zins as well as notable quality Cabernets. We collect and hold a vertical of several vintages of Lamborn Cabernet which we enjoy on special occasions. Notably, some Lamborn wines are crafted by the legendary winemaker Heidi Barrett.

We visited Lamborn Vineyards high atop Howell Mountain during our Napa Wine Experience in 2008. Mike (w/ Mike left) and Terry Lamborn are wonderful folks whose vineyards are a labor of love, and site for whimsical and fun scuplture artwork too. They're on the back side of the mountain overlooking the Pope Valley, right down the road and across from Outpost and Robert Craig, both also known for great Cab's and Zins. Howell Mountain terroir provides distinctive concentrated spicy fruit in both varietals and is one of our favorite appellations of the seventeen Napa growing areas.

Lamborn Family Vineyards "The Cork Report" Zinfandel 2001

At fourteen years, this is past it's prime drinking window, but still enjoyable. Dark ruby colored, medium full bodied, black berry and raspberry fruits give way to a layer of vanilla accented by earthy spice, oak, and hints of mocha with a firm but approachable tannin acid finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=26073

https://www.lamborn.com/ 

Anniversary and birth year labels highlight celebration dinner

Fun with wine - Anniversary and birth year labels highlight celebration dinner

For a gala family reunion celebration dinner we opened some commemorative Anniversary labels and a special birth year wine for the special occasion.  Sister Jan and her family came in from So-Cal for the family gathering. We celebrated a 35th and 40th anniversary, a milestone 90th birthday, recent birth of grandson Richard Reid, and upcoming marriage of niece Krysta.

For the occasion we opened a selection of Napa Sonoma Cabernets - a magnum of bride-to-be Krista's birth year 1989 Silver Oak, a 35th Anniversary label Keenan Spring Mtn, and Caymus commemorative 40th Anniversary 1 Liter Napa Estate Cabernets.

We held the dinner at Theo's Steakhouse in Highland. DJ and the rest of the Theo's staff did a spectacular job accommodating our BYOB wine, serving our group of fourteen, and the dinner preparations were superb - meeting or exceeding our expectations in every respect.

An unexpected special treat of the evening was the performance of the live entertainment whose repertoire appealed to and was enjoyed by all four generations in our group.

We started the evening with a champagne toast from a white sparkler from the winelist. The featured red wines were a journey and presentation of the contrast of diverse styles, terroir, profiles and vintages of Napa / Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines were a perfect accompaniment to the salad with accent blue cheese, grilled steaks, and chocolate layer cake finale.

Perhaps entering the finale stages of its prime drinking window, the more modest and muted style of the Sonoma Alexander Valley were a sharp contrast to the full throttle big bold expressive '12 Caymus and the more complex Keenan Spring Mountain Cabs.


Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1989 (Magnum)

My cellar records indicate that we hold fifteen different vintages of this label dating back to the eighties so this is a wine we know well and enjoy often.

Continuing a tradition of large format bottles for special family occasions, I pulled and brought this birth year magnum from the cellar. At twenty six years, this was showing its age in the rust brickish color showing on the edges.

Muted upon opening, the expressive signature layers of 'silver' oak emerged and amplified over the course of the evening. The slightly astringent acidic black berry fruit was punctuated by a layer of leather, earthy tobacco leaf and black tea before giving way to the layer of oak that permeated the finish. This was a special bottle that showed its heritage and terroir well.

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=41259

http://www.silveroak.com/



Keenan Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (35th Anniversary Edition Label) 

We visited Keenan Winery high atop Spring Mountain during our Napa Wine Experience 2007.

This was the most complex, balanced and polished of the three wines.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black berry and black raspberry fruits give to way tones of tobacco and a hint of coffee turning to moderate lingering tannins on the finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2070520

http://www.keenanwinery.com




Caymus Vineyards Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (40th Anniversary Label) 

From a special release 1 Liter bottle, by far the most popular wine of the evening was the Caymus '12.

Dark inky purple, full bodied, big brooding ripe tongue coating plum, black and blue berry fruits predominate turning to a layer of mocha chocolate with a hint of cassis on a big finish.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1805868

www.caymusvineyards.com

Sizzling steak and Bordeaux on the Deck

Sizzling steak and Bordeaux on the Deck

For a delightful summer evening dinner on the deck under the bright Blue Moon at friends Beth and Bill's, Bill and I paired a duo of vintage Bordeaux to highlight the grilled steak au poivre dinner with sliced buttered potatoes and green beans with onions.

I had just dropped off a selection of wine at Winebid.com as part of a cellar thinning exercise, including an OWC (original wood case) of Chateau Clerc Milon '95. I pulled two bottles from the case to retain so I had one ready at hand to take as I headed directly over for dinner.

To pair with the Clerc Milon, Bill pulled from the cellar a Chateau Giscours Margaux 1998. This provided not only a perfect pairing with the grilled beef steak, but an interesting contrast in styles reflecting their respective terroir of Pauillac vs Margaux.

Chateau Clerc Milon Pauillac 1995

This second wine of legendary first growth Chateau Mouton Rothschild can rival its regal premier label in top vintages. Showing classic Pauillac terroir character and profile, this may be at its prime at twenty years of age.  Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, complex but nicely balanced slightly subdued black berry and black raspberry fruits accented by tones of black tea, tobacco and truffles with hints of pencil shavings and cassis on a lingering firm, gripping but smooth tannin finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4864








Chateau Giscours Margaux Grand Cru Classe 1998

We enjoyed meeting the producer and tasting Giscours as one of the standouts of recent UGC vintage release tour tastings here in Chicago. This was an interesting study in Bordeaux terroir, a fun comparison against the Pauillac.  Dark ruby colored, medium full bodied, this showed classic Margaux floral violet aromas and flavors punctuating the bright expressive black raspberry and plum tones, showing complex but polished and balanced weight and body, accented by hints of earth and leather, turning to a lingering tongue coating powder dry soft silky tannin layer that filled the mouth with a berry-floral tone that lingered for minutes on the finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=30802

 

Pope Valley Winery Merlot Johnny Pepperoni Hoboken

Pope Valley Winery Merlot and Saved Red at Johnny Pepperoni Hoboken Dinner

Visiting son Alec in Hoboken, we picked up these two wines at Hoboken's SparroWine Shop and took them BYOB to Johnny Pepperoni neighborhood Italian Restaurant. Great value in the wine selection and the dinner for fresh pastas with fresh ingredients.

There were many tempting choices but I chose the Sicilian Baked Cavatappi & Cheese with sweet sausage, cherry tomatoes, garlic and parmiagana with seasoned homemade breadcrumbs. This  was a great pairing with the robust fruit filled flavorful wines, albeit a bit spicy that detracted from the wine slightly, but was mighty tasty in any event, and a good value dinner. I was tempted to try to blackened Flounder and thought about it the rest of the week. I'll opt for the fish of the day next time and prepare accordingly with a suitable wine.

Pope Valley Winery Eakle Ranch Merlot 2010
 

I remember visiting Lamborn Family Vineyards high atop Howell Mountain in northeast Napa Valley and looking over the crest of the hill to the east down at Pope Valley.

This Pope Valley Bordeaux varietal has great QPR in this moderate priced Merlot - dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black raspberry, black cherry and currant fruits with tones of tobacco and hints of spicy clove with dry firm earthy tannins on the moderate finish. 

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1763203 

http://www.popevalleywinery.com/

Saved Red Wine 2011

This is the work of Clay Brock who grew up in Napa Valley where his dad managed vineyards. He has worked in the wine industry since 1985. His day job is Director of Winemaking at Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards since 2008.After Clay graduated from Cal Poly he worked in winemaking at Edna Valley Vineyards, Bryon Vineyards in Santa Maria and Zaca Mesa for seven years prior to joining Wild Horse.

This wine is a collaboration between Clay and Scott Campbell, Tattoo artist of Saved Tattoo shop in San Francisco. He was born in New Orleans in 1977 and grew up in a rural fishing village on the Mississippi delta. He traveled the globe seeking inspiration for his art before settling in San Francisco.

From the winery: "SAVED is a unique collaboration between two artists who come together to share in each other's craft. Scott Campbell is a contemporary artist, inspired by the enduring symbolism that wine brings to our tables. Clay Brock is a second-generation winemaker who excels at crafting Californian varietal wine blends. Named after Scott's acclaimed SAVED tattoo studio in Brooklyn NY, the name SAVED represents the freedom and sanctuary you get by committing fully to your passions. Scott finds freedom in art. For Clay, it is wine. Scott's label artwork embodies the symbolism of the life stories that are so often shared over a bottle of wine. SAVED Red Wine is a robust, powerful wine with a big personality and a generous finish. It is big, bold and rich, with pedigree sourcing from California's finest regions. An eclectic blend of grapes deliver rich color and full-bodied flavors: red currant, black cherry and black olive. Soft tannins balance well with distinct oak flavors - French oak for vanilla and coconut; American oak for caramel, créme brûlée and coffee." 

This wine sold for $20 in Hoboken, marked down from $30. It seems more appropriately priced at the SF Bay Area pricepoint of $18, especially compared to the Pope Merlot at $25.

A bit flabby and disjointed but a good wine for pairing with pizza and pasta - dark purple/garnet, medium bodied, black berry and black raspberry fruits offset by tobacco and tea flavors and a layer of graphite with moderate tannins on the finish. 

RM 86 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1697746

http://www.savedwines.com/ 

http://www.johnnypepperoni.com/

http://www.sparrowine.com/

Eddie V's Chicago wine dine experience

Eddie V's Chicago for a perfect wine and dine experience -
Steak and seafood dinner with Napa Valley Pride Cabernet and Far Niente Chardonnay

For a gala Saturday evening dinner outing in Chicago we dined at Eddie V's Primehouse for steaks and seafood. I brought a Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet BYOB and we ordered Far Niente Napa Valley Chardonnay from the wine list.

The wine and food pairings were perfect for a memorable wine and dine experience. We chose Eddie V's due to their menu selections, the extensive wine list with reasonable pricing, and their accommodating corkage policy.

Dr Dan and I both ordered the Prime Filet of Beef with Foie Gras and Madera sauce. This was a perfect pairing with Pride Mountain Vineyard Cabernet 1995 that I brought BYOB from our cellar.

Readers of this column know we do a lot of steak and red wine pairings. This pairing was incredible. Never have I experienced a more delectable serving preparation and wine pairing.

Pride Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1995

Consistent with earlier tasting note. This was a perfect complement / pairing with the filet of beef with foie gras and Madeira sauce. Dark, full bodied, firm, initially closed and tight - decanted and set aside, after an hour and half it started to open up to reveal full complex dark blackberry and black currant fruits accented by anise, with hints of spice, dusty cedar, and a subtle dark mocha on the full firm lingering tannin finish.

RM 91 points. 

http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=6236

 For the salads and seafood selections, we ordered the Far Niente Napa Valley Chardonnay 2013 which went superbly with the selection of oysters, the Tuna Tartare, and the incredible Parmesan Crusted North Atlantic Lemon Sole entree topped with baby heirloom tomato salad with white balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The tuna steak tartare was served with mango and avocado salad and was equally spectacular.

Far Niente Napa Valley Chardonnay 2013

The food and wine experience were highlighted with superb service, a comfortable stylish cosmopolitan setting for a memorable dining experience. I could not speak more highly of the event and can't wait to visit again, and often.

Medium bodied, straw colored, this wine was nicely balanced and approachable, silky smooth with just the right amount of delicate citrus accented by pear, honeydew melon, flint and toasted almonds or a touch of vanilla. Nice refreshing acidity turning to a juicy refreshing finish of subtle layered toasted oak.

RM 91 points.

 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1938841

https://www.eddiev.com/

Diamond Creek Birth Year Tribute Tasting - 1984

Diamond Creek Birth Year Tribute Tasting - 1984

To celebrate the wedding of Drew and Alyssa, father of the groom, Bill obtained and served birth year 1984 vintage Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon in large format Magnums with the reception dinner. Bill obtained these special bottles from auction over the years and had been holding them in his cellar for the occasion. I dutifully offered to serve as sommelier for Bill so he and Beth could focus on parents-of-the- groom duties. I removed the foils and used an 'ahso' two pronge cork puller in the event the aged corks were dry or deteriorated. The fill levels were appropriate and the corks came out in great condition - firm and moist.

We visited Diamond Creek Vineyards during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2008 with Bill and Beth on Diamond Mountain above Calistoga. The spectacular tasting in the Estate tasting room overlooking the vineyards which are all co-located there on the property within view was one of the highlights of our trip.  

Shown above is our tasting at Diamond Creek and below, the view overlooking Diamond Creek Vineyards, Red Rock Terrace in the foreground, Volcanic Hill opposite, and Gravelly Meadow to the left.

Both wines were dark garnet colored and medium bodied. Recall back in the era, the early days of Robert Parker, when wines were more true to their terrior and production was more fundamentally basic, not highly extracted, in your face fruit forward fruit bombs that are deep but narrow.

Parker liked that style and through this review ratings reflecting his preference, introduced the era of such fruit forward obtuse wines,  full bodied, tongue coating, highly expressive, rich, chewy, berry fruit wines. Along with the high fruit richness comes higher alcohol content - 14+, even 15%. Compare that to these wines at 12 1/2 percent alcohol.

Prior to these influences of the Parker effect, as measured in high Parker Ratings, things were simpler, more 'shallow', less pronounced wines. These are a bellweather benchmark wines of that era. Expressive, complex, but not in its richness and deepness, but in its complexity of subtle nuances of fruits and defining and complementary tones. To that end, both wines were 12 1/2 percent alcohol, quite modest by today's standards. Their flavors and profile are more subtle, but no less interesting or enjoyable.

Diamond Creek Napa Valley Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon 1984
 
Bill's review from Cellartracker -

Opened beautifully, demonstrating the Left bank Bordeaux style expected from Diamond Creek. Perfumey nose like a Margaux. Medium garnet I the glass. Complex layers of leather, tobacco box, earthiness and dark fruit. An interesting contrast to the 84 Volcanic Hill served side by side at #2 son's wedding. Two Diamond Creek magnums from his birth year. The '84's continue to impress.

WCC 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=21329

Diamond Creek Napa Valley Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 1984

Bill's review from Cellartracker - Showing its age but still some interest left. Color was a medium ruby with some signs of bricking. Opened rather one dimensional. Still a bit of fruit left but no noticeable tannins. After 90 minutes or more, this began to open to reveal more of a Bordeaux style with notes of leather, tobacco and minerality. A reminder that with these older wines need to be tasted frequently through an evening as they evolve. Still a wonderful opportunity to celebrate #2 sons wedding with a premier wine from his birth year.

WCC 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=21330

http://diamondcreekvineyards.com/

Taken Wine Company Taken Red Wine 2011

Taken Wine Company Taken Napa Valley Red Wine 2011

I discovered and tasted this label while out east this Spring when I had the 2012 vintage a couple times. I did not expect to find this limited release label in the Chicago market and was delighted to find it today at the local mass merchant so I picked up seven bottles.

While the 2011 release doesn't measure up to the 2012, it is still a nice drinking wine and is a great value at this price point. Not as polished, full, concentrated or balanced as the '12. Its not the '11 is bad, that's how good the '12 is.

This was a great complement to hearty bar-b-cue ribs.

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium bodied,  a bit flabby, tangy tongue coating slightly tart cherry and plum fruits, offset by a layer of dusty leather and spice with moderate subtle tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1810926

www.takenwine.com

Deep Sea White Hawk Vineyard Santa Barbara Syrah 2008

Deep Sea White Hawk Vineyard Santa Barbara Syrah 2008

Great tasty hearty wine for movie night at home, settled in with cheese plate, fresh fruits, french bread and some wine. 

I chronicled my discovery of this wine and what I learned about this producer and label in an earlier blog post.

Consistent with earlier notes. Dark inky purple, full bodied, thick, concentrated, chewy black and blue berry fruits with a layer of alcohol, tones of caramel and vanilla, turning to hints of black pepper and mint on a moderate tannin laced lingering finish.

In its seventh year, its not as balanced and polished as it was earlier hence losing a point, but still tasty and pleasant every day sipping, indeed. And with a good QPR.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1201424

http://www.deepseawines.com/

Uriah Spring Valley Red Blend 2002

Uriah Spring Valley Vineyard Walla Walla Red Blend 2002

For an impromptu dinner to watch the US Woman defeat Germany in the WC semi, Linda pulled together left over strip steak, potatoes and green beans from the other night.   I pulled from the cellar the oldest vintage of this Walla Walla Valley Red (Bordeaux) Blend of which we hold a half dozen vintages.

I wrote about this producer and label in an earlier blogpost.

At thirteen years this is starting to show its age and is nearing the end of its prime drinking window as the fruit is starting to lose its bright vibrancy and take on a more intense raisiny tone, which Linda actually likes.

Dark ruby red color, medium bodied, moderately complex, rather intense blackberry, black cherry with a layer of leather, tobacco and spice turning to full but approachable firm tannins and well balanced acidity on the lingering finish.
Blend is Merlot 65%, Cabernet Franc 30% and Petit Verdot 5%.

RM 89 points, reduced a point from earlier review.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=71705

Big Cab Napa/Sonoma Trio Key Surf & Turf Dinner

Big Cab Napa/Sonoma Trio Key Surf & Turf Dinner

For an end of week Friday night surf & turf dinner, Linda prepared Sockeye Salmon and NY Strip steaks accented by rice pilaf, bacon wrapped green beans and baked potatoes and Beth brought a dinner salad. I pulled two 1995 Napa Valley Cabernets and Bill brought a Sonoma Reserve Cab to round out the big red flight.

The mini horizontal tasting staged Snowden and Pride Mountain Napa Valley Cabernets alongside a Chateau St Jean Reserve Sonoma Cabernet from Bill's cellar. We have visited each of these producer's over the years during our Napa/Sonoma Wine Experiences.

We were joined by son Ryan who snuck out of the to come over for an impromptu tasting.

We met with Scott Snowden as a featured producer at a dinner we hosted at Brix in St Helena back shortly after they were 'outed' by Wine Spectator Magazine in their feature 'An Undiscovered Dozen' about several emerging hot producers of Napa Cabs. Over the ensuing years, we met with and acquired each of the twelve labels of which we still hold many yet today. We hold a half dozen vintages of each of these labels opened tonight. They seem to be aging the same following the same aging profile.

After dinner fresh baked dark chocolate brownies with fresh berries and Beth's chocolate and crunchy butter toffee highlighted the red wines as much as the beef and pre-dinner artisan cheeses.

With the Salmon course we tasted:

Fritz Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2008.

Butter colored, medium bodied, slightly tart on opening with layer of acidity, tone of green apple, tropical fruits, hints of lemon and nutty almond.

We tasted this a month ago when the tartness and acidity conflicted with lobster tail and lemon, but tonight it complimented the sockeye salmon nicely.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=772492



Snowden Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1995

We still hold more than a half dozen vintages of this label from their early days through their first decade, and including some recent releases as well. 

Surprisingly, this was the most expressive of the three wines tasted tonight. There seemed to be a role reversal between the Snowden and the Pride from what I would have expected. Our tasting experience of the Snowden this night was consistent with my tasting notes of the previous tastings back in 2005 and 2007. 

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, aromatic black berry and black cherry fruits accented by tones of earthy leather, graphite, tea and herbs turning to anise on the lingering tannin laced finish.

Tonight, the Snowden had the same profile as before except that after a couple hours it opened to reveal a sweet Bing Cherry tone that lingered through the evening. The next day, this returned to black fruits with smokey black tea and anise the following day, with a slight mustiness set in, and it seemed to lose its balance and come across a bit flabby while maintaining its firm backbone .

RM 91 points. WS gave it 93 back on release.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=322981


Pride Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1995 

We visited the winery high up at the top of Spring Mountain and acquired this wine back during our Napa Wine Experience 1999 and again in 2003. We also most recently featured this wine at our 95 Horizontal Cab tasting two years ago. Tonight's tasting experience of the Pride fit my tasting notes of the previous tasting back in 2013.

While my inventory says this is my last bottle, I found a mixed case with four more up on the top rack of the cellar. Nice discovery since this is aging well and promises to hold on for a few more years. 

Dark, full bodied, firm, initially closed and tight - decanted and set aside, after an hour and half it started to open up to reveal full complex dark blackberry and black currant fruits accented by anise, with hints of spice, dusty cedar, and a subtle dark mocha on the full firm lingering tannin finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=6236


Chateau St Jean Sonoma County Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

We visited the elegant Chateau and Estate in Sonoma Valley with Bill and Beth during our Napa Sonoma Wine Experience back in 2009 when we tasted and Bill acquired this label. Chateau St Jean is one of the classiest producers and wineries in Sonoma Valley with its expansive grounds of stylish gardens and old world style Chateau and accompanying buildings - one of the most picturesque and authentic old world style sites in the region. Its one of our favorite producers in Sonoma that we've visited on numerous occasions including that visit.

This was dark garnet colored with medium body. It was the most polished and smoothest of the three wines, partly due to the Sonoma Cabernets being a bit softer and perhaps also because this is a Reserve blend rather than a firmer narrower Napa Cab, and as such had less backbone and structure than the other two wines but was more complex. Dark berry fruits and predominated with tones of black berry, black raspberry and touch of black cherry turning to tones of subtle mocha, hints of leather and cedar, and smooth soft tannins on the moderate finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=659625

Good Grief.

Linda noted this the next morning as she unloaded the dish washer. Even for a seemingly simple tasting, five of us and four wines tasted .... we still managed to use a large selection of wine glasses, and this doesn't count or show the water glasses!

Jonata Todo Santa Ynez Red Wine 2010

Jonata Todo Santa Ynez Red Wine 2010

Celebrating birth of son Ryan's son Reid, on the day he came home from the hospital, we stopped in to see the new grandson and Ryan opened this Jonata special sipper for the occasion.

This is my first tasting of this producer. I see their labels at the wine shop for $90 plus so they must be making some good juice to justify such price points. Jonata were established as a 'cousin' winery to Napa’s ultra-premium cult classic Screaming Eagle. They released their first vintage in 2004. Robert Parker called them “one of California’s most exciting new wineries” in a review and the lid was blown off.

According to their website, they call this their 'Everything Blend', and when you see the composition you see why. The winemaker's notes say the 2011 blend is 75% Syrah, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Grenache, 4% Sangiovese, 2% Viognier, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Merlot. Wine reviewer Antonio Galloni says this 2010 release is "78% Syrah, 8% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, plus a dollop of another half-dozen or so grapes."

Only Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the southern Rhone Valley sanctions such a diverse and extensive set of varietals in the mix with thirteen different varietals authorized. But this complex and diverse blend of varietals transcends both Bordeaux regional varietals in addition to those from the Rhone appellation. I often say that since the French have been doing this for over five hundred years, so they've pretty well figured out and refined, if not perfected the right combinations of grapes that are optimal for their terroir of their regions.

It seems Jonata need to figure out what this wine is supposed to be. We're big Syrah drinkers, probably the third most popular varietal in our cellar, but I had a hard time characterizing this blend. Perhaps it needs time to settle. It seems this wine may be a bit over-the-top with all these nuances in the blend. Drinking mostly Aussie Shiraz' or Syrah's we're accustomed to less complexity, more single dimensional with forward fruit sweetness.

Dark blackish garnet colored, full bodied, complex, concentrated forward black raspberry and blackberry fruits accented with layers of berry fruits with tones of dark chocolate and what the winemaker aptly calls 'charred steak, and a hint of jasmine from the Viognier'. I get the charred steak, I don't know what to make of the jasmine ... I might cal ll it a floral tone before turning to the creosote like cracked peppar on the tannin finish. It definitely calls for some bold cheese or better, bar-b-que to offset the boldness and the acidity. Perhaps it will settle with more time and find itself to reveal its true character ... find it what it wants to be when it grows up!  Can't wait to try this again in five and ten years.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1456272