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Gabe
On Episode 22 of One Bottle Each, the second Music Edition, I’m joined by my dear friend Peppino D’Agostino. Peppino is a composer and among the greatest acoustic guitarists in the world. We chat about music and wine. Peppino plays “Buster” from his latest release “Connexion” and we taste a Zinfandel from Ironstone Vineyards in Lodi.
One Episode 22
We tasted Ironstone Vineyards 2019 Reserve Zinfandel
Peppino played us “Buster” from the album “Connexion”
To learn more about Peppino and purchase his music head over to his website
You can stream Peppino’s Music and follow him on Spotify
To learn more about Ironstone Vineyards head over to their site.
Watch my chat with Peppino here:
Below you can watch my chat with Georges Dubeouf's North American Export Director Romain Teyteau. In Part Two of this multi-part series we dive into Morgon which stands as one of the most recognizable Domaine wines that Georges Duboeuf brings to the United States.
Romain and I dive into specifics about the Appellation. We discuss the age worthiness of this particular wine and more. Throughout our chat we taste the 2018 Vintage of Domaine Jean Ernest Descombes Morgon. Look for episode three coming soon.
On Episode 16 of One Bottle Each I’m joined by my friend Melanie Ofenloch, aka Dallas Wine Chick. In addition to writing the extremely popular blog of the same name, Melanie contributes to a number of other outlets, My guest and I each pre-arrange a bottle each for us to taste. This time out we selected wines from Armenia and Spain. Melanie and I dive into a number of topics, including Zinfandel, a grape important to both of our wine stories.
On Episode 16 We Tasted:
Keush Blanc De Blancs 2013 ($25.99)
Beronia 2010 Gran Reserva ($30)
Watch our chat and tasting here
On Episode 14 of One Bottle Each I’m joined by my friend Gil Kulers. Gil recently retired from his gig as Sommelier at The Piedmont Driving Club and is now a Wine Specialist at Tower Beer, Wine & Spirits. My guest and I each pre-arrange a bottle each for us to taste. This time Gil selected a bottle from Virginia and I chose a bottle from Argentina. Gil and I discuss Italy, Virginia, Argentina, Red Blends, and more
On Episode 14 Gil and I taste and discuss:
Barboursville 2019 Vermentino Reserve ($23)
Bodegas Bianchi 2017 Enzo Bianchi Gran Corte
Watch Gil and I here
I recently tasted a selection of wines from Flat Top Hills with Head Winemaker Randy Herron and Consulting Winemaker Angelina Mondavi. We met over Zoom and discussed not only these specific wines, but also the project in general.
Flat Top Hills is named after a piece of property in the Dunnigan Hills that the Mondavi Family has owned for years. They supplement their Estate fruit with select purchases of fruit in other regions such as Alexander Valley, The Sierra Foothills and Dry Creek Valley.
Flat Top Hills is an environmentally friendly producer. Whether it’s Farming practices, Green facilities, or being Socially Equitable, their across the board their practices are consistent. That’s not something always seen in a brand coming to market with value driven wines.
A number of things impressed me about this set of wines. Across the board they’re full of varietal character. These wines are proportionate and they’re dry. Often when it comes to wines in the vast under $20 category, the offerings tend to be fit for palates looking for sweet wines. In speaking to Randy and Angelina it’s clear the goal is to create wines that are a step up in quality from the entry level wines many begin their drinking journey with. And while lots of wine lovers have started their journey with wines that have a little bit of residual sugar in them and moved on to other things eventually, there isn’t always a clear path forward. Having wines that are well made, dry, and well-priced offers a natural place for consumers to graduate to.
Flat Top Hills 2018 Sauvignon Blanc ($14)
The moment I sampled this Sauvignon Blanc my interest was piqued. Citrus notes abound from the first whiff to the last sip. This crisp and refreshing SB is balanced and food friendly.
Flat Top Hills 2018 Chardonnay ($14)
Green apple notes are the dominant characteristic here. Hints of spice are evident too along with wisps of Bartlett Pear. This is terrific entry level Chardonnay to pour for someone who thinks they don’t like Chardonnay.
Flat Top Hills 2019 Rosé ($14)
Composed of Dolcetto, Grenache, and Carignane, this Rosé is a bit darker hued than the “extremely pales Rosé” that lives in my minds eye. Don’t let the color fool you, this is an excellent example of Rosé and one of my two favorites of this lineup. Red fruit drives the aromatics and the flavors here. Red apple, cherry and cranberry are evident along with a touch of vanilla bean. I warn you it’s hard to stop drinking this once you start.
Flat Top Hills 2016 Red Blend ($16)
The under $20 Red Blend category is easily the most afflicted when it comes to sweet wines lacking character or depth. This blend of Merlot, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah puts the lie to that notion. This wine is dry, balanced and eminently food friendly. Dark fruit, spice and dusty chocolate notes are all evident. If you’re looking for a house red to purchase by the case, this would be a fine choice.
Flat Top Hills 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon ($16)
Blueberry, plum and black cherry notes are evident here from the moment you stick your nose in the glass. Savory herbs, hints of vanilla and a dusting of cocoa are present as well. Crushed cherry notes drive the solid finish.
Below you can watch my chat with Georges Dubeouf's North American Export Director Romain Teyteau. In Part One of this multi-part series we dive into Pouilly-Fuissé a white wine appellation in the Mâconnais District of Beaujolais.
Romain and I dive into specifics about the Appellation and compare it to another famous Chardonnay region, among other topics. Throughout our chat we taste the 2018 Vintage of Domaine-Beranger Pouilly-Fuissé. This tiny 200 case production has a suggested retail price of $39.99. Watch our chat below and look for additional parts in this series in the weeks ahead.
There are quite a few reasons I not only drink Zinfandel on the regular but rarely turn down an opportunity to taste Zin if presented. Food friendliness and value relative to so many other grapes at a high level are among those reasons. But the biggest reason is how diverse it is as a grape. Zinfandel can vary so much based on where it’s grown as well as the winemaker’s choices. Here are four examples I’ve tasted recently that stood out.
Victor Hugo Winery 2017 Estate Zinfandel ($26)
I’ve long been a fan of this Boutique Paso Robles producer. This is entirely Zinfandel from the Templeton Gap section of Paso. It leans towards red fruit aromas and flavors tinged by darker fruits. Red raspberry and Bing cherry are buttressed by bits of boysenberry, black pepper, dusty cocoa and hints of toast. As with their portfolio in general this wine is impeccably proportionate and will reward those with the patience to cellar it for the next 5-8 years.
McCay Cellars 2016 TruLux Zinfandel ($32)
This bottle was my first time tasting a wine from McCay Cellars, a Lodi based producer and it certainly won’t be my last. Tasting this Zinfandel was eye-opening. If I had to use a single word to describe this Zin, I’d choose pretty. Everything about this Zinfandel from the beautiful aromatics to the lovely, gentle palate is just that, pretty. Ripe strawberry and red raspberry inform the nose. Those characteristics continue on the palate where they’re joined by savory herbs and bits of red apple. The finish shows off tart fruit and bits of black tea.
Rombauer 2018 Zinfandel ($35)
This Zinfandel combines fruit from Amador County (42%), Lake County (32%), Napa County (17%), and Lodi (3%). In addition to Zin there’s 3% Petite Sirah blended in. Amador County is the largest contributor by percentage and it’s apparent to me when tasting this offering. This a a deeply favored Zin loaded with deep, dark and lush flavors. Black Raspberry, Blackberry and Boysenberry are all in play here. Bits of vanilla bean, chocolate sauce and pepper spice come along for the ride too. It’s bold and somewhat bodacious but still balanced.
Peterson Winery 2015 Bradford Mountain Estate Zinfandel ($40)
Zinfandel is one of the signature grapes of Dry Creek Valley and Peterson Winery makes a handful of distinct examples. This offering from their Bradford Mountain Estate is consistently among their most impressive and age-worthy. The nose is stuffed with spice and dark fruit. Black plum, blueberry, and black raspberry flavors are all evident. Pepper spice, earth and bits of chicory are evident on the finish. A firm vein of acidity keeps things mouthwatering and simply delectable.
There’s a wide world of interesting Zinfandels out there to taste. Here at four delicious and well priced examples to put on your short list.
Pinot Noir and Value don’t intersect as often as one might imagine. There are myriad reasons for this. In short though, it’s a notoriously finicky grape that has too often been planted in the wrong spots, bastardized by having other varieties blended with it, over cropped or over-manipulated. Many who really love this grape would agree that more than most other varieties, genuine Pinot Noir has a real “true north.” Some of the other incredibly widely planted grapes of the world such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and to a degree Cabernet Sauvignon have a broader array of styles acceptable to a purist.
As a result finding examples of Pinot Noir that exhibit genuine character while also providing value is harder than it reasonably should be. This can be particularly true in California which is home to quite a few well known wines labelled as Pinot Noir, that have little in common with the soul of this great grape. Certainly California is home to many outstanding Pinot Noirs as well, but most of those are outside of the everyday drinking category for most.
Here are three that have suggested retail prices of $25 or under and can often be found on store shelves across the United States for under $20.
Cherry Pie 2017 Tri-County Pinot Noir ($23)
A bit of an outlier in this trio in that it’s the only one not from Russian River Valley. Instead the fruit here is a cuvee from the producer’s sources in Monterey, Santa Barbara, and Napa. Red cherry, and strawberry characteristics are evident from the first whiff to the last sip. Along the way wisps of savory herbs and spice are evident as well. Persistent acidity rums the gamut here too. Appealing fruit aromas and flavors plus fine structure makes this an excellent value and a lovely example of the fact that Pinot Noir can be an everyday value when treated properly.
Rodney Strong 2017 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($25)
from the trio of wines this one has been been around the longest and thus has a suitably matching track record of excellence over many years. Rodney Strong is a venerable producer of Sonoma County wines in a large swath of price tiers. Year after year their wines over deliver. The Russian River Valley Pinot is no exception. Currant and red cherry drive the aromatics. The palate shows off tart black cherry and bits of black tea. Hints of graham cracker crust and cocoa are evident on the long, acid rich finish. I’ve been drinking this wine consistently for over a decade, it’s always been an excellent value in the past and that’s still true today.
Raeburn 2019 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($25)
Raeburn Winery has been around for less than a decade, but they’re already leaving an impression. Over the last year of so I’ve sampled several vintages of their Pinot Noir as well as their Chardonnay and Rosé. Each is produced from Russian River fruit, which is evident the moment you taste them. And they’ve all been well crafted and represent solid, or better values. Both in aromatics and flavors this Pinot Noir leans towards dark fruit. Blackberry, raspberry and black currant are all evident. Cinnamon as well as hints of crème fraiche and leather are all evident on the above average finish.
Yes Virginia, you can get well-made Pinot Noir for less than $25.
On Episode 11 of “One Bottle Each I’m joined by my friend Lisa Denning. Online Lisa is The Wine Chef. Both by passion and education she’s deeply immersed in both the worlds of Wine and Food. She writes about both of them for he own site as well as others
In every episode of “One Bottle Each",” my guest and I each introduce a wine for us to taste and talk about.
On Episode 11 Lisa and I taste and dive into a lively discussion about a pair of Chardonnays. One from Burgundy and the other from California’s Russian River Valley.