Wayfarer Sonoma County Seaview Ross Chardonnay with lobster

Wayfarer Sonoma County Seaview Ross Chardonnay with whole lobster and fresh corn on the cob

Son Ryan discovered and turned me on to this label. While picking up a Bordeaux futures delivery at Binny's, our Chicagoland Beverage Superstore, I found and picked up the last few remaining bottles in stock. 

Linda prepared whole lobsters on the grill with corn on the cob - a perfect pairing with this ultra-premium label Chardonnay. Corn on the cob is a highlight of summer cuisine in the Midwest, one of the things I missed dearly, along with hearty tomatoes and succulent beef, when we lived in Northern California.

This is from well known Napa Valley producer Jayson Pahlmeyer known for his Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red “California Mouton” Bordeaux varietal wines. Jayson collaborated with the great winemaker Helen Turley and together produced consistently award-winning wines. 

We're huge fans of Pahlmeyer wines of which we hold many labels across several vintages in our cellar, which are featured regularly in these pages.

After nearly 30 years as an acclaimed Napa Valley vintner Jayson Pahlmeyer became increasingly entranced by the wines of Burgundy. “Every oenophile eventually gravitates to the wines of Burgundy,” he says. In the early 1990s, Jayson began seeking out the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards in the world.

A close friend, legendary French wine importer Martine Saunier, had located two parcels for sale in Burgundy – Clos de la Roche, a Grand Cru Pinot Noir vineyard in Côte de Nuits Grand Cru, and Corton Vergennes, a Grand Cru Chardonnay vineyard in Corton. Pahlmeyer's notable winemaker, Helen Turley, was to make the wine with the hands-on assistance of the renowned Michel Niellon at his Chassagne-Montrachet winery. However, just after the papers were signed, the deal was nullified by an obscure Burgundian real estate clause that permitted last-minute alternative offers.

Helen Turley discovered Wayfarer, an organic farm on remote ridges on the Sonoma Coast, named for the dream of its owners, Dave and Dorothy Davis, to travel the world. Her own vineyard, Marcassin estate and vineyards were just down the road and Helen understood well the extraordinary character of fruit this land could yield. 

 

When the Davises listed the farm for sale in 1998, Turley brought good friend and fellow vintner Jayson Pahlmeyer to survey the site. Pahlmeyer recognized the proximity to the ocean and cool sea air tempering the brilliant sun, with Goldridge soil with thick forest of redwoods to the east and fog-blanketed bluffs to the west, had the potential to produce world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Helen declared it destined to be “the La Tache of California” and Jayson promptly claimed the land for his own.

Jason selected legendary viti-culturalist and producer David Abreu to plant the Wayfarer vineyard in 2002, and in 2005, Jayson started blending Wayfarer Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with fruit from Russian River vineyards, bottling it under the Pahlmeyer label. By 2012, the vineyard’s exceptional fruit produced wine worthy of its own vineyard designated namesake label. Jayson tapped his daughter, Cleo Pahlmeyer, to oversee Wayfarer.

Wayfarer vineyard's 30 undulating acres lie in the Fort Ross-Seaview 27,500-acre sub-appellation on the far north-western end of the Sonoma Coast AVA. Defined as a distinct appellation in 2011, the extreme landscape is often deemed “the true Sonoma Coast” as it overlooks the Pacific beaches and receives the cool wind and fog from the frigid California Current flowing down the coast. The entire appellation resides above the fog line at an elevation of 800 feet and higher, above the fogline thereby allowing ample sunshine for ripening. Situated on a jagged portion of the San Andreas Fault, most of the acreage is unfarmable due its dramatic terrain.

We visited the area and drove the scenic rugged Sonoma Coast, staying in Bodega Bay, during our Napa/Sonoma County Wine Experience back in 2017. 

Cleo Pahlmeyer, proprietor/general manager of Wayfarer, was raised in Napa in the wine business and culture. After receiving a BA in Art History from the University of Virginia, she went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Connoisseurship of Fine and Decorative Art at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London.

Returning to the family winery in 2008 after working in the international art world, Cleo worked closely with her father to learn every aspect of the family business. Beginning in sales and progressing to manage direct to consumer sales and marketing, then public relations, she went on to be appointed President in 2017.

Wayfarer is a family affair, with Cleo, a mother of three, mentored by her father, and joined by her husband, Jamie Watson, who pours his own passion for wine into Wayfarer. “I must be my father’s daughter,” Cleo explains, “because like him, I have naturally gravitated to Pinot Noir. Wayfarer is a very special place for me personally. It has a soul that can only be felt by breathing in its air, walking on its soil, feeling its warmth."

Wayfarer's winemaker is Todd Kohn who grew up in Redding, three hours north of Sonoma. After graduating from UC Davis with a degree in Viticulture and Enology, Todd first worked at the California sparkling wine house, Schramsberg, where he worked in the vineyard, lab and cellar, learning all aspects of winegrowing and winemaking. He went to gain further experience at several premiere Napa Valley wine producers including Opus One. He then spent time in Australia working in the Mornington Peninsula region of Australia where he worked growing and crafting world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Todd joined Wayfarer in 2013 as Assistant to the Winemaker, working the next 5 years with the Consulting Winemaker to establish Wayfarer’s vineyard practices and winemaking techniques, before taking the helm as Winemaker in December of 2017.

Wayfarer Wayfarer Vineyard Sonoma County Seaview Ross Chardonnay 2019

This is the ultra-premium flagship label for Wayfarer Chardonnay. While Cleo Pahlmayer, Proprietor, oversees the operations, Founder Jason Pahlmeyer's signature conspicuously adorns the label.

The 2019 vintage began with several months of heavy rainfall. Total rainfall for the year was 78 inches, second only to record-setting rainfall in 2017. Chardonnay shoots emerged a full week later than normal. A warm April advanced shoot growth quickly feeding on the energy in the soil from the heavy rainfall, which hit again in May.

Flowering began in early June, a week later than normal, but progressed under the bountiful sunshine in June. The summer of 2019 was full of sunshine, with moderate to cool temperatures the gave way to average high temperature through July and August, perfect for gradually ripening the Chardonnay.

In 2019 Wayfarer waited until the vines reached their optimal point, then moved in with canopy work to transition the vines from vegetative growth to fruit maturation. By the time veraison began in early August, the vines were tracking only three days later than normal. Picking started in mid-September and concluded harvest in early October.

This is a blend of four different clones planted on the Wayfarer property, Berlenbach Old Wente, Dijon 95, Hyde and Mount Eden.

This release was awarded 97 Points by Jeb Dunnuck, 95 Points by Erin Brooks of Wine Advocate, and 93 points by Antonio Galloni, Vinous and Kim Markus of Wine Spectator.

Producer Tasting Notes - "Aromas of star jasmine, white peach, lemon zest and meringue emerge from the glass, along with roasted almond, coconut and baking spice. Graceful and subtle in its richness, this wine has plenty to offer. The dense palate is beautifully balanced with fresh acidity and salinity. An elegant chalky texture lingers on the finish, indicating great aging potential."

This was light golden colored, medium full bodied, floral aromatics, concentrated but nicely balanced and integrated, rich full flavors of citrus, green apple and hints of peach with notes of almond and flint with a crisp clean long finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4035229

https://www.wayfarervineyard.com/

https://twitter.com/WayfarerWine @WayfarerWine

Pour Boys Impromptu Wine Dinner on the deck

 Pour Boys Impromptu Wine Dinner on the deck features top flight Napa Cabernets and medley of reds and whites

We hosted a short notice impromptu wine dinner with Pour Boys Dan and Lyle Saturday evening on the deck. Linda prepared grilled New York Strip beefsteaks with stuffed mushrooms, toasted cheese bread, mashed potatoes, gezpacho soup and tomato and burrata salad. 

Dan and Lyle brought some classic wines from their cellars and I matched or complemented each with matching labels from our cellar, plus several selections to accompany and complement the dinner.

I also pulled a couple of bottles I was eager to try. Following our recent gala Pour Boys Winers and Diners Cityscape wine dinner where Cos d' Estournel was one of the WOTN - Wines of the Night, I was eager to try this aged vintage Cos from our cellar, but held it for a special occasion such as tonight when I could share it with fellow oenophiles. 

Similarly, I recently acquired this 100 point Alvaviva Concho y' Toro Chilean red wine, the Chilean property of the legendary first growth Bordeaux producer Baron Phillip Rothschild, that I was eager to try and share. 

Lyle brought from his cellar a premium Beringer Private Reserve Napa Cabernet so I matched it with a David Arthur from the same vintage, 2008. Additionally, we opened this aged vintage Cos that I was eager to try following the WOTN (Wine of the Night) showing of this label at Terry and Lyle's gala Pour Boys dinner recently.

 
Dan brought from his cellar a vintage premium Aussie Shiraz, Clarendon Hills Clarendon Piggot Range so I pulled a near age label, Montes Folly. We also matched these with the 100 point Alvaviva Concho y' Toro Chilean red wine from the Baron Phillip Rothschild Chilean estate, that I was eager to try and share.

For a starter, prior to dinner and with the chilled gazpacho soup and a tomato, burrata balsamic salad course, we opened a casual easy sipper Napa Valley Rutherford appellation Sauvignon Blanc. Later in the evening we also opened this aged dessert wine.

To close the evening with the grilled peaches on angel food cake and fresh chocolate brownie desserts, I opened another Beringer label, Nightingale Sauterne blend style dessert wine. Look at the dramatic difference in the color of these two white wines! 

The flight:

• Long Meadow Ranch Napa Valley Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc 2018
• Beringer Private Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
• David Arthur Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
• Chateau Cos d' Estournel St Estephe Bordeaux 1979
• Clarendon Hills Clarendon Piggot Range Shiraz 2011
• Montes Folly Shiraz 2010
• Baron Phillip Rothschild Almaviva Concho y' Toro Chile 2017
• Beringer Nightingale Botrytized Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2004

 

Long Meadow Ranch Napa Valley Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc 2018 

Long Meadow Ranch farms in 3 counties over 2,000 acres of grapes, olives, fruits, vegetables and pasture. The Mayacamas Estate is rugged 650-acre landscape nestled in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains also gave way to a long, sweeping meadow, thus the name Long Meadow Ranch was born. 

Their restaurant tasting room hospitality center is on St Helena Highway as you enter town from the south.

Winemaker notes - “A beautiful growing season produced another early and expeditious harvest of outstanding quality. Our overnight picks and slow cold fermentations resulted in rich aromas of pink grapefruit, lemon verbena, and lychee on the nose that carry through to lime zest, lemon curd, and guava on the palate. Crisp, clean, elegant, and mouthwatering, the always versatile Sauvignon Blanc is fit to quaff and pair.” – Justin Carr

https://www.longmeadowranch.com/shop/wine/sauvignon-blanc-rutherford/

Beringer Private Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

This is the flagship Cabernet from one of the most storied producers in Napa Valley. Beringer dates back 1868, when Jacob Beringer, emigrated from Germany, and settled in Napa Valley 1869 where the rocky hillside soil and fertile valley floor resembled that of vineyards back home in Germany. He became cellar foreman for Charles Krug, one of the first commercial winemakers in Napa Valley. In 1875, he and his brother Jacob purchased 215 acres adjacent to Charles Krug in St. Helena for $14,500. The Beringer Brothers' first harvest and crush followed in 1876 producing nearly 40,000 gallons of wine, or 18,000 cases, that first year. 

The Beringer Cabernet was named #1 Wine of the Year for the 1986 Cabernet by Wine Spectator (1990 edition). Six years later, Wine Spectator named the 1994 Chardonnay #1 Wine of the Year (1996 edition) - this is special because not only is it the first time a white wine has ever garnered that top spot, but Beringer was the first and only winery to ever have both a red and a white wine in that top slot. 

Former Chief Winemakers Myron Nightingale and Ed Sbragia created the Private Reserve program in 1977 as the flagship labels of the portfolio. The Private Reserve Chardonnay was introduced with the 1978 vintage, and together these wines have earned three decades of extraordinary accolades, including two "Wine of the Year" awards. The 2015 and 2016 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon vintages were awarded back to back 99-point scores.

The fruit for this 2008 vintage release was predominantly (80% St. Helena, 18% Steinhauer) sourced from the Home Vineyard on the Beringer estate just on the outskirts of St. Helena. This vineyard was part of the original 215 acres Jacob Beringer purchased in 1875. The Cabernet Sauvignon planted on the sloped sedimentary soil of this 48-acre vineyard has been a key component of our Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon since 1982.

The remainder of the Cabernet was sourced from the Steinhauer Ranch vineyard, located at 1,800 feet on Howell Mountain, this 36-acre vineyard of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc sits above the fog, exposed to cool mountain temperatures and high solar radiation. The vineyard is named in honor of Beringer's longtime vineyard manager Bob Steinhauer.

The final blend includes a touch of Petit Verdot (1%) and 1% Cabernet Franc sourced from the Howell Mountain AVA Bancroft Ranch Vineyard. The mountainous 89 acre vineyard has nutrient-poor, rocky soils at 1,800 feet, and produces the intense Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc in this Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Winemaker Notes - "The 2008 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon shows youthful characters of fresh blackberry, black cherry and blueberry, and has bright characteristics of blackberry and blueberry aromas, accented by notes of toast, graphite, cedar and brown spices. The palette is rich and supple with seamless, mouth-coating tannins. The rich, juicy fruit core is highlighted by flavors of cassis, blackberry, sweet cocoa and a light savory note. A nice acidity lifts the fruit and carries it into a prolonged, pleasing finish."

This was awarded 93 points by Stephen Tanzer and 92 points by Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. 

Dark inky purple colored, full bodied, dense concentrated but superbly balanced and integrated, bright expressive ripe sweet blackberry and black raspberry fruits predominate with layers of cassis, dark mocha, with hints of oak, vanilla and graphite. Wine Spectator set the drinking window through 2023 and it certainly appeared to be at its apex. 

RM 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1155222

https://www.beringer.com/

https://twitter.com/beringervyds @beringervyds

https://twitter.com/beringerwinery @beringerwinery

David Arthur Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

The superb Beringer Cabernet was ideally matched by this premium label from the southern end of the Vaca Mountain range of Napa Valley. I pulled this 2008 vintage release to compare with the Beringer for a mini-horizontal tasting. 

We have fun with this label produced by the Long Family on the Long Family Ranch, high atop Pritchard Hill. We visited the David Arthur Napa Valley Estate Vineyards and Winery during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2013. We were joined on that trip by the other of  the Ned Long daughters, wife Linda and sister Pat, who grew up on the Long Family (no relation) farm in Indiana.

David Arthur Vineyards was founded in 1985 by brothers David and Bob Long on land their father Don Long purchased in the late 1950s. David settled in Napa Valley in 1977 and learned the wine business from the ground up working at nearby Chappellet, Joseph Phelps and Schramsberg. 

David prepared the Long Family Ranch site in 1978-79 and planted the first grapes in 1980. Don’s youngest son, David Arthur, founded the winery with his then wife, Joye Dale, in 1985 with the purchase of 30 French oak barrels. The first vintage was the 1985 Chardonnay followed by the first red wine, Meritaggio, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese in 1992 and then Cabernets.

David and Joye’s daughter, Laura Long, now work side by side with her father running the day-to-day operations of the winery and vineyards.

This David Arthur Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 was awarded 93 points Wine Enthusiast. 

This was a great comparison tasting of the same vintage Beringer, both showing superbly at fifteen years of age, likely both at the apex of their drinking windows.

This is blended with 11% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc.

Dark ruby purple colored, medium full bodied, slightly softer and more focused and less complex than the Beringer, since this is sourced from but one single vineayard site, black raspberry and black currant fruits with notes of vanilla, cocoa, hints of mineral, mint, toasty herbs and oak.

RM 93 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2403639

https://www.davidarthur.com

https://twitter.com/DavidArthurVine

@DavidArthurVine

Chateau Cos d' Estournel St Estephe Bordeaux 1979

As noted above, we tasted together this label from a near recent vintage at Lyle and Terry's dinner recently. Hence I was eager to share this aged bottle of the label. 

We drove by the magnificent historic Chateau estate and vineyards that sit on the road on the edge of St Estephe as you round the bend and climb the gentle hill from the Pauillac appellation. 

This release was awarded 92 points Wine Spectator, Three Stars from critic Michael Broadbent.

Wine Advocate said this was "the best of the 1979 St-Estephes" for the vintage. 

At forty years, it was time to open this bottle and we weren't sure what to expect. The label, fill level and foil and most importantly the cork were all in amazing condition, looking more like they were half their age. In 1998, at twenty years, Robert Parker noted "this wine has aged slowly". The longevity was impressive, especially considering this was a 375ml half bottle, another testament to the provenance of our wine cellar!

This showed minimal signs of diminution from age with decent color, bouquet and fruit flavors - ruby/garnet colored, medium bodied, amazing resilience with its flavors and bouquet of black cherry fruits, notes of cassis, and some vanillin, oaky scents. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=73618

We then moved to the bigger more robust Syrahs. 

Clarendon Hills "Piggott Range Vineyard" Syrah McLaren Vale South Australia 2011

This is a label we have enjoyed for more than two decades having discovered it in the '90's. This is our favorite label from this producer who produces several Rhone varietal wines in single vineyard designated labels.

Clarendon Hills is a small family-run winery based in Clarendon, South Australia. The company was founded by biochemist, Roman Bratasiuk, in 1990 when this biochemist and wine lover decided to produce his own wine. Though he'd never trained as a winemaker, Roman was guided by his refined palate and scientific knowledge. Following his favorite producers and preferred styles, Roman sought to make a version of the wines he loved. 

This vintage release of this label was not as big or fruit filled as the other releases I have tasted, taking on a little bit more menthol and acidity than the more complex concentrated fruit flavors of some other vintages we have tasted. 

From an earlier review of this release, "One Cellartracker reviewer MMack gave it 92 points and compared it to a CDP (Chateauneuf du Pape). Vivino reviewer DcLaxFan also likened it to a Rhone, he wrote "From a winery founded by a biochemist, the Syrah opens with a nose of smoked meat, mulberry, tapenade, and plum. Savory mouth of prunes, brisket, cassis, and earth. A wild, smoky, meaty feel like a Rhône Vacqueyras."

Dark inky purple, full bodied, full round blackberry fruits with notes of cassis, bacon fat, black tea and tapenade. The fruit is more subdued than other vintages of this label.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1953014

Previous tastings of this label:

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/11/bbq-ribs-and-syrah-syrah.html 

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2012/08/clarendon-hills-clarendon-piggott-range.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/10/cityscape-syrah-zin-bbq-ribs-wine.html 

https://clarendonhills.com.au/

 

https://twitter.com/ClarendonHills @ClarendonHills 

To compare with this label I pulled this near vintage, same varietal release from a different part of the world, Chile.

Montes Folly La Finca de Apalta Syrah 2010

From an earlier tasting, Montes Folly has been cited as the best Syrah in Chile. It is the first ultra-premium Syrah to be sourced from Chile. The grapes for this Montes Folly grow on the steepest hillsides of the Finca de Apalta vineyards in Apalta, Colchagua, Chile, where the vines have adapted best and have found good balance between yields and vegetative expression.

The terroir driven soils are of granitic origin and primarily consist of decomposing rocks from high above in the chain of mountains that crosses the valley, and therefore the soils in this sector are rather thin and poor in organic matter with a good percolation capacity, which enables the roots to explore the entire profile in search of water.

The grapes are hand-selected and sorted on special selection sorting tables. The vinified wine is then aged in French oak barrels for 24 months.

The 2016 release of this label was awarded 96 points by James Suckling.

Not in the class of the 'old world' Northern Rhone Hermitage Chave, this 'new world' or emerging market Syrah represents the art of the possible of what is coming from the emerging wine producing regions and nascent producers.

More new world style like a big Australian Syrah with its complex concentrated forward fruits, almost obtuse when compared to the Chave, dark inky purple with blackberry and black raspberry fruits highlighted by notes of spice, cassis, currants, mocha and hints of black olive.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1479344

https://www.monteswines.com/en/ 

https://twitter.com/monteswines @MontesWines

And, with the pivot to South America, Chile, I opened this highly rated red from the same region.

Almaviva Baron Phillip Rothschild Concho y' Toro Chile 2017

Almaviva is a partnership between Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, Chairman of the Advisory Board of Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA, and Eduardo Guilisasti Tagle, Chairman of Viña Concha y Toro S.A., formed in 1997 to create exceptional Franco-Chilean wines and launched in 1998.

Almaviva was the first wine in Chile produced under this French Château concept, based upon exceptional terroir, one unique bodega (estate vineyard site) and one technical team – the three of which are dedicated exclusively to the production of one wine seeking unparalleled quality and excellence. The Château concept was introduced in the XIX century in France as a way to honor creative mastery of winegrowers from Bordeaux.

The vineyards are in Puenta Alto to the south of Santiago, Chile.

Almaviva wines are produced under the joint technical supervision of both partners.

Using the Bordeaux Classification system of producers, created back in 1855, Liv-ex published a 2017 Classification of Bordeaux where Almaviva is ranked as second growth. Liv-ex published its fifth Classification of Bordeaux. Like the original classification of 1855, it places fine wines into five classes based on price and visibility. For the first time, this year’s Liv-ex classification has been extended to include regions beyond Bordeaux.

Almaviva was classified as a second growth. This ranks it alongside world renowned brands such as Opus One, Dominus, Vega Sicilia and Bordeaux’s Pichon Baron and Leoville Poyferre, among the finest wines in the world and top one in South America.

According to the producer, the name Almaviva, despite it's Hispanic sonority, belongs to classical French literature: Count Almaviva is the hero of The Marriage of Figaro, the famous play by Beaumarchais (1732-1799), later turned into an opera by the genius of Mozart.

The label design pays homage to Chile’s ancestral history, with three reproductions of a stylized design, which symbolizes their vision of the earth and the cosmos.

The label bears the name Almaviva in Beaumarchais’ own handwriting. 

This is made from a blend of classic Bordeaux varieties, in which Cabernet Sauvignon predominates at 65%, with Carménère, 23%, Cabernet Franc, 5%, Petit Verdot, 5%, and Merlot at 2%.

It was barrel aged 19 Months in new French Oak.

Producer's Tasting Notes - Deep, intense and opaque ruby red. The nose reveals a generous, powerful and layered bouquet of ripe cassis and blackberries, interwoven with hints of mineral, fine notes of vanilla, coffee, black pepper and earth. Dense and full-bodied, the wine fills the mouth with round, ripe and refined tannins, leaving an overall impression of balance and persistence. Produced from an extremely warm, but superb vintage, this well-structured wine of balanced acidity strikes a wonderful combination of elegance and power, with a very promising long aging potential."

This was rated 100 points by James Suckling. 

Despite it's pedigree and superior ratings, this was a bit disjointed, perhaps needing more time in which to integrate and settle. Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, tightly wound and structured black berry fruits with notes of cassis, black tea, leather and earth.

RM 91 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3395373

https://www.almavivawinery.com/en/start/

Beringer Nightingale Botrytized Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2004

In light of the Beringer Private Reserve served earlier, I pulled from the cellar this Beringer French Sauternes-style dessert wine. This is named for Myron Nightingale who joined Beringer in 1971 as the 5th winemaker and developed this special wine.  

This is a classic French Bordeaux Sauterne style blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc.

Winemaker Notes -  "This very special wine offers a golden hue and features aromas of apricot nectar, creme brulee, vanilla and honey. Rich flavors of butterscotch, stone fruit and spice, with just a slight hint of cigar box, coat the mouth and linger for a long, luxurious finish. Whether paired with a cheese course or rich dessert, Nightingale is a wonderful way to end a meal."

According to the producer's website: "The techniques used to make this special botrytised dessert wine were developed by Myron Nightingale (Beringer winemaker, 1971-84) and his wife Alice. The Nightingales spent three decades developing their method for making a wine in the style of the classic French Sauternes. The Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc for this wine were vinified separately and combined only after 23 months of barrel aging."

This was awarded 90 points by Wine Spectator.

Back in 2012, ironically, on the same date, I wrote in tasting this wine,  "Golden yellow on release, this eight year old is taking on a weak tea honey colored hue that will continue to darken with age. Medium to full bodied, scents and flavors of honey, apricot and melon finish with a subtle layer of smoke that moderates the fruit and sweetness." Eleven years later the color has darkened further to a deep golden orange rust color as shown. The sweet fruit is more subdued having taken on more of that smoky tobacco leaf, tea tones.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=441964 

https://www.beringer.com/

https://twitter.com/beringervyds @beringervyds

https://twitter.com/beringerwinery @beringerwinery

 

Signorello Hope's Cuvee Napa Chardonnay 2014

Signorello Hope's Cuvee Napa Chardonnay 2014

Concluding a real estate transaction, Linda and I had an intimate mini-celebration dinner at home on the deck. I pulled from the cellar this premium Napa Valley Chardonnay for the occasion as a pairing with the roasted chicken with haricot verts, carrots and mashed potatoes.

Signorello Hope's Cuvee Napa Valley Chardonnay 2014

As posted in earlier blogposts, we discovered and acquired (the then current release vintage of) this wine during our visit to the Signorello Estate on Silverado Trail in Southeastern Napa Valley during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2013. 

At that time I wrote about this label: "I am predominantly a red wine drinker and while I enjoy an occasional glass of white, most often with appropriate food, I don't normally get excited about a white wine. This chardonnay was the exception,  memorable and special."

As part of proper cellar management, we pulled from our cellar the oldest vintage release in our collection of the multiple vintages we hold of this label.  I had set this bottle aside over the weekend to open with Sis Pat in town since she was with us when we visited the winery (shown below), but we didn't get to it. 

(Former) Signorello Estate overlooking vineyards
and valley floor.

The Signorello winery sits at the very southern end of Napa Valley and has 43 acres of vineyards, including some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in all of Napa Valley - fruit from 37-year-old vines goes into his Hope’s Cuvée.

The magnificent Estate was destroyed in the fires that engulfed much of sections of Sonoma and Napa in 2017. Fires came down the foothills to the property that sat up the hill back from the highway.

The fire reached the winery and completely destroyed the hospitality center that also housed offices, a wine lab and a family residence upstairs. The adjacent  crush pad and stainless steel tanks survived intact along with the barrel cellar and equally if not most importantly, the vines of the adjacent vineyards. 

In the wake of the destruction from Napa Valley’s October 2017 Atlas Peak Fire, Ray Signorello (Jr) vowed to rebuild. We're relieved to read about the Phoenix of Signorella Estate, rising from the ashes, literally, and being rebuilt, even grander and larger than before. Signorello said he viewed the tragedy as an opportunity to do something new and exciting and is rebuilding with a larger fermentation facility, wine caves and a stunning expanded hospitality center.

The winery has kept almost all of its team employed as an interim step toward returning to normalcy and they have been operating out of a modular building was brought in to serve as a temporary hospitality center.

The adjacent Darioush property nearby that sits at the valley floor closer to the highway and similarly situated properties were untouched.

Signorello "Hope's Cuvée" Napa Valley Chardonnay 2014

The 2014 Chardonnay Hope’s Cuvée is crafted from a selection of the best lots and barrels sourced from the thirty-five year old vines on the 5 acre estate vineyard in front of the winery overlooking the valley floor. There were 379 cases produced of this wine, which went through 44% malolactic and was aged in 56% new French oak. 

Winemaker/producer Notes - Hope’s Cuvée Chardonnay showcases our utmost dedication to excellence, named in honor of my mother, Hope Signorello. It benefits from an intimate understanding of our 5.12 acre parcel on the west side of our hill. Planted 36 years ago with clonal selections from one of the region’s earliest outstanding vineyards, it is now one of the oldest Chardonnay vineyards in Napa Valley. Night-time hand-harvesting into small trays protects the varietal’s refined and delicate flavors. This wild yeast and unfiltered Chardonnay can be enjoyed over the next 12 years. 

This release was awarded 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

This is one of the few Chardonnays that we keep in our cellar that is vastly predominantly red wines. This was delicious and most likely at the apex of it's drinking profile, but likely not to improve from further aging, so time to drink up. The fill level, label, foil and most importantly, the cork were all pristine, in ideal condition, still wrapped in the tissue packaging, we acquired this bottle upon release and have held it in our cellar for nearly a decade.

Bright golden yellow colored, medium-full bodied, rich, textured, round fruits, hints of butterscotch and peach accented by honeysuckle, nut, stone, and what Parker calls "plenty of orange blossom, lemon custard and crushed rock notes. It is certainly very Burgundian and almost like a grand cru from the village of Puligny-Montrachet," with a long flavorful lip-smacking finish.

RM 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2232077

https://www.signorelloestate.com/

https://twitter.com/SigVin 

@SigVin 

Day in Chicago - Art Institute - Chez Joël French Bistro

Day in Chicago - Art Institute - Chez Joël Authentic French Bistro Cuisine with High QPR Wine Selections

Sister Pat and niece Lauren visited for the weekend and we did one of our favorite Chicago excursions, the magnificent Art Institute of Chicago (AIC), followed by dinner at Chez Joël Authentic French Bistro. I've posted notes about Chez Joël in these pages going back ten years or more.

Photo from earlier visit

We've been members of the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) for more than three decades and make a point to frequently take advantage of one of the crown jewels of Chicago including seeing all the major exhibits. AIC was named the best Museum in the World and Chicago’s #1 attraction by TripAdvisor, the only museum in the world to be top-ranked by TripAdvisor four years in a row. It has the greatest Impressionist collection outside Paris and contemporary masterpieces in the spectacular Modern Wing.

I never tire of seeing my favorites from the extensive collections including many iconic works - my absolute favorite Night Hawks by Edward Hopper,  A Sunday on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat that covers an entire gallery wall, Claude Monet's Water Lillies, ‘Paris Street; Rainy Day’ by Gustave Caillebotte, 65 works by Pierre August Renoir, Nightlife by Archibald John Motley Jr., and even some works by Frank Lloyd Wright for whom I'm a docent interpreter and give tours at the FLW Home & Studio and so many more!

This was the last weekend to see the Salvador Dali special exhibit at the Art Institute, and, not surprisingly, it was well attended with large crowds and long lines. Fortunately, the Van Gogh special exhibit also recently opened and we were able to see that as well. It is a detailed learned exhibit and definitely warrants a return trip for a more in-depth focused visit. 

The "Salvador Dalí: The Image Disappears Exhibit", the first devoted to the Spanish Surrealist at the Art Institute, featured more than 30 paintings, drawings, photos, and surrealist objects, as well as a selection of printed matter, books, and artists ephemera. The exhibit cover the pivotal decade of the 1930s when Salvador Dalí emerged as the inventor of his own personal brand of Surrealism, "considering Dalí’s work in light of two defining, if contradictory, impulses: an immense desire for visibility and the urge to disappear".

The "Van Gogh and the Avant-Garde: The Modern Landscape" exhibit runs through the summer until September. It covers the period between 1882 and 1890 and actually features five artists; Vincent van Gogh, along with Georges Seurat, Paul Signac, Emile Bernard, and Charles Angrand and their work in the villages on the fringes of Paris. AIC text - "Unlike the earlier Impressionists, who in the previous decade had spent significant time in suburban locations further from the city, this next generation of ambitious artists preferred the northwestern suburbs around Asnières. This area along the Seine River had long been a popular spot for recreation and relaxation but was becoming increasingly populated with coal, gas, and manufacturing facilities in the last decades of the 19th century. And while its industrial development was an unappealing aspect to many, these artists found in the changing physical and social landscape a fresh and rich source of creativity, as Van Gogh’s letter indicates."

The exhibit featured more than 75 paintings and drawings from this "intensely creative period" — many from private collections and rarely publicly displayed — brought together for this insightful presentation. Among them are 25 works by Van Gogh, including paintings from all three triptychs that he executed in these suburbs. It was fun to see one of the major works was loaned to the exhibition by son Ryan's boss's boss's ultimate boss, Larry Ellison, Chairman and Founder of Oracle.

https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9639/van-gogh-and-the-avant-garde-the-modern-landscape

https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9713/salvador-dali-the-image-disappears

From the AIC we went to Little Italy, Taylor Street for dinner.

As we have written often before in these pages, Chez Joël is one of our favorite eateries in the City (Chicago). As usual the service was outstanding, food was delectable and the price was agreeable.

Chez Joël located on Taylor Street in what is still referred to as 'Little Italy' is quaint, artsy, intimate, tasteful, comfortable,  authentic yet unpretentious in its French Bistro setting and faire. We had a perfect lat summer evening sitting outside in the adjacent courtyard.

I had the Filet Mignon with pomme puree', Linda and Pat shared/split the daily special pan seared White Fish, and Lauren had the Coq au vin  (shown in order, below).

As usual, we started with the Pâté de deux Sortes Duck Liver Pâté and the Fromage de Brie Chaud, warm Brie Cheese with Honey, Caramelized Granny Smith Apples, Apricot, Garlic, Pistachio & Toast.

And as with previous visits, we had from the winelist one of our favorite labels, the Crozes Hermitage Northern Rhone Syrah, as recounted in my previous blogpost from last fall.

Marlène & Nicolas Chevalier Les Voleyses Crozes Hermitage 2020

Once part of the cave co-operative at Tain-Hermitage, since 2008 the family vineyards of Domaine Chevalier are gradually being reclaimed by the brother and sister team of Nicolas and Marlène Chevalier. Nicolas tends the vineyards and crafts each cuvee, while Marlène handles all of the sales and marketing for Domaine Chevalier.

Following his formal agricultural studies in France, Nicolas spent four years honing his winemaking skills on estates in Australia, California and South Africa. After completing studies in agronomy and enology in France, he headed to South Australia’s Clare Valley where he mastered various techniques for fermenting Shiraz (Syrah). He then worked with Kendall Jackson in California crafting white winemaking skills. To further his post-graduate wine studies, he spent 2002 in South Africa working at legendary three-hundred-year-old Boschendal estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa, a winery renowned for its superb Syrah-based wines.

Marlène and Nicolas Chevalier farm three small vineyards at their meticulously tended family property comprising 3 1/2 acres in Crozes-Hermitage from which they produce on average 500 cases of red and white Rhône wines in tiny lots which are highly allocated. Their wines are found only in a couple of importer direct wine clubs and renowned restaurants in North American.

This is from Crozes, the village adjacent the more prestigious appellation that shares part of its name, but operates in Hermitage’s shadow. The Crozes-Hermitage appellation area extends about 10 miles (16 km) both north and south of Tain and Hermitage itself and is known to produce more approachable wines than its higher profile neighbor. By 2017, almost 4,200 acres (1,700 ha) of vines had been planted among the local cherry and apricot orchards. Unlike Hermitage, land in Crozes-Hermitage is relatively affordable and available providing an opportunity for enthusiastic newcomers, as well as a number of local growers, who want to bottle the fruit of their own labors, rather than send their production to the Cave de Tain co-op, the case of this wine too.  

Nicolas works with several distinct parcels for their wines: La Motte, Marius, Petite Pend, Les Pends and namesake source for this label, Les Voleyses. These vineyards have clay and limestone soils with excellent exposure, known to produce ripe, high quality grapes with great aromatic character and freshness. The Domaine Chevalier site has been producing grapes for notable wines gaining high praise and critical acclaim for more than three centuries.

Like the 2018 vintage we tasted earlier, the 2020 vintage was also top rated in the Northern Rhône. This represents a great value, high QPR (quality price ratio) wine.

 

Importer notes for the 2018 release: The 2018 Domaine Chevalier Les Voleyses Crozes-Hermitage sports a brilliant purple robe and a captivating aroma redolent with the scents of blackberry, plum, violets, and exotic spices. Sensuous and seductive in the mouth, the 2018 Les Voleyses graces the palate with a silky texture and pure floral, fruit, and forest floor flavors that have aptly been described as hedonism in a glass. Moreover, the 2018 Domaine Chevalier Les Voleyses is juicy and harmonious to the finish, as it makes an exit with joyful panache.

 

The Voleyses Cuvée is 100% Syrah made from younger vine fruit and aged in stainless steel.

 

Tonight's tasting was totally consistent with our earlier experiences with this label.

Deep inky purple colored medium-full bodied, full round layers of blackberry and plum fruits, notes of black tea, spice and leather overtake the fruits, turning to soft chewy textured tannins on a medium finish. 

RM 91 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4133858

The 2018 release - https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3495672
Earlier vintage release blogpost - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/12/intimate-dinner-suzettes-creperie.html

As usual and to be expected at Chez Joel, a wonderful, relaxing fun wine and dine evening.

http://chezjoelbistro.com/

 

 

Zaca Mesa Mesa Reserve Santa Ynez Syrah

 Zaca Mesa Mesa Reserve Santa Ynez Syrah 2017

Son Alec stopped by to see cousin Lauren and Aunt Pat in town for the weekend. We opened this robust Syrah for casual sipping with artisan cheeses, fresh fruits and veggies on the deck. 

We wrote about this Zaca Mesa Winery label when we tasted it upon receipt as part of our wine club allocation shipment late last fall - Zaca Mesa Mesa Reserve Santa Ynez Syrah.

We visited the Zaca Mesa Estate and Vineyards in Santa Ynez Valley during our Santa Barbara County Wine Experience a year ago last spring. We joined their wine club after tasting their portfolio of Rhone varietal based wines highlighting Syrah, one of our favorite varietals. 

Located just 25 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the vineyards sit in the sweet spot between a cool and warm climate. The high elevation vineyard site in Santa Barbara County’s  Santa Ynez Valley wine country give them the ability to grow dynamic, balanced Rhône grapes like Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier.

Ranging from cool and foggy in the west to warm and dry in the east, the Santa Ynez Valley is a climatically diverse growing area. The most expansive AVA within the larger Santa Barbara County region, Santa Ynez is also home to a wide variety of soil types and geographical features. The appellation is further divided into four distinct sub-AVAs—Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon—each with its own defining characteristics.

A wide selection of grapes are planted there with more than sixty different varieties, and counting including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that pre-dominate in the chilly west, while Zinfandel, Rhône blends, and Bordeaux blends rule to the arid east. Syrah is successful at both ends of the valley, with a lean and peppery, Old-World sensibility closer to the coast and lush berry fruit further inland.

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

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

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

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

Zaca Mesa Estate Vineyard

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

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

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

Zaca Mesa Mesa Reserve Santa Ynez Valley Estate Syrah 2017

Winemakers' Notes on this release.  The 2017 Mesa Reserve is a brooding wine. It is comprised of our favorite blocks of Syrah on our estate ranging in vine age from 9- 22 years. The 2017 Mesa Reserve Syrah’s black ripe fruits are saturated with aromatic notes of churned earth, smoked meat, sweet cigar, and dark chocolate. Upon the first sip, the texture and tannins are bold, delivering a decadent middle palate layered with flavors of plum and blackberry jam.

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

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

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

This was delightful with hearty aged Gouda cheese, dark chocolate and assorted fresh fruits and veggies. 

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

RM 91 points. 

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

https://www.zacamesa.com/

 

Zaca Mesa Winery Twitter - @ZacaMesa_Wine

https://shop.zacamesa.com/2017-Mesa-Reserve-Syrah-6pk-

Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red Wine Bordeaux Blend 2006

Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red Wine Bordeaux Blend and Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel with BBQ beef brisket and chocolate finisher

Dearest friends, 'brother' Bob and Gloria were in town from South Florida and we hosted them for an informal dinner on the deck, of beef brisket and red wines. 

I pulled from the cellar this Columbia Valley Bordeaux Blend that proved to be a perfect pairing. This is a wine that we enjoyed together at the Delray Beach Wine Room Kitchen Wine and Cheese Bar during a visit to South Florida - Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red Wine. The Wine Room Kitchen Wine and Cheese Bar in Delray Beach boast to have "The World's Largest Selection of Wine by the Glass!

This is from Quilceda Creek, one of the top producers in Washington State. (Check out the absolutely breathtaking video of their vineyards on their website.) The current winery was founded by Alex Golitzin in 1978, nephew of the legendary wine pioneer André Tchelistcheff, the first vintage was produced in 1979. Quilceda Creek has a long history dating back to the late 1800's and was Washington State’s 12th bonded winery after Prohibition.

Today, Quilceda Creek produce world class Cabernet Sauvignons from five vineyards in the notable Horse Heaven Hills and Red Mountain American Viticultural Areas (AVA) in the Columbia River Valley in Central Washington State. Their Champoux Vineyard is one of the oldest vineyards in Washington State and the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown there have produced five of Quilceda Creek’s perfect 100-point wines. Grapes for the sixth 100-point wine were sourced from Galitzine Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA.

Paul Golitzin, Alex and Jeannette Golitzin’s son serves as President and Winemaker overseeing all aspects of winemaking and vineyard operations. Paul grew up at the winery and learned the craft of winemaking from his father, Alex, and his great uncle, André Tchelistcheff.

The legendary Andre Tchelistcheff became one of the most influential and accomplished figures in the American Wine Industry. While studying at French National Agronomy Institute and doing research at the Pasteur Institute, he was introduced in 1938 to Beaulieu Vineyards (BV) founder and owner Georges de Latour. Tchelistcheff had offers from winemakers worldwide but agreed to join Beaulieu Vineyard in Napa Valley as BV's vice president and chief winemaker.

Tchelistcheff defined the style for high-quality California Cabernet Sauvignon, and created the "Georges de Latour Private Reserve" label. He crafted many techniques of modern winemaking and introduced new procedures such as aging wine in small French Oak barrels, cold fermentation, vineyard frost protection, malolactic fermentation, and he was instrumental in helping develop the winemaking regions in Carneros, California, Oregon and Washington.

Tchelistcheff  remained vice president of Beaulieu Vineyards until his retirement in 1973 and went on to become consulting enologist to some of the biggest names in American wines such as Jordan Vineyard & Winery  beginning with its inaugural 1976 vintage. He also consulted to Joseph Heitz, Mike Grgich, Joel Aiken, Neibaum/Coppola, Buena Vista Winery, George & Peter Rubissow, Erath Winery, Sequoia Grove, Chateau Ste. Michelle, and Columbia Crest Winery. 

While consulting for Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington, Tchelistcheff advised Mike McGrath in 1991 from Conn Creek Winery with the Anthology "Bordeaux Blend" program. There he also gave winemaking advice to his nephew, Alex Golitzin who went on to found Quilceda Creek Winery in with a focus on Cabernet Sauvignon. Tchelistcheff was inducted into the Culinary Institute of America's Vintner's Hall of Fame in 2007.

Under the tutelage and mentoring of Tchelistcheff and his father, Alex Golitzin, the handicraft of Paul Golitzin and Quilceda Creek has become internationally recognized for it's world class Cabernet Sauvignon and has been awarded ten 100-point scores from leading critics.

Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red Wine Bordeaux Blend 2006

This is the baby second wine to the ultr-premium Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignons. It is produced from declassified fruit as an introduction to Quilceda Creek’s brand, and intended to be enjoyed in its youth providing early drinking gratification. While not at the quality level of the top wines, it is a fair introduction to the house style at a fraction of the price providing a decent QPR - Quality Price Ratio. (The ultra-premium big brother flagship 2006 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded 99 points by Decanter, 98 points by Wine Enthusiast, and 96 points by Wine Advocate.)

The 2006 vintage release Columbia Valley Red was sourced from grapes from the Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Galitzine, Klipsun, and Tapteil Vineyards and aged the wine in French oak, much of it new, for 22 months. 

 

This is a classic sophisticated Bordeaux Blend comprised of 77 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec. 2200 cases were produced.

 

Winemaker notes - "It’s a very traditional Bordeaux style combination, and while you may not be able to pick out the individual varietal components, you’d notice their absence if they were missing. We make this wine for our clients’ enjoyment on the early side, and while it is medium bodied compared with the heft of our other wines, it does not lack for complexity and fullness. On release it displayed notes of black cherry fruit, cedar, spice, vanilla, and a hint of savory minerality. It was approachable then, with at least 15 years ahead of it.'

"The Quilceda Creek 2006 Red Wine Columbia Valley is a blend of declassified lots which reflect the richness and complexity of the vintage. This is one of our favorite Red Wine offerings to date. This medium bodied wine displays black cherry fruit, cedar, spice, vanilla and minerals."

This release was awarded 92 points by Wine Advocate. 

At seventeen years, the fill level, label, foil, and importantly, the cork were in ideal condition. This was at the apex of its drinking window, but likely nearing the end, and won't improve with further aging. Enjoy it in the next few years.

Dark ruby-colored, medium to full-bodied, concentrated but nicely integrated and balanced sweet black currant fruits with note of cola, cassis, mocha, tobacco leaf, graphite and floral violets with a moderate smooth polished soft tannins on the finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=552969

https://www.quilcedacreek.com/

Earlier tasting blogpost - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/09/forts-latourquilcedaredwine.html

https://twitter.com/quilcedawine 

@quilcedawine

We then pulled from the cellar and tasted this unique Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel. As I wrote in an earlier post about this was a huge hit pairing it with barbecue pork and Baby Ray's barbecue sauce. Tonight proved to be the case as well, pairing this wine with the beef brisket, and then as much so, with the chocolate cake with caramel drizzle and fresh berries for dessert. Wow! Once again, the combination of the two, each perfectly accenting and highlighting the other, was delightful for a sensational sensory experience! 

Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel 2017

Another reason for the appropriateness of this wine tonight is that we're all fellow Indiana Hoosiers. Bob is from Indiana and indeed we met as Fraternity Brothers at Indiana University. 

Hence, I pulled this Carpenter Creek Cellars from north central Indiana which was featured in an earlier post in these pages when we visited the winery and discovered their wines. They acquire grapes from growers throughout the midwest, California, and also grow some of their own. 

For this Zinfandel varietal selection, they obtained grapes from northern California sources, and aged the wine in used Bourbon Barrels. The result was infusing an exotic smokiness and liquor layer that when combined with the full forward Zinfandel fruits accentuated and highlighted the tangy barbecue wonderfully. 

Linda stopped in at Carpenter Creek during her visit with out of state family a while back and tasted and picked up a couple bottles of this label. We liked it and hence picked up some more when they re-released the label.

This label release from Carpenter Creek Cellars features a striking gold label packaging, the first indication that there is something special going on here.

Garnet colored, slightly opaque, medium-full-bodied, black fruits accented by clove spice, smoke, caramel, vanilla, and hints of black pepper and cocoa. An nice pairing with with BBQ and chocolate.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3807095