Chateau La Nerthe Les Granieres with Pizza

Chateau La Nerthe Les Granieres with Pizza 

We were called to babysitting duty for Alec & Vivianna for a special event night out in the city. As has become somewhat customary, they ordered in pizza and pasta from their local neighborhood pizza house. I brought from the home cellar a big red ‘pizza wine’.

This Chateau La Nerthe Les Granieres is from a producer we visited together during our Southern Rhône wine experience featured in this blogpost  A visit to Château La Nerthe. 

I’ve discussed earlier vintages of this wine in this post, Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Granières de la Nerthe 2013, excerpted below. 

Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Granières de la Nerthe 2019

This Les Granières de La Nerthe is the “second” wine of Château La Nerthe, made from younger vines from the Estate. 

This is a Rhone style blend of the designated sanctioned varietals: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre (often referred to as ‘GSM’ in other regions), Cinsault, and several others. This particular vintage release is a blend of 55% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 10% Mourvedre.

While these are the typical primary varietals of a CDP, it should be noted that the Châteauneuf-du-Papeappellation rules allow for up to thirteen specified varietals to be included in the blend. Their second label is aged for a shorter period of just 6 months in a combination of cement vats and larger oak foudre that results in a more fruit forward style of Châteauneuf.

I note that I visited the historic Château La Nerthe (right) during my Châteauneuf-du-Pape tour back in 1998, so I follow and collect this producer's wine.

Château La Nerthe have been producing wines at the Estate since 1560. The label seemed to disappear from our market for a couple years several years ago, and I was happy to see it reappear on the shelves at Binny's, our local wine merchant. 

That said, for a while, their premier label Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Cadettes is now at a new price point at $100 per bottle, significantly higher than what I would consider to be comparable benchmark wines such as Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape or Chateau Vieux Telegraph. I should note it was reduced to a sale price to be more comparable to those other labels. I purchased some at the lower price which has since normalized back to its customary price point. 

At about half the price of the gran vin, however, Les Granières de La Nerthe does offer CDP at a more affordable QPR (quality price ratio). These are two other Estates that I visited during this trip that I also collect for our cellar. Interestingly, the 2015 Beaucastel contains all thirteen of the CDP grape varietals. 

When I first discovered this second label of La Nerthe in our market back in 2013, I admit I was a bit disappointed by it, perhaps due to my lofty expectations, or hopes. 

I’m glad to see this later release was much better, more in line with what might expect from a similarly situated wine. 

Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Granières de la Nerthe 2019

When I first discovered this second label of La Nerthe in our market back in 2013, I admit I was a bit disappointed by it, perhaps due to my lofty expectations, or hopes. 

I’m glad to see this later release was much better, more in line with what might expect from a similarly situated wine. 

Winemaker Notes - “The aromas of cherry and blackcurrant are balanced by sweet spices including cinnamon. The elegant cherry continues on the palate, supported by fine tannins and a long, refreshing finish.”

This release was rated 91 points by Wine Spectator and 90 points by Decanter. 

This was a perfect accompaniment to the hearty pizza and pasta. 

Bright ruby colored, medium bodied, bright vibrant black currant, raspberry and blackberry fruits with notes of anise, herbs, sweet spices, hints of pepper and tobacco with tangy acidity on a long lingering modest tannin laced finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4151936

http://www.chateaulanerthe.fr/

UGCB 2022 Vintage Release Tour 2025 Comes to Chicago

Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB) North American 2022 Vintage Release Tour Chicago Preview Tasting 2025  

Once again, the UGC Bordeaux (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB)), annual release tour visited Chicago this week unveiling/showcasing their 2022 vintage release wines. This was the same event we attended and featured last year in these pages in this post - UGCB 2021 Vintage Release Tour 2024 Comes to Chicago, excerpted below.. 

The Union is the association of 132 members of the top premier wine producer estates from the most prestigious Bordeaux appellations. In cooperation with distributors, brokers and merchants they host over 80 events in fifteen countries visiting 65 cities to present their wines to some 50,000 or so professionals and wine lovers each year around the world.

Their events go beyond France, taking them throughout Europe (Germany, UK, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Netherlands, Russia), to this tour of North America (US and Canada) , and to Asia (China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore). 

This year's UGCB US TOUR - 2025 started in Miami at The Hangar, then to the fabulous Cipriani on 42nd Street in New York, prior to coming to The Drake Hotel in Chicago, then heading on to San Francisco City View @ Metreon, and finishing at Vibiana in Los Angeles. Previous years have also included stops in Toronto and/or  Montréal.

'Pour Boys' Tom C, me, Ernie and Lyle with 
UGCB Ambassadors Chloe Morvan and
Marie Damouseau, from 2020.

As in previous years, members of our 'Pour Boys' wine group helped conduct the event in Chicago, one of the highlight of my wine exploits throughout the year.

As in years past, except the Covid disrupted alternate site two years ago, at Chicago Union Station Grand Hall, which actually was delayed to June, the gala event was held in the Drake Hotel in the magnificent grand Gold Coast Ballroom (shown below).

The Pour Boys serve as volunteers, working with the host organizers Mike Wangbickler, Kat Stark and the Balzac Communications team, and the UGCB Bordeaux events team.

According to the routine, we help prepare the room and the wines, checking in trade registrants, and standing in for producers who faced travel or other disruptions, presenting and pouring their wines.

We start early in the day unpacking and preparing the wines, carefully setting up each wine station for the arrival of the producers' and their representatives for presenting and pouring the wine during the afternoon session.  

Often over the years, some producers or their representatives were delayed in travel or had other disruptions and we were called in to service to pour their wines, hence, we earned our moniker, the 'Pour Boys'. This was our sixteenth year working this gala annual event.

Pour Boys Rick and Lyle

As usual, close to a hundred producers were represented at the event that was attended by over five hundred members of the trade, merchants, hospitality and media.

As is their custom in the third week of January, this annual roadshow is a marathon trek across North America by the producers and their representatives, offering wine professionals and oenophiles the chance to meet the Bordeaux principles, winemakers, ambassadors and commercial directors.

As always, we appreciate the investment in time and effort expended by the producers and their representatives coming to visit Chicago. It provides a wonderful opportunity to meet them firsthand and hearing their perspectives on their brand, approach to crafting their vintage release, their history, businesses, and their past vintages and of course, the current release.

As collectors and holders of not-insignificant collections of Bordeaux wines dating back four decades, we Pour Boys hold as many as several dozen or more vintages of some of these labels. Meeting the owners, family members, producer / winemaker / representatives of these great Chateaux is a great privilege and offers a collector the chance to learn more about their investment and wines.

As such, I tend to focus on and taste those wines that I know well and hold verticals (multiple vintages of the same label), of which my wine buddies and I have holdings.

Despite the extreme inclement weather this day in Chicago, this years event was well attended to a full house.

After working to set up the event, register attendees and fill in for late arriving producers' due to travel delays, we’re able to partake of the release tasting.

The 2022 vintage is a blockbuster, possibly the best in a decade, on par with the recent stellar 2009 and likely to be heralded with legendary vintages such as 1982 and others.

The 2022 year was one of the hottest and driest growing seasons in the history of the region. The early heat in the spring set up the vines for the brutally hot and dry summer growing season, which also included some critical rains in June and a few storms in August. Producers learned from the continuous hot and dry vintages of 2018, 2019 and 2020 how to moderate or cope with the intense sun, such as leaving fuller canopies of leaves to shade grapes. 

Despite the rather extreme weather conditions, the vintage produced dark dense fruit resulting in opulent and structured wines, beautifully balanced, smooth, supple, polished and elegant, bursting with fresh ripe fruit flavors that were approachable, even when young, upon release. 

It was reported that all the Bordeaux varietal grapes — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, faired well. Berries were small, skins were healthy and the juice was concentrated. While acidities are on the lower side, the wines show remarkable freshness and purity, aromatics are right and vibrant and textures are smooth and polished. 

As is the case as I have written before, in such great vintages, ‘all boats rise with the tide”, so that there should be many stunning wines available, even at the more modest price points as the gap between grand vin and second wines may be narrower in 2022

As usual, we focused on the producers that we own and collect, with particular interest in those that we visited during our last trip to Bordeaux, as well as those we are targeting for our next or futures visits to the region. 

Highlights of wines that stood out were the usual suspects from my perennial favorites - Pichon Baron, Lynch Bages, then Pichon Lalande, in Paulliac, in order of more structured and concentrated to less so. 

Pauline Gibert Pichon Baron

In St Julien, Gruaud Larose, then Leoville Barton followed by Leoville Poyferre, and finally Beychevelle, which showed particularly well with extraordinary bouquet and polished ripe fruit. 

As is customary, the Barton wines were represented by Managing Director Lilian Barton Sartorius who represents the 9th generation of the Barton family. These days the property is managed by Lilian assisted by her husband, Michel Sartorius, and their grown children, Damien and Melanie, of the 10th generation, who are taking on increasing responsibility in the business. Here she is shown with Sara Lecompte-Cuvelier of Leoville Poyferre.

The Branaire Ducru was the finest I’ve ever experienced in memory, perhaps reflecting, in addition to the vintage, this being the first vintage produced in the completely renovated production facilities, with double the number of vats, with which to be more discriminating and granularly focused in the production and ultimate blending.  

Francois-Xavier-Maroteaux
Owner Château Branaire-Ducru

Pomerol showed well with Clinet being a standout. I regret I didn’t get to taste two favorites, Chateaux Canon and Canon-Le-Gaffeliere, as they were gone by the time I got  to their table, late in the day. 

The ever dapper Stephan von Neipperg,
(Château Canon-La-Gaffelière) 

Domaine Chevalier showed well from Pessac-Leognan, presenting a new label/branding for the historic anniversary vintage.

Hugo Bernard - Domaine Chevalier

Earlier UGCB and related events are featured in earlier unwindwine blogposts. 

Most recently .. 

UGCB 2020 Vintage Release Tour Chicago 2023

Grand Cru Bordeaux 2019 Vintage Release Tour Chicago

 UGCB 2017 Release Tour Chicago 

https://twitter.com/ugcbwines 

Lewis Chardonnay BYOB at Henderson Beachwalk Cafe

Lewis Chardonnay BYOB at Henderson Beachwalk Cafe

Vacationing with Sister and Brother in-laws, Pat and Rodger at The Cove, our vacation rental in Destin (FL), we took them to one of our favorite notable dining spots in the Destin area. 

On our last weekend night together, we dined at scenic Beach Walk Café, Henderson Park Inn, Destin, with its picturesque views of the Gulf Coast beach and off-shore horizon, and the towers of Destin across Henderson State Beach Park in the distance, arguably one of the best views along the Emerald Coast.

I wrote about Henderson Beachwalk Cafe Dinner with a view in this blogpost during our visit there last fall, excerpted below. 

While we love the atmosphere, ambiance and menu selections, their wine list is limited, especially for pairing with coastal seafood. So, tonight we brought from our home cellar BYOB our own Lewis Cellars label, their limited release special Sonoma County Chardonnay. 

We had with the starter course beet salad with arugula, goat cheese and mandarin orange slices, and Wedge Salad, big enough to share for two. Last time we dined here, we had the Seared Blue Crab Cakes with Mixed Greens and Jalapeño Horseradish Aioli, which was delicious. Tonight, the girls both ordered it for their entrees. 

For dinner I ordered from the menu fresh seafood local catches their signature dish, Grouper Vince with Pecan Crusted, Crispy Potato Cake, Haricot Verts, Honey Worcestershire Sauce.

After dinner, we enjoyed the Key Lime Pie and the Chocolate Cake with Ice Cream for dessert. 

With the dinner course, we enjoyed from our home cellar, BYOB, one of our favorite full flavored Chardonnays, and ideal pairing with the seafood selections.

Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay 2018

We write often in these pages how we have fun with the alphabet labels, “V” from various producers for Vivianna, and the “L” labels from Lewis Cellars, and others, for Linda, Lucy (grand-daughter, and in this case her namesake Great Grandmother Lucy), grand-daughters Lavender and Lilac. 

We also pay respects to our Indiana heritage and the legacy of Lewis Cellars’ founder/producer Randy Lewis, former Indianapolis 500 racer. 

So it was fitting that we brought this label, for the sisters’, Linda and Pat’s Mom, Lucy, and our combined Indiana, Hoosier heritage, and with Pat and Rodger hailing from Indianapolis. 

In an earlier blogpost on this label, we wrote about our visit to Lewis Cellars Napa Chateau and our private Tasting back in 2017.

We have an extensive cellar collection of Lewis Cellars’ wines including this Chardonnay label, their Cabernet Sauvignons, Mason’s Blend, Ethan’s Syrah and one of our signature favorite wines since it happens to be the namesake of our son and the Lewis’ first grandson, Alec’s Blend.

We’ll likely scale back our collecting Lewis wines since the family has sold the business and brand to a major consolidated producer. In 2021 Lewis Cellars was acquired by Justin Vineyards & Winery of Paso Robles and its owner, the Wonderful Company.
As a $5bn privately-held group founded by Stewart and Lynda Resnick, the Wonderful Company also owns Landmark Vineyards in Sonoma County and JNSQ rosé wine, as well as the Fiji Water and Pom Wonderful brands.

Since this blog is also partially about branding and strategy, I’d be remiss to not mention the self-inflicted branding fiasco Fiji brought on themselves a few years back - memorialized in these posts - enough said…

https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/biz2/0701/gallery.101dumbest_2007/20.html
https://www.cleveland19.com/story/34514441/is-bottled-water-better-than-clevelands-tap-water-not-really/
https://www.governing.com/archive/gov-cities-tout-municipal-tap-water-as-better-than-bottled.html

Lewis Cellars makes around 9,000 cases of wine per year and is known for high-end wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Justin Vineyards said Lewis Cellars will continue to be led and run by the existing team, including Randy Lewis and his stepson, Dennis Bell.

The strategy is to leverage the larger group’s marketing, strategy and sales teams to reach new audiences, such as via wine clubs or restaurants.

Tonight, this Lewis Cellars Chardonnay was a perfect pairing with the dinner, showing incredibly well, perhaps the best tasting of this label ever. Perhaps it was the ideal pairing that accentuated the delight of both the food and the wine. 

 

We brought this bottle to Florida from our home cellar and had been holding it for quite a while waiting for the right occasion and the right pairing. 

This was the third bottle of this label from our collection that we have consumed and this was the best showing of this wine to date. 

This 2018 release of Lewis Chardonnay was awarded 93 points by Wine Spectator and 92 points by Connoisseurs' Guide and Wilford Wong of Wine.com

Winemaker Notes - Like a silk robe or satin sheets the 2018 Napa Chardonnay seduces with thrilling texture. Creamy pear, crème brulee, white nectarine and gardenia blossom sprinkled with vanilla spice, it is simply delicious and irresistible. Finely structured yet opulent to the core, it is graced with a long, luscious finish.

Golden colored, medium bodied, full, round and structured, with rich brilliant flavors of ripe pear and apple fruits with butterscotch and creamy toasty notes on the tangy acidic lingering finish. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3390102 

https://www.lewiscellars.com/

To close out the dinner, we shared the Key Lime Pie and the Chocolate Tort Cake with berries and ice cream. We’ve wished for a Latte’ or Cafe Au Lait accompaniment but it isn’t an option. 

https://www.hendersonparkinn.com/dine/beachwalk-cafe/

Massolino Wine Dinner Destin

Massolino Wine Dinner at The Wine Bar, Destin

During our getaway week at The Cove, our vacation home getaway in Destin (FL), we attended the Price Fixe “Massolino Wine Dinner”, at The Wine Bar in Destin, featuring the world-renowned wines of Massolino, guided by fourth generation producer Franco Massolino, visiting from the heart of Italy’s Langhe region. This was the same format as the "Tour of Bordeaux Wine Dinner at The Wine Bar Destin that we attended last fall.

This is the same restaurant where we held our Pour Boys Wine Group wine dinner last spring as we gathered in Destin (FL) for the gala SoWal (South Walton Beaches) Wine Festival weekend. 

That Saturday evening following the SoWal Wine Festival Activities, we dined at The Chef’s Table Wine Room in The Wine Cellar Room at the Wine Bar Restaurant in Destin. We featured that dinner in this blogpost in these pages -  Chef’s Table Dinner at Wine Bar Destin.

This “Massolino Wine Dinner” evening was kicked off by Amir … GM of Wine World Destin, who introduced and turned the evening over to be curated by featured producer Franco Massolino. 

Franco along with his brothers Roberto and Paola, represent the fourth generation of the Massolino family estate that dates back to 1896. Franco spoke of the founder, great-grandfather Giovanni and his son, Grandfather Giuseppe, the historic earlier patriarch of the business. 

Giuseppe was instrumental in founding the Consorzio di Tutela Barolo, Barbaresco, Alba, Langhe, Dogliani, the wine cooperative consortium that was the beginning of selling a small amount of bottled wine in 1956.

In 1957 the Massolino family inherited some vineyards in the Serralunga d’Alba area from aunt Matilde Ornato, which was consolidated into the estate. This began expansion of Crus (vineyards) that would become the Crown Jewels, with the first, Parafada in 1967, and later the Marguerite vineyard, source of the vineyard designated label we tasted tonight. (In my research and exploration of the event, I learned there was a follow on tasting dinner at another restaurant, Gallions, in the 30A region. They served the Parafada vineyard designated Barolo in place of tonight’s Margheria at that dinner).

Grandfather Giuseppe fell in love with Vigna Rionda and acquires the parcel through and exchange that requires Giuseppe has to give up a plot twice the size. The gamble paid off with the release of Vigna Rionda in 1982, followed by the first Barolo DOCG Vigna Rionda Riserva.

The estate was run by the third generation of the family after Giovanni and his son Giuseppe - Renato, Giovanni and Camilla with further expansion in 1986.

Massolino purchased the last parcel in Vigna Rionda, the most important acquisition in 1990, as it becomes one of the most famous areas of the entire Barolo production zone.

Franco along with his brothers Roberto and Paola, represent the fourth generation of the Massolino family, took over the reins in the 1990s. They purchased the Parussi Cru which completed the Barolo portfolio of Massolino Vigna Rionda, extending production beyond the borders of Serralunga d’Alba.

In 2015, a new cellar was built in front of the historic family home in the centre of Serralunga d’Alba, including a new tasting and hospitality center. 

In 2019, a new chapter in the family’s story began with the acquisition in the prestigious hills of Barbaresco, which added two new labels of the most important wines the territory.

Tonight’s tasting featured wines from each of the vineyard sources of the brand. The dinner showcased a curated flight of carefully selected Massolino wines, each paired with a gourmet dinner course, from Barolo to Barbera, crafted to complement their elegance and depth to enhance and complement that courses distinct characteristics. 

The Wine Flight - 

    2022 Massolino Chardonnay

    2022 Massolino Barbera d'Alba

    2022 Massolino Barbaresco 

    2020 Massolino Barolo Margheria 

    2023 Massolino Moscato d'Asti

As I’ve exclaimed often in these pages, the proper pairing matching food with the ideal wine greatly amplifies the enjoyment of both. Tonight was such an experience.

The pairings this evening were wonderfully matched for each course. 

To Start: 

2022 Massolino Chardonnay

Smoked tomato arancini with truffle aioli, Roast leg of quail brushed with Rosemary oil, and Focaccia crostini, prosciutto, gorgonzola cream and fig

1st Course

2022 Massolino Barbera d'Alba 

Beef carpaccio with fresh arugula, shaved pecorino cheese, capers and truffle oil

2nd Course

2022 Massolino Barbaresco 

Roast lamb rack, saffron/ green pea polenta, haricot vert and fresh pesto sauce.

3rd Course

2020 Massolino Barolo Margheria 

Porcini mushroom risotto, braised leg of rabbit and Taleggio cheese.

4th Course

2023 Massolino Moscato d'Asti

Tiramisu panna cotta with fresh berries and hazelnut glazed lady fingers.

Parmesan Crusted Grouper and Jordan Chardonnay at Fat Clemenza’s Miramar Beach

After a rainy day car outing touring the Florida 30A coastal region, upon return to the Cove, our vacation home in Destin, FL, we stopped for dinner at Clemenza’s Restaurant in Miramar Beach, featured in a recent blogpost, excerpted here. 

As I wrote in that post - Italian Dining at Clemenza’s Restaurant in Miramar Beach was founded by an old dear friend of one of our friends and neighbors and how they play polo together in the early days of our equestrian community at home, and Dominic Damiano introduced our friend to his wife decades ago.

The local Emerald Coast Magazine wrote that when “Dominic Damiano moved to the Emerald Coast in 2008, life was almost perfect except he couldn’t find good Italian food. His group of friends and family who had moved from different parts of Italy to Destin, also missed the flavors of home, so they decided to open their own restaurant, Fat Clemenza’s, and do what they do best — serve up recipes passed down for generations”. 

Fat Clemens’s Restaurant is named for the legendary chef/cook in the Godfather movie series, the restaurant was in many ways modeled after Tufano’s which he owned in an Italian neighborhood in Chicago.

“It’s important to me to stay true to tradition and heritage, which is why we import a lot of ingredients,” said Damiano. “I want customers to experience these dishes as my family would, to feel like part of the family when here.”

“The eggplant parmigiana.is made from Damiano’s grandmother’s recipe, the Fresh Fish special is caught locally. The olive oils, pasta, tomatoes, flour and seasonings are imported from Italy. Twice a week, a shipment of sausage arrives from Chicago. All other ingredients, especially seafood, is sourced locally.” 

We returned to dine at the restaurant, almost walking distance, from our vacation home, that we discovered on our last trip. The restaurant is warm, inviting, comfortable and cozy, with the small dining room nestled up against the small bar adjacent the wood fired oven. 

The extensive menu features Italian fare, wood fired pizzas, calzones, a broad selection of two dozen pasta dishes, and a variety of traditional Italian meat dishes. 

I ordered the Daily Chef’s Specialties from the chalkboard menu posted on the wall - Parmesan Crusted Grouper with capers and artichoke, served over angel hair pasta. 

Linda ordered the daily special Clam Chowder and the House Salad.  As with our earlier dining experience, both our selections were delicious, prepared artfully, served promptly, piping hot in ample portions.

We ordered from the adjacent chalkboard, one of the featured select wines suggestions to accompany the daily specials, a California Chardonnay.

Jordan Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2021 

This is an iconic well known brand known for Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, crafted in a European style that allows them to pair well with a broad range of foods. Jordan’s winemaking focuses on the ‘wine's fruit and acidity rather than alcohol and tannin, and achieving elegance and balance in the bottle

Founders Tom and Sally Jordan acquired the 1200 acre property in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley, and established Jordan Vineyard & Winery in 1972, inspired by the great wine estates of France.

They enlisted the legendary André Tchelistcheff, as consulting enologist, and he was instrumental in establishing Jordan’s Francophile style of winemaking becoming one of the best wineries and brands in Sonoma County, with the help of winemaker Rob Davis. Davis guided Jordan winemaking from the inaugural 1976 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon and inaugural 1979 Jordan Chardonnay achieving the remarkable quality and consistency of Jordan wines for more than four decades until his retirement in 2019. 

On the 1,200 property they planted Jordan Estate with roughly 120 acres of a dozen small vineyard blocks of grapevines, 16 acres with four parcels of olive trees, a two-acre chef’s garden as well as, their home and a second lake. Unique amongst Healdsburg wineries, they left more than three-quarters of the scenic estate, roughly 900, preserved as natural habitat with open spaces,  craggy oak trees and lakes providing habitat for geese, rabbits, turkeys and coyotes.  

Winemaker Maggie Kruse took over for Rich Davis and produced this classic California Chardonnay in 2021,  sourced from cooler vineyard sites in the western Russian River Valley. The wine spent half of its life in stainless steel, and was aged 5.5 months in 100% new French oak.

Winemaker Notes - “One of the most balanced Jordan Chardonnays to date. Flavors of juicy citrus, Asian pear and lemon peel balance seamlessly with the subtle French oak notes. The cooler-climate vineyard sourcing this year brings even more lively acidity and purity of fruit on the palate—making this vintage especially food-friendly and cellar-worthy.”

J'nai Gaither of Decanter gave this release 93 points. 

Pale golden straw colored medium bodied, rich but nicely balanced full round ripe fruit notes of pear, Meyer lemon and apple with flinty spice notes and hints of vanilla accentuating the vibrant acidity masking the French oak on the lively finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.jordanwinery.com/

https://twitter.com/jordanwinery

https://www.jordanwinery.com/