Hidden Ridge 55 % Slope Sonoma Cabernet

Hidden Ridge 55 Degree Slope Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 

I pulled this from the cellar to have with pizza, and wow, what a combination. This wine was bigger, bolder, brighter and more expressive than I remember from earlier tastings - a great pairing with zesty pizza!

This is from Hidden Ridge Vineyards which is located in rugged mountainside terrain, as the name indicates, between Mount Hood and Diamond Mountain in the Mayacamas mountain range that separates Napa Valley to the east and Sonoma Valley to the west. 

Hidden Ridge Vineyard was founded by the husband and wife team Lynn Hofacket and Casidy Ward who bought the property back in 1991.  The location is so remote that you can only access it by four wheel drive, by foot or by helicopter. Lynn spent six years terracing the 55 acres and planting the vineyard while taking courses on viticulture at Santa Rosa University.

The estates vineyards fall between the range's 'saddles' creating some of the most dramatic vineyard sites on the Sonoma side of the summit crest of the mountain. It lies near the mountaintop estates of Pride , which actually straddles the summit therefore lying in both Sonoma and Napa, and Paloma Vineyards, near Pride on the Napa side, high atop Spring Mountain. The vineyard sits at elevations of 900 – 1700 feet, making it among the highest elevation vineyards in either Napa or Sonoma.

The terraced vines are on a steep mountainside in a valley with eastern, southern and northern exposures and the typical decomposed granite and alluvium soils of the Mayacamas Mountains. The vineyard site experiences cool mornings and evenings and moderate temperatures during the day that allow the fruit to hang for a long time without over-ripening.   The soils and the steep slope contribute to the vineyard’s drainage and to the tannic structure of the fruit, giving it a big, brawny structure that mountain vineyards are known for.

Hidden Ridge Vineyards is comprised of 55 acres, with approximately 46 acres in Cabernet, 1 acre in Petite Verdot and 1 acre in Chardonnay. The Cabernet planted in in 21 different blocks.

The winemakers for this release were Marco Di Giulio, consulting winemaker to several leading Napa labels, and of his own label of which we hold several vintages in our cellar from 2001 through 2004, and Timothy Milos. 

Lynn and Casidy hired Timothy Milos as consulting winemaker. Timothy grew up in the Bay Area and did undergraduate studies in Cell Biology at U.C. Berkley and Sonoma State University, then earned a graduate degree in Plant Pathology at Cornell University. He studied winemaking at the UC Davis Masters Program. He worked at wineries in New York’s Finger Lakes district before returning home to California where he did stints at such notable producers Opus One, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Cliff Lede.

"That's some good grape dirt up there," Oklahoma native and owner Lynn Hofacket points out eyeing his property. Adds winemaker Marco Di Giulio, "A vineyard so steep, so well developed, so interesting in its planning scheme and with so much vision behind it that I could not help but be blown away. I bring my other winemaker friends out there because I like to see the awed expressions on their faces. Yeah, it's really that amazing."

I first discovered this wine at Morton's Steakhouse in Crystal City, Arlington, near Washington DC where it was available by bottle or by the glass. During the ensuing years we enjoyed the 05, 06 , 07 and then this '09 vintages there. We also picked up the '05 at BRIX in Napa and tasted at dinner during our Mt Veeder appellation trip in the Napa and Sonoma Mt Veeder area. 

Hidden Ridge has since been taken over by new owners Timothy Martin and Randy Nichols. Timothy Milos continues as winemaker. 

Timothy Martin spent two accomplished decades in restaurant and hospitality management, then worked with legendary producer Robin Lail, and her wine project, Lail Vineyards. He worked there helping establish the Lail brand for ten years, then launched Gauge Branding, a marketing company in 2004 with partner Mark Wiegard.

In 2008, he began a joint venture, Tusk Estates, with his friends Michael Uytengsu and Philippe Melka with a goal to create the next great luxury wine brand.

Partner Randy Nichols traveled to the Napa & Sonoma valleys for 30 years before discovering Immortal Estate. Founder of the Nichols Partnership, he specialized in commercial and multi-family real estate. 

Hidden Ridge was rebranded into Immortal Estate and produces ultra-premium highly allocated labels "Slope" and "Impassable Mountain".

In 2014, Wine Spectator rated this 2009 “55% Slope” #32 of the Top 100 Wines of the year.

The 2012 “Impassable Mountain Reserve” achieved a 97 points from Robert Parker and in March 2016, received a perfect score of 100 points by Robert Parker. The 2013 sells on the website to members only for $375.

Hidden Ridge 55 Degree Slope Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 

Winemaker notes: "Dark and brooding, the bouquet offers intense huckleberry, red cassis and black tea aromas, laced with hibiscus flower and brown sugar. The palate is firm initially, but with aeration opens up to give layers of dense cocoa, sweet spice, ripe black fruit, and iodine, with touches of violet. The finish completes with a coda of hibiscus, sweet huckleberry, smoky tea, and cocoa tannins."

This vintage release was awarded 94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points by Wine Spectator and was #32 on the Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2014, and 91 by Wine Enthusiast.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate said "this stunning 2009 is one of the finest Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignons ever produced. Drink it over the next 15+ years." 

Wine Enthusiast said, "Give it until at least 2017." Wine Spectator said, "Drink now through 2024."

My previous tasting of this label were in 2014 and before that, my review and blogpost in 2019 and I must say, tonight this blew me away, exceeding expectations set by those earlier tastings. This appears to be just hitting its stride at fourteen years and is the best I've had from this producer to date.

The label, foil level and most importantly, the fill level and cork were all perfect.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, deep, rich, intense, concentrated expressive blackberry, black raspberry and black cherry fruits with notes of licorice, dark mocha chocolate, tobacco, cedar, hints of charcoal, truffles, and graphite with firm, structured but approachable tannins and nicely balance acidity on a long firm polished finish. 

RM 93

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1768006

There were 3,385 cases produced and thankfully we have several more bottles to enjoy over several years ahead of this vintage plus several other vintages dating back to the 2004. 

 

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/04/hidden-ridge-55-degree-slope-cabernet.html

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2014/04/hidden-ridge-55-degree-slope-cabernet.html

Hidden Ridge is now - 

https://www.immortalestate.com

Team Dinner and Go-to CasalFerro Wines at Italian Village Chicago

Team Dinner and Go-to CasalFerro Wines at Italian Village Chicago

With my tech leadership team in town for a week closing out the year, and final planning for the year ahead and the next chapter in our strategic plan, we dined at our usual go-to eatery and enjoyed some of our favored go-to wines with dinner. 

Tonight was a repeat of several earlier such team dinners we've had at Italian Village.  I last wrote about this wine in a blogpost, Team dinner at Italian Village Chicago in November last year.

Team working dinner at Italian Village Chicago features Super Tuscan and Bolgheri Chianti Classico

I wrote then about my 'SPO' - Strategy, Products and Operations leadership team continues their planning sessions in the Chicago home office and gathered for another working dinner at nearby  Italian Village, Chicago. 

 

I've written in previous blogposts about our wine and dinners, about Italian Village, Chicago's oldest, longest running continuously family operated Italian restaurant in Chicago. 

 

As is our custom, tonight, we dined in one of the private tables/rooms in the Village, one of the three restaurants on the premises, a perfect setting for an intimate or business dinner.
 

Part of this ritual is hooking up with friend and wine-buddy IV Wine Director and buddy Jared Gelband and Gerry Castillo, IV Vivere restaurant 'floor manager', who has become our 'designated' server when we come in, all shown together below. 

 

From producer dinner, wine buddy Dr Dan,
Gerry, me and Jared.

With dinner, tonight I selected these two wines from the winelist, from the same producer, Baron Ricasoli, composed of the same varietal and vineyard sources.
 
This is a label I know well and have collected over the years, one of the small selection of Italians in my cellar collection, which tends to be French and American.

When I picked these two wines from the extensive, vast Italian Village winelist, I didn't realize we've enjoyed each of them before, but never together in a mini-vertical comparison tasting. I don't think I had realized the 'vertical' aspects of the two labels, being the varietal from the common  estate sources.

Jared shared with us how he visited the Baron Ricasoli estate and staying in the magnificent Brolio Castle located within the town of Gaiole during his last wine country producer tour, He talked about meeting the proprietors who represented the 32nd generation of the family to manage the estate, and and explained how the similarity between the two labels and how they used to blend Merlot in this earlier release. 

The 2000 vintage release was classic Chianti Classico native Sangiovese accented with a bit of Merlot, which has since been dropped in later releases to focus on and showcase the estate Merlot, as in the other label below.

Barone Ricasoli Casalferro (Sangiovese) Toscana IGT 2000

We also had this label back in the early 2020 which I featured in a blogpost Ricasoli CasalFerro & Livio Fellugo Saso, at the time.  

 

This 2000 vintage release is a blend of 75% Sangiovese and 25% Merlot. It was aged in small french oak barrels for 18 months which along with the Merlot in the blend, softens the tannins. 

 

The grapes were sourced from estate vineyards set 350 – 400 meters above sea level, mainly from the vineyard of the same name with southwest exposure, with a predominance of calcareous sandstone and Alberese stone.

Today production of this label is 135,000 bottles in a prodigious vintage year.

Wine Spectator awarded this vintage release 90 points.

At twenty-one years, this was starting to show its age and is reaching the end of its drinking window. The fill level, foil and cork (shown left) were ideal for the age. 

While past its prime, this wine was an ideal pairing with our entree selections, my Butternut Squash with Fig puree and mushrooms, the Filet of Beef, and the Lamb Chops, a new Italian Village Chef Jose Specialty.

While this was initially a bit funky with some barnyard earthiness which burned off after decanting and aerating back and forth three times, it was better than our previous tasting, due likely to bottle variation over two decades of aging. 

This was dark garnet colored with a bit of browning on the rim, medium full bodied, powerful full and forward black fruits are starting to give way to notes of cedar, black tea, olive tapenade, leather and hints of creosote on the deep, full, lingering tannic finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=17527

https://www.ricasoli.com/en/product/casalferro-2000/ 

@ricasoli_1141

We lasted tasted this other wine during a similar team dinner back in the fall of last year when I wrote about Italian Village Wine & Dine Chicago.

Tonight, members of our group selected for our entrees the beefsteak, the lamb chops, and I chose the butternut squash with fig puree and mushrooms - all perfectly complemented by the combination of these two wines.  

Baron Ricasoli Cassalferro Castello di Brolio 2015

Ricasoli is the most representative wine producer in the Chianti Classico area Italian wine region. The estate covers the 1,200 hectares of property include almost 240 hectares of vineyards and 26 of olive groves covering rolling hills and picturesque valleys with thick woodlands of oaks and chestnuts.

Since taking over in 1993, Baron Francesco Ricasoli has been guiding this central Tuscan company according to the principles of his renowned ancestors, producing wines that showcase the distinctive terroir of the soil types, the climate and clonal selections of the Brolio Sangiovese. He has also totally renovated and completely mapped the vineyards.

This label, Casalferro,  was  first  produced  in  1993  when  Francesco  Ricasoli  became  president  of  the company. This is 100% Merlot produced only during the best years. Casalferro is sourced from the vineyard  of  the  same  name  located  at  400  meters  above  sea  level  and  facing  south.  

The  brown  clay  loam  soil  with  little  organic  content  contributes  to  the  exclusive  personality  of  this  great Chianti Merlot.

This release was awarded 95 points by James Suckling, 93 points by Wine Spectator, and 92 points by Robert Parker Wine Advocate.  

Bright Ruby colored, medium bodied, expressive black berry and black cherry fruits with tones of leather, anise licorice and dark cocoa and herbs, medium plus acidity and medium plus tannins on a long finish. I agree with one review that wrote that this tastes more like a Sangiovese than a Merlot from the New World, or the Right Bank.

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2869770

https://www.ricasoli.com/en/product/casalferro-2015/

https://twitter.com/ricasoli_1141 

@ricasoli_1141

https://italianvillage-chicago.com/

https://twitter.com/italianvlg

@italianvlg

https://twitter.com/jzgwine

@jzgwine

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

For midweek dinner in, we selected this legendary Napa Valley Cabernet from the cellar. 

This follows a recent blogpost about Mayacamas when we selected a Mayacamas Chardonnay for a similar setting, midweek dinner in. In a replay of highlights from that blogpost I wrote:

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. 

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.

Mayacamas has been on a roll with their estate Cabernet Sauvignon with the 2015 vintage having been awarded #2 on Wine Spectators Top 100 wines in 2019 with a 96 point score. The 2018 vintage was awarded 98 points by Vinous and 97 points by Wine Spectator.

 

Mayacamas Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 

 

My Cellartracker records and my blogpost from that Mayacamas Vineyards and Winery visit from that time indicate we tasted and purchase this wine at the winery during that visit back in 2011. 

Cellartracker - purchased from Winery on 3/7/2011, delivered 3/25/2011.

At that time I gave it 91 points.

Winemaker's Comments: Deep, brooding blackberry and black cherry aromas, along with a sage-like dimension, on the nose.  The acidity on the tongue balances the surprisingly supple tannins.  Red currants and plums on the palate finish very long.  Will age gracefully for many years. 

 

This is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Merlot.

This release was awarded 96 points by Vinous and 94 points by Decanter.

At seventeen years, this is likely at the apex of its drinking and not to improve further with additional aging, nor does it show any signs whatsoever from aging. 

 

In 2018 AG at Vinous wrote that "Readers lucky enough to own the 2005 can look forward to several decades of exceptional drinking from this powerhouse, old school Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon."

 

Wine buddy and fellow Pour Boy and Cellartracker Bill C was with us when we visited the estate and also wrote about this wine recently last summer. He wrote:  "Wow! Great depth and complexity. Deep garnet color with no signs of aging. Nose of cassis and graphite. Blueberry, plum and cassis on the front palate with layers of green pepper, mint and tobacco on the mid palate. Big and full bodied with ample tannins yet. Layered and complex.  Tannin and savory notes were most prevalent upon first tasting. Fruit took front stage at about 90 minutes. Tannins became more sedate at 2 hours and the balance, elegance and layers revealed themselves at about 2 and a half hours. A real treat." He gave it 94 points.

 

Regarding the bottle from our cellar, the fill level, foil and label, and importantly, the cork were all in ideal condition. 

 

Upon opening it exhibited some funkiness but that dissipated over the course of about an hour after opening. It should be decanted as it had a fair amount of sediment in the bottle.

 

Bright garnet colored, medium full bodied, rustic rich round concentrated intense black berry and plum fruits with notes of earth, leather, smoke, licorice and tobacco on a lingering moderate tannin finish.

 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1279446

http://www.mayacamas.com/

https://twitter.com/mayacamaswine

@mayacamaswine 

Language of Yes En Passerillage Rancho Real Grenache

The Language of Yes En Passerillage Santa Maria Valley Rancho Real Grenache 2020 

We recently picked up two  oddly named "Language of Yes" red wines based on Rhône varietals, a Syrah and this Grenache, grown in the Rancho Réal Vineyard in the California Central Coast Santa Maria Valley.

This is a postlude to the recent posting where I wrote in detail about Randall Grahm's project and his Language of Yes En Passerillage Rancho Real Santa Maria Valley Syrah.

I detailed in that post how Randall Grahm gained notoriety with Bonny Doon Vineyard, where he had a long history of innovation and grew some popular brands - Big House, Cardinal Zin and Pacific Rim, to become the 28th largest winery in the United States. He was perhaps the first to truly popularize Rhône grapes in California, he realized he could have success creating distinctive and original wines working with Rhône varieties in the Central Coast of California.

In this project, winemaker Randall Grahm applies old world techniques, such as the practice of passerillage, or post-harvest drying of the grapes before crushing. In the cool Rancho Réal Vineyard, they place the grapes on paper raisin trees in the shade of the vine itself. This practice allows for a slight dehydration and concentration of the grapes, and, as significantly, a maturation of the stems of the bunches. The result is the stems are an excellent source of tannin, supporting the overall structure of the wine. The inclusion of the whole clusters allows for a slow release of grape sugar into the fermenting must, improving the fermentation, thus creating a slower and controlled process. "Clean", less stressed fermentation complements the process in what is called "reductive élevage," central to the style of The Language of Yes.

We tried the Syrah and found it interesting but not highly inspiring. Normally, we favor Syrah over Grenache from the popular Rhône varietals, but in this case, the Grenache won out over the Syrah. 

The Language of Yes En Passerillage Santa Maria Valley Rancho Real Vineyard Grenache 2020

This was more elegant, structured and complex than its sister wine, the companion Syrah from the same source and produced in the same method, that we tasted the other night. 

Contrary to widely held beliefs, Grenache is a grape capable of elegance and complexity that can be held for for many years. This release is a testament to the art of the possible for the varietal often overshadowed by the popular Syrah. 

Indeed, Grenache is one of the big three most popular and designated grapes required to be in the blend and comprise at least 70% of the legendary Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rhone blends, along with Syrah and Mourvedre. The trio is often blended together to form what is popularly known and marketed as a "G-S-M", Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. This release is 100% Grenache.

This release was awarded 94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and James Suckling, and 93 points by Wine Enthusiast, 17.5+/20 points by Jancis Robinson.

Winemaker's Notes for this release: "The simultaneous release adopted the extremely non-standard practice of air-drying the grapes post-harvest. Our first vintage from the Rancho Réal vineyard is an experiment in phenolic extraction and a realization of our intent to not slavishly replicate the wines of Southern France, but rather to seek to find and amplify the unique characteristics of our climats and terroirs in the Central Coast of California."

Opaque pale ruby colored with slight browning, medium bodied,rather elegant and nicely balanced, bright tangy layers of strawberry, raspberry and notes of rhubarb, dusty rose, clove, spice and sandalwood with bright acidity and moderate tannins on the lingering finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4134795

https://www.languageofyeswine.com/

https://twitter.com/RandallGrahm

Language of Yes En Passerillage Rancho Real Santa Maria Valley Syrah

The Language of Yes En Passerillage Rancho Real Santa Maria Valley Syrah 

Linda took a friend out to lunch and brought me a take out entree of polenta and veal meatballs from Gia Mia in Naperville. I paired it with this just discovered, interesting Rhône varietal blend. This odd named wine is from legendary winemaker Randall Grahm and Joe C. Gallo, founder of Maze Row Wine Merchant, who owns the vineyards. They work together in a collaboration to leverage Randall's pioneering work pursuing his obsession with terroir-driven wines, uncommon varietals, and the Central Coast of California.

We traveled through the through the Santa Maria Valley and the Foxen Canyon wine trail and Santa Ynez Valley during our Santa Barbara County Wine Experience in May of this year. lead us to Zaca Mesa Winery and Vineyards. I wrote about it as part of my posting on our Zaca Mesa Winery and Vineyards Visit, and several others.

Randall Grahm gained notoriety with Bonny Doon Vineyard, where he had a long history of innovation and grew some popular brands - Big House, Cardinal Zin and Pacific Rim, to become the 28th largest winery in the United States. He was perhaps the first to truly popularize Rhône grapes in California,

He learned that in a warm, Mediterranean climate, it was blended wines that were most successful. In 1986 Bonny Doon Vineyard released the inaugural vintage (1984) of Le Cigare Volant, an homage to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which continues as the winery’s flagship/starship brand.

Randall Grahm realized he could have success creating distinctive and original wines working with Rhône varieties in the Central Coast of California. This project is from the Santa Maria Valley which is one of the coolest sites in California where Syrah can be successfully grown, which enjoys perhaps the longest growing season, two important factors contributing to the development of the peppery aroma in wine in the Rhône varietal. 

The name “The Language of Yes” is derived from 'La Langue d'Oc', the term that medieval folk of southern France and adjacent environs , a precursor of modern Provençal, used to describe who they were by how they spoke (differentiating themselves from “La langue d’oil” spoken by their northern neighbors.

Following the established tradition reminiscent of the wines of St. Joseph and Côte-Rôtie, notable wine appellations in the Northern Rhone, he co-ferments Viognier with Syrah grape varietals. This is said to enhance the aromatic potential, the alcohol (not so necessary in California), color stability and structure of the wine. The Viognier adds a unique floral note to the otherwise peppery Syrah. 

The Language of Yes project is not intended to try to replicate the wines of Southern France, but rather to find and amplify the unique characteristics of the climate and terroir of the California Central Coast, inspired from the old world historic equivalents.

 

Homage to Southern Rhone Provencal region,
map from the Language of Yes website

We recently picked up two Language of Yes red wines based on Rhone varietals, a Grenache and this Syrah, grown in the Rancho Réal Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley. 

In this project, winemaker Randall Grahm applies old world techniques, such as the practice of passerillage, or post-harvest drying of the grapes before crushing. In the cool Rancho Réal Vineyard, they place the grapes on paper raisin trees in the shade of the vine itself. This practice allows for a slight dehydration and concentration of the grapes, and, as significantly, a maturation of the stems of the bunches. The result is the stems are an excellent source of tannin, supporting the overall structure of the wine. The inclusion of the whole clusters allows for a slow release of grape sugar into the fermenting must, improving the fermentation, thus creating a slower and controlled process. "Clean", less stressed fermentation complements the process in what is called "reductive élevage," central to the style of The Language of Yes.

The Language of Yes En Passerillage "Rancho Real Vineyard" Santa Maria Valley Syrah 2020 

This is a blend of 86% Syrah and 14% Viognier raised in five-year-old barriques. 

It was awarded 94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and 93 points by James Suckling, Vinous and by Wine Enthusiast. 

Grapes for the 2020 Syrah En Passerillage were air-dried for three days, co-fermented with 20% Viognier and made with 50% whole clusters.

Winemaker's notes: "The Language of Yes seeks to preserve the old ways, revealing the utmost respect for the integrity of the sites form which they derive. The raising of the wine is done with the lightest possible hand, allowing the natural exuberance of the vines, the grapes, the wine and the winemaker to joyously emerge, unmistakably pronouncing The Language of Yes. The result is a reflection of Provence in these wines - a distinctive balsamique resinous quality resembling the local underbrush, the garrigue - lavender, rosemary and sage, and pine forest.'

"The wine is marked with lively acidity, notes of black pepper, black olive, violets, licorice and white flowers. On the palate, slightly angular immediately upon opening but softening considerably with time."

Definitely reflecting old world style as opposed to the new world, fuller fruit forward style we prefer. 

Opaque ruby purple color, medium bodied, aromatics of blackcurrant, pomegranate and subtle blueberry, notes of white pepper, a hint of dried meat and olive, smoke, exotic spices, floral and garrigue, with dusty-textured tannins and bursts of juicy acidity on the long finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4134796

https://www.languageofyeswine.com/

https://twitter.com/RandallGrahm

 

BÖEN Tri-appellation Pinot Noir

BÖEN 'Tri-Appellation' Pinot Noir for pleasant casual high QPR sipping

We opened this casual sipping Pinot Noir with biscuits, crackers and artisan cheeses. This is from Joseph Wagner, fifth generation Napa Valley winemaker, who grew up in the wine business working alongside his father Chuck Wagner, famed legendary founder and winemaker at Caymus Vineyards. 

One of the cheeses we enjoyed was Delice de Bourgogne, a French classic triple crème cheese that originated in the Burgundy region of France. Authentic Delice de Bourgogne has a white, bloomy and pungent rind because of the Penicilium Candidum mold.

A tribute to small scale industrial French cheese-making, this is from Murrays Cheese on Bleeker Street in Greenich Village, New York. We discovered it there during several of our dining experiences at their wine and cheese restaurant there, then were surprised and delighted to see it available at our local Mariano's grocery cheese department, after they sold out to their parent Krogers. Mariano's Delice de Bourgogne is a pasteurized triple creme (75% butterfat in dry matter) that marries full-fat cow milk with fresh cream, producing a rich forward cheese. Unlike many straightforward triple-cremes, this one has a thin, pungent mold rind that imparts straw and mushroom aromas, complementing the buttery yellow, sweet cream interior. 

While this is best served with Champagne, being from Burgundy it is also enjoyed with Burgundian Pinot Noir such as this one. We found its pungent forward sharpness is softened for pairing with red wine by adding a bit of honey. 

Joseph learned his way around a vineyard long before he was able to drink wine. By the time he was nineteen, he knew that he would continue his family’s winemaker legacy, working alongside his father at Caymus Vineyards. 

In 2001, Joe created Belle Glos, with a focus on vineyard-designated Pinot Noirs from California’s best coastal regions.

This is another Joe Wagner project; he chose the name BÖEN, a translation of ‘The Farm’, as a constant reminder that the wine he produces is indivisible from the land that it comes from, that "first and foremost, I am a farmer.” His wines are crafted to reflect the vineyard sites where they are sourced.

BÖEN wines are produced as an expression of  Pinot Noir and Chardonnay made in his signature style of rich, ripe fruit flavors balanced with bright acidity and judicious hints of toasty oak. The BÖEN portfolio consists of several vineyard or appellation specific wines that tend to offer high QPR - quality price ratios.

BÖEN Tri-appellation Sonoma County, Santa Barbara County, Monterey County Pinot Noir 2020

This 100% Pinot Noir is actually a blend of grapes from three different California counties, netting out to be 45% Sonoma County, 29% Santa Barbara County and 26% Monterey County, hence referred to as a Tri-Appelation blend. 

This is the entry level Pinot of the line-up and offers great value in this every day sipper. 

We first discovered this wine as the WBTG - wine by the glass offering at a favorite fine dining local restaurant. We have since found it at Cosco, which tends to be quite discriminating in their wine selections and offerings, generally providing significant QPR throughout. I wrote about COSCO and their wine offerings in a recent blogpost.

Winemaker Notes for this release: "Dark Plum in color with ruby red highlights. On the nose, luscious notes of raspberry swirl along side dark plum notes accompanied by hints of rosemary and sage. Rich and well balanced with bright blackberry, Bing cherry, dark chocolate and a hint of caramel on the palate. This wine is sure to please with its rounded mouth-feel, and long, smooth, velvety finish."

Not your typical fruit forward California style, it leans more toward old world style, ruby colored, medium bodied, bright dark cherry fruit with vanilla, herb, tobacco and earth, with nice body and mouthfeel.

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4167518

https://boenwines.com/

https://twitter.com/boenwines  

@BoenWines

Hall Cabernet and a pair of Spanish Tempranillos

Holiday dinner features Hall Cabernet and a pair of Spanish Tempranillo red wines

Friday night gala dinner at friends Rod and Pam at their farm estate in nearby exburb Oswego (IL). Pam prepared a delicious chicken with brown wine sauce, carrots, onions and mushrooms, with mashed potatoes, cooked carrots and green salad. Chip and Sue brought a delightful appetizer of Zuchini with three cheeses, spinach, artichoke hearts garlic and other spices. 

In the spirit of the season, we 'decked the Halls' with Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon pulled from our cellar.

Rod pulled from his cellar a pair of Spanish Tempranillo red wines for dinner.

Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 

We have fun with the label during this time of year ... as we "Deck the Halls" with boughs of holly ... We discovered Hall wines during our Napa Wine Experience 2003 with their moderrn op-art scuplture garden.

Our visits to the magnificent Hall Rutherford Estate have been highlights of several of our Napa Valley Wine Experiences dating back to 2003.

As members of the Hall Wine Club we acquired many labels of their allocated premium labels. We've attended several Hall wine tasting events including their release tour tasting in Chicago hosted by none other than owner producer Kathryn Hall (right).

Our visit to the magnificent Hall Rutherford winery and estate visit are featured in our blogpost Hall Napa Valley Rutherford Estate Visit. 

We returned again to Hall for a tasting of their new releases during our Sonoma Napa Wine Experience 2017.

According to our Journal of Tasting Notes, we posted no less than ten different tasting notes for this vintage release dating back to 2010 including this mini-vertical tasting of multiple vintages we took from our cellar to our BNB vacation home in the outer banks for a family vacation. 

According to Cellartracker records, this is the 10th bottle of this vintage label release we've consumed from a case we  acquired upon release.

The 2006 vintage was a high achievement for this Estate standard label Napa Cabernet with a Wine Spectator 93 point rating. Their flagship wine, Katheryn Hall 2006, was #20 that same Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2010 mentioned above, with a score of 96 points!. This year it was selected the #2 Wine of the Year in Wine Spectator's annual roundup.

Back in 2013 and then again in 2015 I gave this label 93 points. The next couple time s and the most recent tasting back in February, I gave this 92 points, indicating the bright vibrant fruits are starting to give way subtly to the non-fruit accents cited below.

 

Those initial early tasting notes rated this release 93 points, reducing that to 92 points after nine years or for various bottles, perhaps due to bottle variations or to the overall effect of wine and food pairings that might contribute to my tasting experience.

In any event, at sixteen years, this bottle showed slight further diminution of the fruit, giving way to non-fruit flavors of smoke, leather and black tea, so as to reduce tonight's rating to 91 points. 

Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, complex with a symphony of flavors, the bold expressive black berry and black raspberry fruits are starting to give way to notes of smoke, leather and black tea, with highlights of anise and mocha with tones of cedar, sweet toasty oak and clove spice and hints of earthy leather turning to a smooth polished lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=761928

http://www.hallwines.com/visit/winery-experiences/rutherford-tours

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/08/hall-napa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon-2006.html 

http://www.hallwines.com/

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

Bodegas Frutos Villar Muruve Crianza Tinta de Toro Tempranillo 2009

This is from Spain's remote, high elevation wine producing region between the regions of Bierzo and Ribera del Duero, known for its intense, full-bodied reds made from the Tempranillo grape, locally called Tinta de Toro.

Tempranillo, the “Noble Grape of Spain,” is Spain’s most widely planted grape, food-friendly, able to be enjoyed early or can be long-lasting, capable of aging for a decade or more. 

The Rioja terms Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva indicate both barrel and bottle time before release. Traditionally blended in Rioja with Garnacha, plus a bit of Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, the Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero typically stands alone.

Wines from the officially demarcated wine regions of Spain, are labeled “Denominaciones de Origen” or “DOs”.

Produced from a small patch of land in central Spain, the Toro DO region produces a this designated label wine called Tinto Del Toro. Toro reds must contain a minimum of 75% Tempranillo, and use other blending grapes such as Garnacha. The wine is often aged in American oak for varying lengths of time.

Frutos Villar is a  4th generation of a family with wines from Ribera de Duero, Toro, Rueda, Cigales and Tierra CyL. The family wine business dates back to turn of the last century when they we bought up and sold wine from the region of Toro, the oldest red wine area in Spain. They established their first winery at Toro in 1920 and a second winery in Cigales in 1960. With the consolidation of the demarcated regions, in 1988, the Frutos Villar family purchased Bodegas Santa Eulalia, a winery belonging to the Ribera del Duero region.

At Bodegas Frutos Villar, they produced estate wines from their own vineyards not belonging to any “Denominación de Origen”, and in 1990 in Castilla, they began to market wines from the Rueda “DO”.

Building on their centuries-old experience in the Toro region, Frutos Villar work with winemakers of some of the highest quality vineyards across the region, as well as fruit sourced from their own 240 acres of vines to produce a broad portfolio of wines that represent some of the best of the region.

With barren terrain that retains the heat and a more southern and sunny vineyard, it has warm red wines with a great tannin and color, with a very tasty palate.

This Tinto Crianza is Designation of Origin, D.O. Toro, 100% Tinta de Toro grape varietal. It was barrel aged 12 months 95% American oak 5% French oak with racking every 3 months, then bottle aged a minimum of 6 months aging in bottles before being marketed. 

Bright ruby color, wood and floral bouquet, complex full-flavoured, notes of plum, black berries and cherries, notes of tobacco, vanilla, herb, and leather and oak with medium tannins and subtle acidity. 

RM 87 points. 

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1511225

 

https://www.bodegasfrutosvillar.com/en/

 

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

 

Dominio De Punctum Pablo Claro Tempranillo 2011

From the province of Cuenca near central Spain, where winemaking dates back to Roman times and developed during the medieval period. 

Dominio de Punctum is a family owned company, founded by three siblings, the eighth generation of the Fernandez family: Jesús, Ruth and Cristina Fernandez, who after running a grocery business in Madrid, founded Dominio de Punctum in the rural plains of La Mancha with a vision to create organic and biodynamic wines that are eminently drinkable.

After years, preparing to produce quality organic and biodynamic wines from the family’s old vineyards, the Finca Fabián estate winery was established in 2005.

CEO Jesús Fernández founded Dominio de Punctum in 2005 with his sisters Ruth and Cristina. He has grown distribution to 37 countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Oceania.

Ruth Fernández serves as Oenologist & Production Director. After graduation from Universidad Autónoma of Madrid in Viticulture and Oenology, she began her career in Languedoc, France. She has pursued her love for organic agriculture grew, studying further in biodynamic agriculture with the Spanish association “Asociación para la Agricultura Biodinámica en España”.

Cristina Fernández serves as CFO, having graduated in Universidad Carlos III of Madrid in Economics. With deep interest in biodynamic agriculture, she studied with her sister several courses on the topic. She was appointed Demeter Farmer in Vineyard and Wine Producer in Cuenca.

 

Punctum comes from Latin meaning "point", "transit point" or "crossroad". The vineyard and estate are located in a crossroad. where two old Roman roads meet in an area where wine culture has been around for centuries, where today, one of them is a Vereda (sidewalk or path) where flocks of sheep go through from Jaen to the Pyrenees.

The crossroad also symbolises the position of the estate, vineyards and winery, where Cuenca is adjacent to Albacete and Ciudad Real.

Working in a land where winemaking has been present for centuries, Punctum pursue the combination of viticulture tradition in Spain and modern sustainable agriculture to turn estate grown grapes into world class wines.

The estate sits at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level, with soil, clay-based and rich in limestone, that helps retaining water, essential for the health of the vines and develops intense aromas, freshness and deep colors for our wines.

The continental-mediterranean climate provides plenty of sunlight hours to the vineyards that ripens the grapes easily, yet the night temperature drop and creating a sharp contrast that heightens the aromas and flavors of the wine.

Punctum vineayards are planted to the varietals Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Graciano, Petit Verdot, Grenache, Bobal, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Verdejo and Viura. They produce wines that are 100% of grapes from their own wineries,

Dominio De Punctum Pablo Claro Tempranillo 2011

This Dominio De Punctum Pablo Claro Tempranillo is a versatile Spanish red wine that originates from Spain’s famous wine-making regions, Castilla, La Mancha. 

 

"I love Tempranillo of course, but particularly when it's made to be full of flavour but easy-going. I think the Pablo Claro is exactly that." - Ruth Fernandez, Winemaker.

 Fully 100% organic estate grown fruit, the Dominio De Punctum Winery, uses only techniques and processes that are biodynamic, ecologically friendly and sustainable for the environment, free of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and any kind of chemicals in their cultivation of their grape varieties.

Garnet colored, medium full bodied fruit forward blackberry, cherry, strawberry and cherry fruits with notes of oak, mocha and vanilla, black tea and tobacco on the tannin laced finish. 

RM 87 points. 

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4506107

 

https://www.dominiodepunctum.com/ 

Jordan Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at Hugo's Chicago

Jordan Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at Hugo's Chicago Private Dining

For a key partner and team dinner we dined at Hugo's Frog Bar on trendy Rush Street in Chicago. Hugo's is part of the Gibson's Restaurant Group, with Gibson's and Hugo's locations throughout Chicagoland including our hometown, Naperville, nearby Oak Brook, and their adjacent flagship locations on Rush Street, the center of the near north nightlife district. 

For our key business dinner we dined in Hugo's upstairs private dining room. With our grilled beefsteaks we selected this popular long time reliable crowd pleaser wine - Jordan Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Jordan is to Sonoma Alexander Valley, what the popular well known Caymus is to Napa Valley.

Since its founding by Tom and Sally Jordan in 1972, Jordan Vineyard & Winery has produced a popular reliable go-to wine that is widely available, approachable for early gratification when young, yet has the ability to age for decades or more. 

At the outset, Jordan enlisted the legendary André Tchelistcheff as consulting enologist, inspired by his work producing Frencophile style cabernet based Bordeaux blends at Napa Valley Beaulieu Vineayards. 

Tchelistcheff hired and mentored Rob Davis, who headed Jordan winemaking from the inaugural 1976 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon and inaugural 1979 Jordan Chardonnay until his retirement in 2019.

This continuity along with the tenure of but two winemakers over four decades since the winery’s inception, led to the remarkable quality and consistency of Jordan wines.

Jordan Cabernet is actually a Bordeaux-style California Cabernet Sauvignon based blend sourced from Jordan estate in northern Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley.

Upon taking ownership of their property, Tom and Sally planted more than 200 acres of vineyards on the valley floor and methodically began to produce a single wine, modeled after the first growth philosophy of the finest producers in Bordeaux. To that end, they planted only cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes.

Second-generation John Jordan took over as hands-on CEO vintner and winemaker in 2005 taking on full ownership of the winery in 2007. He carried on the legacy and heritage of Jordan Vineyard & Winery producing award-winning wines year after year making Jordan one of the top Cabernet Sauvignon brands in California.  

Jordan Sonoma County Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

The 2018 vintage harvest in Napa and Sonoma was one of the biggest and best in several years with each phase of the growing season  seeing near-perfect weather conditions. The quality of the fruit was exceptional and the harvest was about 25% to 33% above average resulting in holding prices steady for exceptional wines, providind good value QPR (quality price ratios) across the range with this label being no exception. 

Winemaker notes: "The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is a showstopper vintage. Its black cherry, boysenberry and black fig aromas jump out of the glass and, the wine’s smooth, rich tannins go on forever, making this a vintage that will age gracefully.'

"Rich aromas of black cherry, Mission fig and dark chocolate mingle with clove and nutmeg. The palate is filled with flavors of blackberry and boysenberry that are enveloped in silky tannins, showing complexity beyond its years. Enticing flavors of vanilla bean and hazelnut carry through a velvety richness that lingers on the finish."

This is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec. It was aged 13 months in 100% French oak, 35% new and 65% one-year-old barrels with 37 total months aging.

Wilfred Wong gave this 92 points and Wine Enthusiast gave this release 90 Points. 

This was a perfect complement pairing with the wedge salad, creamed spinach, grilled beefsteak and dark chocolate gateaux.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, complex concentrated bright vibrant blackberry and black currant fruits with cedar, bitter dark chocolate, cassis, black tea, and clove spice with bright acidity and a layer of oak on the long moderate tannin finish.  

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4051656

https://www.jordanwinery.com/

https://twitter.com/jordanwinery

https://www.hugosfrogbar.com/

Monteviejo Lindaflor 'Petite Fleur' Red Blend

Bodega Monteviejo Lindaflor 'Petite Fleur' Red Blend 2006, Valle de Uco,  Mendoza Argentina 

For Sunday night carry out pizza I pulled from the cellar and aged big red blend from Argentina. 

This is from the producers with vineyards of Le Gay, La Violette, and Montveil in the Pomerol Region of Bordeaux France comes this Bordeaux Blend from Valle de Uco,  Mendoza, Argentina. Bodega Monteviejo is owned and operated by Chateau Le Gay in Pomerol, Bordeaux, France. Both wineries share the same winemakers, including the highly respected Michael Rolland, the world renouned consulting winemaker to many of the great Merlot based labels in France, California and Washington State, and beyond to the new world emerging wine regions such as Mendoza, Argentina.

The Monteviejo winery lies in Vista Flores, Tunuyán, in the heart of the Uco Valley. The 320 acre property sits nestled at the foot of the Andes Mountains. The estate is owned by the Péré Vergé family while winemaker, enologist and general manager, Marcelo Pelleriti, renowned in the industry in his own right, has worked in both France and Argentina under the guide of his mentor, legendary Michel Rolland.

For more than 15 years, Marcelo has directed the harvests in Bordeaux for Château La Violette, Château Le Gay and Château Montviel, living in France between September and November and opposite seasons down-under in Argentina, every year since 2001. 

He is know for his expertise in both these two distinct terroirs and has gained international renown for exceptional wines that consistently receives high ratings, often earning 95 points and above in both France and Argentina.

Mendoza has come to be known as the Malbec capital of the world, a lesser known Bordeaux varietal  that is increasingly combined as part of a Bordeaux style blend. While Malbec is usually a very small component in Bordeaux wines, it is the primary component in this Argentinian label, representing half of the overall blend.

Bodega Monteviejo Lindaflor 'Petite Fleur' Red Blend 2006

This is a blend predominantly Malbec with Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon - all sourced from the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina - reported to be 50% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah and 10% Merlot.

From the rear label (shown) -

"Petit Fleur of Lindaflor, surprising blend where Malbec is the main component. Merlot offers elegance and roundness, Syrah the mineral complexity and Cabernet Sauvignon the tannin complexity that contributes to the balance and structure. Due to its intensity of fruit, body and volume, we recommend to decant before drinking and to serve between 14C-16C.

50% Malbec, 10% Syrah, 10% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard density: 5500 feet per hectare.
Location: Clos de los Siete, 1100 msm. South of Mendoza, Argentina.
Soil: slimy and franc, increasing the proportion of gravels in subsoil.
Vinification and unbringing: maceration in tanks of 100 hl. For 30 days with manual pigeage.
Ageing in barrels for 12 months, only 30% new casks.
Other vineyards: Le Gay, La Violette and Montviel in Pomerol, Bordeaux, France.

While those Bordeaux labels will run a minimum of $40 to four or five times that amount, the lesser known upstart will cost a fraction of that amount providing quality drinking with tremendous QPR - quality price ratio.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, aromatic bouquet and flavors of plum and blackberry fruits with notes of smoke, licorice, spice, hints of cedar and leather turning to nicely balanced acidity, slightly chewy tannins and good length.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=582228

Andretti Montona Super Tuscan BYOB at Angeli's Italian

Andretti Montona Super Tuscan Napa Valley Reserve BYOB at Angeli's Italian

Saturday night dinner out with neighbor friends Mark and Shirley, we dined at Angeli's Restorante Italian, our favorite neighborhood Italian trattoria. 

I took a special Reserve bottle BYOB from our cellar for the occasion. This was a perfect selection for the evening and was a highlight of our dinner out - a tribute to Mark's career in the auto business from producer legendary race car driver Mario Andretti, a Super Tuscan Italian Blend, tribute to Shirley's Italian heritage, and a fabulous wine pairing for our Italian cuisine dinner.

Andretti Montona Super Tuscan Napa Valley Reserve Red Wine 2016

We discovered this wine and the Montona portfolio/brand when we visited the Andretti Winery and Estate in southeast Napa Valley during our Napa Wine Experience in 2018.  I wrote about that visit in a more detailed blogpost earlier, and about the Montona brand and this particular label in another previous blopost.

This label is from the Montona Reserve brand, the high end premium line of the Andretti portfolio. The line is named for the village of Montona, the hometown of the Andretti family and birthplace of the legend racer turned wine producer.

Actually, the village where Andretti was born is in Croatia, home to another famous Napa ‘vintner producer’ Mike Grgich.

Andretti Winery was established in 1996 by the famed race car driver, Mario Andretti in a joint venture project with Joe Antonini, former CEO of Kmart, who was one of Mario’s sponsors during his racing days.

The property is actually owned by the Laird Family, prominent growers and producers. Andretti leases the winery on site as well as the tasting room. 

Andretti also leases about 42 acres of vineyards surrounding the winery, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. 

They also purchase grapes from other growers from select vineyards around Napa Valley which must include the Sangiovese which is a key foundation varietal in this blend.

The Andretti Winery features a small faux Italian/Tuscan building and courtyard with picturesque fountains and landscaping. There is a small cottage, patios and lawns that are available for small private tastings and picturesque grounds which would be ideal for an private event or special outing.

Andretti Montona Reserve Napa Valley Super Tuscan 2016

As noted above, this label is not Estate bottled, meaning the grapes for the juice in the bottles are not necessarily grown on the property, but rather, may have been purchased from contract growers. As such, the (rear) label cites the wine is merely "Bottled by Andretti Winery". 

Hence, with all due respect to the legendary Indy Racecar driver, Mario Anrdretti, and his benefactor investor partner in the winery venture, former CEO of K-Mart Joe Antonini, they are tenant wine producers, not landowners or winery estate owners. 

As a wine collector and eonphile, I would prefer to support family owned farmer/grower winemakers who produce wines from grapes produced on their properties. This provides a consistent source of fruit year after year and thereby allows for the focus on terroir and its impact on the wine from vintage to vintage, as a basis for comparison over the years, and as a comparison against other similarly situated terroir focused wines. 

In any event, this wine was delicious and I'd like to obtain more, especially in light of the fact we've run out of one of our favorite labels, the same grape varietal from the same vintage, that we drank this week as  I featured in the previous blogpost.

Having just written the comments above about this wine, and all the reasons why we may not continue buying and collecting such, I now admit, this may be the highest performing Montona Reserve label we have tried from Andretti. As with earlier tastings, this wine tonight exceeded our expectations for this producer and label release. At a super premium release list price of $110, one would hope and expect it to be a top performer.

The name "Super Tuscan" is a reference to the style and composition of this red wine blend - attached to wines from the Tuscany wine region in Northern Italy where the native and designated wine grape is Sangiovese. Producers there started growing French Bordeaux grape varietals and blending them with Sangiovese to craft what became known as Super Tuscan wines. 

 

As such, this is a blend of Italian varietal Sangiovese (50%), and Bordeaux Napa varietals Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), and Merlot (4%). Some vintages of this label also contain slight amounts of the Bordeaux varietal Petit Verdot - which is commonly and customarily added for dark color and structure.

The Winemakers' notes on this wine: "The Montona Reserve Super Tuscan is an intense and complex wine achieved by blending our finest barrels of Sangiovese with our favorite Bordeaux varietals. Deep ruby red in color the 2016 Super Tuscan is bursting with aromas of rosewood and violet, followed by candied cherries and dark plum. On the palate the fruitiness explodes in your mouth with bright flavors of cherry, raspberry and plum layered with toasty vanilla and silky smooth tannins. Enjoy this wine with grilled meats, braised short ribs, or your favorite aged cheeses."

This was aged 20 months is 50% new French Oak.

 

Consistent with, but better than previous tastings, at six years this is hitting its stride, likely at the apex of its drinking profile - dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, elegant, polished and complex, yet wonderfully integrated, full round bright vibrant black currant, black raspberry and dark plum fruits accented by burnt caramel, vanilla, almond, black tea and sweet toasty oak with smooth polished tannins on a lasting silky finish.

RM 93 points.  

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3159348

http://andrettiwinery.com/

https://twitter.com/AndrettiWine 

@Andrettiwine