Visiting Robert Sinskey Vineyards

There’s a specific trip to Napa, years ago, that really stands out in my mind. The reason I recall this particular one so fondly is that I visited several Wineries that have become favorites, for the first time. A couple of them in fact were recommended to me by the same person. One of those places was Robert Sinskey Vineyards. It struck a chord with me and I’ve returned to taste often. But I’d never toured their facility. In getting ready for my most recent trip I was speaking to a friend who I was going to taste with and she also mentioned wanting to visit Sinskey. It seemed the time to tour at Robert Sinskey had arrived. So last Sunday I arrived at Robert Sinskey with a couple of friends and we took the Cave Raider Tour. This tour takes place weekdays at 1:00 PM and 11:00 AM on Weekends. We were greeted warmly and poured a taste of wine as we waited a couple of moments for the rest of our tour. It turned out we toured and tasted alongside two winemakers from Jacob’s Creek in Australia. The 5 of us and our well informed guide made our way through the garden outside the winery. Robert Sinskey Vineyards is Organic and Biodynamic. Part of the commitment to that way of farming is a garden outside their door which is used by the onsite chefs to craft morsels for events at the Winery.

After the garden we walked by the production area and then made our way to the caves. I couldn’t possibly begin to count the number of caves I’ve seen when touring wine regions. But there is something about them that remains fascinating, invigorating and incredibly exciting to me. Part of it might be the fact that I know I’m many feet below the earth, and the recognition of the work that went into creating these underground wonders. Another is the stacks of barrels full of wine all around. While I may not think of it with every cave I visit, subconsciously I recognize that I’m surrounded by the wine I’ll probably taste next time I visit, or pick up at my local shop down the road sometime.

When we emerged from the cave we tasted a flight of wines on the patio at their outside bar. After a couple of whites, of which Abraxas was my favorite, we moved to Pinot Noir. This classic grape is the workhorse at Robert Sinskey. They make both cuvee’s and single vineyard designate versions. The Vandal Vineyard Pinot we tasted was a standout for me amongst the couple we sampled. Each of the wines was paired with little morsels prepared by the kitchen. I’ve always been particularly fond of their Cabernet Franc and was quite happy when our host Caine, pulled one out for us to taste. This is also made from their Vandal Vineyard. Another treat was a 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon. While this wine is quite delicious now it still showed plenty of fruit and seems to have quite a number of years of positive evolution ahead of it. In total we tasted about half a dozen wines.

In addition to delicious wines and in this case tasty bites to match them I’m very fond of the atmosphere at Robert Sinskey Vineyards. More than just welcoming it’s warm, hospitable and very comfortable with a combination of rustic charm and modern accommodations. Their Organic and Biodynamic approach is also one I appreciate. Throughout the tour we learned a lot about their methods of winemaking and commitment to Organics. That said much of what we learned was driven by questions from those of us on the tour. Our host provided a perfect amount of information himself and gave us plenty of room to inquire about what we wanted to know.

The Cave Raider tour is one I can heartily recommend. It’s by appointment and the cost is $30 per person. That’s partially refundable with a purchase. However in addition to this Sinskey offers a Culinary Tour and Bento Box Tasting. Each of these has designated times they are available for appointments. Of course if you simply want to taste Robert Sinskey Vineyards is open daily from 10:00 Am to 4:30 Pm. They’re located at 6320 Silverado Trail. This continues to be a stop I look forward to time after time. Give them a try; it may become one of your favorites too.

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The "12 Days of Pinot Noir" Is Coming

A couple times a year I celebrate the Wine version of Christmas. How do I do that you ask? Pretty simple actually, I focus on a single varietal for 12 straight days. Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and most recently Cabernet Franc are amongst the varietals I've celebrated this semi-annual holiday with over the last couple of years. When I was thinking about what I should taste for the Fall 2009 edition of "12 Days," Pinot struck me as a no brainer. I've yet to run across a varietal of wine I don't like at all. But by the same token, few grapes get me as excited as Pinot Noir can. When they're excellent I find them downright inspirational. If I'm going to sit in the corner or under a tree and contemplate life with a bottle of wine, more than likely it's going to be Pinot Noir.

So, starting on October 1, it'll be all Pinot Noir for 12 days. How many Pinot Noirs am I going to write about you ask? I can't tell you, because I don't know yet. I'm tasting through quite a few Pinot's (well over 80) and I'll post here about the ones I like best. What I can tell you is that the Willamtte Valley in Oregon and the Santa Cruz Mountains of California are the areas I'm mostly tasting from. A couple of other appellations are on my tasting schedule and they may make it in as well. So depending on how many wines hit my sweet spot, look for multiple posts on most days. October is almost here and so is the 12 Days of Pinot Noir! Are you excited? I am and I hope you'll check in often to read up on my Pinot progress. As I write this I'm checking my list of Pinot Noir and organizing tasting flights, not to mention making sure all of my Burgundy glasses ares clean and ready to accept wine.

Of course a few months down the road and there will be another "12 Days" event. I'm open to suggestions for what the next varietal should be. So please shoot me a message and give me your thoughts. And by all means Drink some Pinot this week to help ne celebrate the 12 days of Pinot Noir!

Dinner With Kim Longbottom & Renae Hirsch of Henry's Drive

Last week I had the opportunity to have dinner with Kim Longbottom and Renae Hirsch of Henry's Drive. This Padthaway Australia producer has a vast repertoire of wines; some appropriate for everyday drinking and others for special occasions, gift giving or cellaring. I'd met Renae last year (read that report here) and at the time she had only been on the job a short while. With this followup meeting I was looking forward to learning how things had progressed for her at Henry's Drive. And of course I was also happy to be meeting proprietor Kim Longbottom. The first two wines we tasted were both Chardonnay based. First up was The Postmistress Blanc de Blanc. This sparkling wine is 100% Chardonnay and when it makes it to the US sometime in 2010 it will retail for $19.99. I found this to be a tasty lighter style of sparkling wine, one I'd consume with Brunch foods perhaps. The second wine was Morse Code Chardonnay. This is one of two varietal entries that will be part of the under $10 tier for Henry's Drive. It's fair to think of it and the Morse Code Shiraz as single varietal counterparts to the two Pillar Box wines. I really enjoyed the clean, fresh, fruit forward style of this 2009 Chardonnay. For a suggested retail of $8.99, this will make a solid choice for everyday drinking when it's released here in the next month or so.

Pillar Box Red is the first wine from Henry's Drive I became aware of several years back. I find that it's been a consistent offering in the value category and also a popular one. In speaking to Renae she indicated that a wine like Pillar Box Red which many people drink and are aware of is one of the selections she feels a bit more pressure in producing since it's had a longstanding reputation that preceded her becoming winemaker. No question to me that she's achieved her goal as the overall quality of this wine and its flavor profile have remained true to the course.

Two wines stood out as overall favorites for me. The Trial of John Montford was one. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (90%) and Cabernet Franc (10%), leads with a big nose of leather, berry and vanilla. Cherry and earth are amongst the dominat notes through the palate and they lead to a lengthy and layered finish. This 2007 selection has a suggested retail price of $29.99. While I think it's quite tasty now, a few years in the cellar will really help it come together into an even nicer package.

The 2007 Dead Letter Office Shiraz was my other favorite of the evening. This selection blends Shiraz from McLaren Vale (67%) in with the Padthaway (33%) fruit. Of the higher end reds in the Henry's Drive portfolio this is the wine that evolved the most dramatically in the glass throughout the evening. The combination of fruit from two sources lends itself to creating a very balanced Shiraz with a multitude of layers. The suggested retail price on this wine is $26.99

In all we went through 10 selections. Beside the wines already mentioned we tasted Pillar Box Reserve, Henry's Drive Shiraz, Henry's Drive Reserve Shiraz, and the Parson's Flat Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon. In speaking with Kim throughout the evening it was clear that the goal is to create full flavored wines with balance. This is a goal that in my opinion they're reaching. Certainly I have my favorites as I indicated above, but the house style in general is one that I have an overall fondness for. This is an Australian producer I gladly recommend; regardless of your wine budget there are Henry's Drive offerings you can find room for.

One of the other pleasures of meeting Kim was getting to hear details I wasn't familiar with about their use of Postal Service terms, names and legends for their wines. Having a story is one thing, but when it's backed by historical fact and reality it adds something to the intrigue of a bottle of wine.

By all means if you have the unique opportunity to spend some time, and taste wine, with these charming ladies I highly recommend it. Some even say they're a couple of Saucy Aussies.

Imported by Quintessential Wines.

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Visiting Enkidu Wines In Sonoma Valley

Whenever I'm out touring wineries I try to find a happy medium between scheduling appointments and letting each day take me where it may. I keep my eyes open for things that are new and interesting; more importantly I try to keep an open mind to suggestions I hear throughout my travels. Recommendations come in all shapes and sizes. When they're good ones they can change the entire course of a tasting day. That happened to me last week in Sonoma County. I was tasting in Dry Creek Valley and fully intended to spend the whole day there. But then someone recommended and described Enkidu Wines to me. I was probably about 45 minutes away, but I felt like it was where I needed to head next. Suffice it to say I'm glad I took the recommendation. I was immediately impressed when a member of their terrific staff (Abby) asked if I wanted to listen to Al Green or the Black Crowes while I tasted. I happen to like both artists a lot, but I never turn down the Reverend.

There are a lot of places to sample, and all sorts of wine in Sonoma Valley. So how do you decide where to taste? Let me tell you, Enkidu is a place you should most definitely put on your itinerary for the next time you taste in Sonoma. They have an interesting back story, and their name, label art, and overall style complements their wines. But how about the wines?, you ask.

Across the board the wines are well made, tasty and balanced. I sampled close to a dozen wines and while I had favorites, there wasn't a clunker in the bunch.  Their dry Rosé (Shamhat) was the first selection that stood out above the rest for me. It was clean, crisp and dry in a very pure and refreshing way. There are several varietals that they make distinct offerings of; Pinot Noir is one of them. Each of the three Pinots I tasted was made in a genuine style for the varietal, the Tina Marie which is made from Russian River fruit was perhaps my favorite of the trio. Petite Sirah is one of my weaknesses and their 2005 Fazekas Petite sourced in Napa Valley almost had me crying uncle it was so tasty. While I'd expect it to age well, it's a particularly approachable Petite Sirah for barely being 4 years old. Dark fruit and earth characteristics are the standouts in this offering.

Those are but a handful of the wines Enkidu makes and pours. The tasting room at 8910 Sonoma Highway in Kenwood is warm, tastefully decorated and incredibly welcoming. It's a fun place to hang out for a while. As my stay progressed I met several other members of the Enkidu team and they were uniformly friendly. When the combination of well made, fairly priced wines, intersects with a great atmosphere to taste them I think it's important to take note. When I take everything they having going for them into account I doubt Enkidu will under the radar for very long. My advice is to go now and avoid the stampede when everyone else catches up.

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Cameron Hughes - 2007 Lot 101 Russian River Chardonnay

Certain regions and varietals generally go together so perfectly that the combination of the two can induce a bit of excitement. Russian River Chardonnay is one such duo. Of course that’s not to say that every Russian River Chardonnay is terrific, far from it. But there are tons of well made examples and enough tremendous ones to inspire a bit of confidence when approaching them. I’m going to look at one today from Négociant Cameron Hughes. I’ve been very impressed with both his wines and his overall ability to source such high quality and sell it for good prices. In some cases the deals are just outrageous. The 2007 Cameron Hughes Lot 101 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is of course 100% varietal. 50% of the juice was fermented in new oak. 8,000 cases of this selection were produced and the suggested retail price is $14.

Granny Smith apple, Anjou pear and fig aromas fill the nose of this Chardonnay. Both pear and apple continue throughout the palate which is gentle, layered and complex; rewarding attention with ever increasing nuances that include ginger, cloves, nutmeg and tart apple. The finish is loaded with mineral notes and reminders of apple pie crust. This wine has excellent structure and absolutely tremendous acidity.

If you buy this wine for $14, what you’re doing is essentially stealing it. This Chardonnay is easily worth twice the price. When you drink it, avoid the temptation to over chill; many of its layers emerged a couple of degrees warmer than one would normally drink this varietal. The bottom line here is that Cameron Hughes continues to deliver one standout deal after another. Don’t hesitate to purchase wine with his name on it, he hits them out of the park with consistency.

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Loimer - 2007 Riesling Langenlois Terrassen / 2007 Grüner Veltliner Terrassen

Over the last decade Austrian wines have begun to find their place on US shelves. As is usually the case it starts with those who are really into wine and then eventually starts to seep into the conciousness of the everyday wine consumer. Riesling would seem like the most obvious choice to make a foothold first; and there are some tremendous Austrian examples. But in my experience it's often something different, something that a country or region does that stands apart from other areas that helps them establish themselves. In the case of Austria that grape is Grüner Veltliner. This varietal is poised to do for Austria what Malbec has done for Argentina. Sure, it can be grown elsewhere but nobody makes Grüner Veltliner the way Austria does, ditto for Argentine Malbec. Today I'll look at an example of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from Loimer. This Austrian producer with a history dating to 1998 produces approximately 16,000 cases of wine per year. Well over 90% of their production is dedicated to white varietals; red varietals and sweet wines make up the remainder of their portfolio. The 2007 Loimer Riesling Langenlois Terrassen has modest alcohol of 13.5%. This selection is most often available for approximately $25.

Lychee fruit and granny smith apple present in the nose of this 2007 Riesling. Lemon zest, grapefruit, hazelnut, Bartlett pear and subtle hints of ginger are part of a full flavored palate that delivers waves of flavor in spades. Emerging tart apple notes and a huge influx of mineral notes emerge on the lengthy and persistent finish. This wine is tangy, zest and incredibly refreshing, helped in part by fine acidity and excellent overall structure.

This is a lovely Riesling with tons of character and many layers of complexity. My advice is to drink it over the next 2-3 years and to be careful not to over chill it. A couple of degrees warmer and you will be rewarded with a lot of additional flavor.

The 2007 Loimer Grüner Veltliner Terrassen comes in with an alcohol content of 13%. This wine is also most often available for approximately $25.

Do you like apricots? If you do the tremendous apricot notes that open the nose of this Grüner Veltliner will certainly please you as they do me. These are underscored by gentle hints of vanilla. Persistent, unyielding mineral characteristics are present throughout the palate. Lovely flourishes of lemon ice and stone fruit echo onward and lead to the finish which is unrelenting in length. Honey emerges and accompanies the mineral notes that just keep on coming. This wine is incredibly crisp and refreshing with a racy acidity.

This wine will pair well with lighter foods. It would go quite nicely with brunch selections. However, I personally prefer to sip this Grüner Veltliner on its own and contemplate its beauty, elegance, complexity and my happiness that this fantastic varietal is soon to have its day on US shelves. Not to mention the prominent place in the collective conciousness of wine drinkers that it so richly deserves.

Both selections from Loimer are tasty, well made and reasonably priced for the complexity and quality they offer. The Grüner Veltliner though is a slight cut above for me for all the reasons I listed above.

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Niepoort - 2007 Vintage Port

Port is one of the categories of wine that seems to bewilder a lot of folks who are curious, but not particularly familiar with it. The various designations have names such as Tawny, Late Bottled, Ruby and Vintage Port to name a few. It would much more than one post to get into the variations so I’ll focus on one for today, Vintage Port. One of the things that add to the mystique of Vintage Port is that there are quite a few years without one. For a Vintage Port to exist a Port House needs to feel the quality is sufficient and declare it to be a vintage year. Beyond that, barrel and bottle aging minimums and maximums are part of the equation in what makes up a Vintage port. Today I’ll look at one that is soon to be released from Niepoort. The 2007 Niepoort Vintage Port will be released in October of 2009. Niepoort is located in the Douro region of Portugal. Varietals used in the blend of this port are Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sausão, Touriga Nacional and more. The vines the fruit came from have an average age between 60 and 100 years old. Aging was accomplished over a two year period in large old vats. The suggested retail price for this wine upon release will be $75.

A couple of months back I had a chance to taste wine with the Douro Boys. Dirk Niepoort is one of the Douro Boys and I found him to be to be an incredibly engaging speaker. That said I believe he's an even better winemaker. So with that in mind I was eager to taste his new Vintage Port to see how it stacked up to the previous ones I’d had the opportunity to try.

Plum and cherry notes in the nose of this Port are joined by copious spice characteristics, notably plum pudding, as well as fruitcake spice. From the very first sip continued cherry flavors are dominant. Both red and black cherry notes resonate throughout the palate of this wine along with cassis and blackberry. Midway through dark chocolate flavors kick in and carry through the finish which is significant in length, persistence and structure.

This Port is terrific now but it needs time to reach its full potential as the classic it’s destined to slowly evolve into. The 2007 Niepoort Vintage Port is an absolutely tremendous wine at the earliest stages of its life-cycle. If you’re going to drink it soon, and by soon I mean over the next 20 years or so, I strongly recommend and advocate decanting this wine for 3 or four hours. By all means check on it every hour or so to see how it’s developing, but patience will be rewarded. If you have the time and the patience this wine will improve and age gracefully over the long haul. This release is a blockbuster in terms of quality and age worthiness. Here’s hoping Dirk Niepoort keeps on releasing wines of this magnitude for a long time to come.

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Del Fava Family Winery - 2007 Zinfandel

I mentioned the other day that Cabernet Sauvignon is the first varietal that comes to mind when I think of Alexander Valley and that’s true. Zinfandel comes second though. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of tremendous Zinfandel coming from neighboring Dry Creek Valley and forget that there are quite a few excellent examples in Alexander Valley too. That would be a mistake. Today I’ll look at the Del Fava Zinfandel. The 2007 Del Fava Family Winery Zinfandel is made from Alexander Valley fruit. This offering blends Zinfandel (83%), with Petite Sirah (11%), Carignane (3%), Syrah (1.5%), and Sangiovese (1.5%). This wine spent 12 months in a combination of European and American oak; 30% of the barrels were new. A mere 97 cases of this Zinfandel were produced and the suggested retail price is $24.

Starting with the nose, everything about this wine is big. Aromas of dark and spicy berry fruit lead the charge. They continue through the full throttle, all enveloping palate. Cherry, raspberry, plum and fruitcake spice keep coming in waver after wave of flavor and continue to the unrelenting and lingering finish which adds additional spice and hints of sweet Bosco sauce. Excellent acidity keeps this big, bold wine from going over the top.

If you like your Zinfandel big and loaded with jam flavor this small production wine from Del Fava Family winery is a solid entry worth seeking out. As with the other wines made by Scott and his wife this Zinfandel offers a lot of flavor and good complexity for the money. Each release is interesting and I look forward to keeping up with them to see how their wines evolve from vintage to vintage.

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Del Fava Family Winery - 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Pick a winery, any winery and there's a fair chance they have a second label. Historically this was more often the case when a well known, possibly high end, producer wanted to put some everyday drinking wines on the shelf. These days however it's equally common form a winery to have  a second label that produces a higher or reserve tier of wines. Such is the case with Del Fava Family Winery. This is the new off shoot from V-Twin Vineyards, and their take on small production, reserve type wines. Today I'll look at their Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2007 Del Fava Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from fruit sourced in the Geyserville section of Alexander Valley. In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon (77%), this offering includes Syrah (12%), Petit Verdot (4%), Cabernet Franc (3%), Malbec, (2%) and Merlot (2%). Barrel aging was accomplished over a period of 16 months in a combination of new French and American oak. Alcohol content for this Cabernet Sauvignon is 14.2%. 168 cases of this vintage were produced and the suggested retail price is $28.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the first varietal that come to mind when I think of Alexander Valley. Over the years I've had quite a few excellent ones, both from large well known producers as well as boutique wineries. So I'm always eager to see what someone is doing with Alexander Valley Cabernet. The nose of this wine was slightly reserved at first but some time in the decanter really helped. Once it had opened up plum, blackberry and toasty oak notes fill the nose. Lots of ripe, sweet raspberry and cherry notes are evident throughout the palate along with a nice helping of blackberry as well, to round out the berry filled experience. Cherry pie crust and spice characteristics are evident from the first sip and carry through the finish which has leather, earth, cigar box and espresso notes. This wine has fine, yielding tannins as well as good acidity.

Having had a number of the wines that Scott Del Fava and his wife are making under the two labels, the story of the house style has emerged and become apparent to me. Each of the selections is full flavored, very smooth and layered with good complexity. This Cabernet is delicious now but will certainly improve with some time in the bottle. What impressed me most about this selection is that for $28 you have a very solid Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon which is appropriate for mid-term aging. I'd hold it for a year or so and drink it in the 5 or 6 after that.

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Gnarly Head - 2008 Pinot Grigio

If I had a nickel (ok a quarter with inflation) for every uninspired Pinot Grigio clogging up store shelves… well you get the idea, I’d have a lot of change. Much of that blasé Pinot Grigio is from Italy itself. When it comes to California, Pinot Grigio appears to be a growing segment. That’s mostly good, if there’s more of it, someone is going to take it seriously and craft it well. But by the same token there’s going to be a lot of subpar examples to wade through to get to the tasty ones. And the truth is there are even fewer examples that instill excitement in the value category. So when the Gnarly Head Pinot Grigio came across my desk I had countering thoughts; I was balancing the above concerns, if you will, that I have with a lot of Pinot Grigio against the fact that I’ve had some Gnarly Head wines that represented very solid values in the past. What’s one to do with a conundrum like that? Tasting the wine was the only way to go. The 2008 Gnarly Head Pinot Grigio is produced from fruit sourced throughout California; though two thirds is specifically from the Lodi region. This offering was fermented in stainless steel. Alcohol content for this Pinot Grigio is a modest 13%. The suggested retail price for this wine is $10.99.

Pineapple and hints of zesty lemon are part of the nose. A mélange of citrus emerges on the palate along with orchard fruits such as pear and apple. Citrus notes continue to dominate and lead to the finish which includes white pepper and ginger spice. This Pinot Grigio is clean, crisp and refreshing. It has excellent acidity and will pair well with lighter foods.

The bottom line for me on this Pinot Grigio is that it shows sufficient varietal character to make it interesting; it’s also tasty and refreshing. Add in the fact that it’s widely available for under $10 and I find this to be a good choice for large gatherings or everyday drinking.

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Checkout ZinTopia ... And Save A Few Bucks Too

ZinTopia is an upcoming event in Dry Creek Valley. And while we’ve spent a bit of time talking about it over at Drink Dry Creek, it’s worth mentioning here too. This is a one day destination event that, as the name implies, focuses on Zinfandel. In addition to that however other key varietals will also be showcased. Saturday Sept 19, 2009 is the time for the event. This Harvest event will go from 2:00-7:00 PM Tickets are priced at $75 but the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley are currently offering a 30% discount. Use the code ZIN at checkout. In addition to more than 30 wineries being represented, this event will be catered by Park Avenue Catering. There will be live blues music and an artisan market with locally grown and crafted products. Perhaps most importantly the wines will be poured by Winemakers and Winery owners. This a good chance to get up close and personal with some of the folks directly responsible for the wines coming out of Dry Creek Valley. I’ll be at ZinTopia, representing for Drink Dry Creek, I hope to see some of you all there.

For more information you can head over to the official ZinTopia site. And also be sure to check out the coverage we have at Drink Dry Creek, both now and after the event.

Rodney Strong - 2008 Charlotte's Home Sauvignon Blanc

Rodney Strong Vineyards is one of the larger Sonoma County producers. They’re also a consistent one, routinely turning out well made wines that speak of their Sonoma County origins. With all the boutique Wineries out there it sometimes becomes easy to focus on them and forget what the Rodney Strong's of the world bring to the table.  Producers like Rodney Strong Vineyards serve an important purpose; not only do they make good wine consistently, often at a fair price, it’s also widely available. There are many places throughout our country that simply don’t have the ability to stock small boutique productions. So having larger producers who do make interesting, and reliable wines is important, because there sure are a lot of folks who are not making wines that inspire passion. Rodney Strong also makes some small production offerings, giving their portfolio nice variety for those who wish to delve deeper. Today I’ll look at the current release of their Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc. The Rodney Strong Vineyards 2008 Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc is produced from fruit sourced at several of their Estate Vineyards. Fruit from the namesake vineyard in Alexander Valley is blended with selections from a couple of others in Alexander Valley and Russian River. This wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc. 9% was fermented in French oak with the majority fermented in stainless steel tanks. The suggested retail price for this wine is $15.

Lemon ice, hints of lime and an overall mélange of citrus fill the nose of this 2008 Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc. The citrus circus continues through the palate; grapefruit and lemon are most prominent and underscored by orchard fruit such as Bartlett pear a wisp of granny smith apple and an array of spice notes. The finish is clean, crisp and refreshing with a lingering wallop of citrus and good punch of acidity to close things out. Pair this up with a variety of lighter fare or drink it on its own.

This is a classic example of Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc. It's also a selection that I preferred ice cold. The cooler temperature really seemed to help show off the citrus elements which are the backbone of this wine. This is another consistent and reasonably priced entry from Rodney Strong.

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Valentin Bianchi - Extra Brut NV Sparkling Wine

I've been impressed with the offerings from Valentin Bianchi for several years now. The thing that most hits home with me is their ability to craft well made, value driven wines at numerous price tiers. What I've found is that whether you buy one of their under $10 wines or one of their higher end wines such as Enzo Bianchi you're getting a lot of value for your money. This is true throughout their many tiers of wine.  That's no small consideration, especially in the economic times we're in. Today I'll look at their Sparkling Wine. The Valentin Bianchi Extra Brut Sparkling Wine is a Non Vintage offering. Fruit for this selection was sourced at two of their vineyards; Dona Elsa Estate and Las Parades Estate. The vines on these two parcels are an average of 760 meters above sea level. This offering is composed of Chardonnay (60%) and Pinot Noir (40%). This Sparkler was produced using the traditional French Champenoise method. 5,000 cases of this wine are produced per year of this wine and the suggested retail price is $29.99.

As I sit on my deck enjoying the one day of sun this late summer weekend has bestowed I continue to wonder why as a people we don't drink more Sparkling Wine. For some reason it's largely been relegated to New Years Eve and other celebrations. There is something about popping a cork on some bubbly during those times that signifies a party. But those are all positives, so why don't we reach for it more often? I can't answer that, but what I can do is make a more concerted effort to drink Sparkling Wines and cover them here when they stand out. This example from Valentin Bianchi is just another notch on their belt for me as a go to producer of Argentine Wine.

This Extra Brut has a nice yellow hue, slightly tinged by a splash of green bell pepper. Hints of apple, pear and a dash of vanilla are part of the inviting nose. This wine is full flavored and complex. Flaky biscuit, buttery apple pie crust, hazelnut and white pepper join the fruit to form an expressive palate. The finish on this South American Sparkling Wine is lengthy and persistent with spice elements providing a lasting tingle on the tongue and back of the throat.

Whether you choose to drink this Sparkling Wine from Valentin Bianchi with a meal or as a celebratory toast you're going to enjoy it. This is a well made offering that continues the Bianchi tradition of over-delivering in its price point.

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V-Twin Vineyards - 2007 River Run Chardonnay

After tasting a couple of Zinfandels from V-Twin Vineyards it’s time to see what they can do with Chardonnay. I found the Zinfandels quite tasty and was hopeful that the Chardonnay would follow suit. The 2007 V-Twin Vineyards River Run Chardonnay is produced from fruit sourced in Mendocino. This wine saw no oak treatment. A mere 200 cases of this wine were produced and the suggested retail price is $15.

Over-oaked Chardonnay is the bane of my existence. Perhaps that’s a bit strong, but you get the idea. I don’t mind some oak but when it’s over the top as it too often is it can ruin some perfectly tasty juice. So I was anticipating tasting this Chardonnay from V-Twin for a couple of reasons. For one I really liked the Zins, and secondly it’s totally un-oaked.

Pineapple, mango and hints of ginger are all part of the fresh and expressive nose of this Chardonnay. From the first sip this wine just hits you with a blast of pure, unadulterated, juicy fruit. That fruit is joined by a tremendous host of spice and mineral notes which pick up mid-palate and carry through the finish which also has touches of cream and Anjou pear. As with the V-Twin Zinfandels this wine will be a good complement with food but doesn’t require it to be enjoyed. This is an excellent white wine to pair with a cheese board presentation.

What I like best about this Chardonnay is the pure expression of fruit it represents. Each of the wines from V-Twin Vineyards has that in common, the fruit shines through. Stay tuned as I look at a couple of wines from Del Fava next week. This is the reserve tier that Scott and his wife have launched in conjunction with V-Twin Vineyards.

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V-Twin Vineyards - 2005 Sonoma County Zinfandel

Another day and a second Zinfandel from V-Twin Vineyards. As I mentioned yesterday Scott Del Fava and his wife are motorcycle enthusiasts. Part of their mission statement is to bring the two worlds together. They aim to make wine a bit less daunting to the average person while also showing that many of their bike riding friends and wine club members are not of the hardcore variety people might stereotypically think of. The 2005 V-Twin Sonoma County Zinfandel was made from fruit sourced in Dry Creek & Alexander Valley. This wine is a blend of Zinfandel (84%), Carignan (6%), and Alicante Bouchet (10%). This Zinfandel was aged in a combination of French and American oak. Alcohol for this release is a modest 13.8%. 476 cases were produced and the suggested retail price is $24.

V-Twin Vineyards isn’t fooling around when it comes to big Zinfandel. This second offering in two days I’m looking at is as impressive as the Poker Run from yesterday. But there are differences, which is of course key. Raspberry compote and vanilla lead the nose of this Sonoma Zinfandel. The words that came to mind when taking the first sip of this wine were, Raspberry Razzmatazz. There are a quite a few other things going on in this wine to be sure, but raspberry leads the charge. Spice layers underpin the core of raspberry throughout the palate. White pepper, dusty cocoa and nutmeg are all part of the finish which has good length.

This wine is another jammy Zinfandel from V-Twin, though a touch less so than the Poker Run. It’s smoother and more immediately accessible as well. It drinks quite nicely by itself, but sure wasn’t hurt when I paired it with a burger topped with caramelized onions and Manchego cheese.

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V-Twin Vineyards - 2005 Poker Run Zinfandel

V-Twin Vineyards is Dry Creek Valley based winery that sources fruit from anumber of locations throughout California to make their wines. In addition to Wine, founders Scott Del Fava and his wife are also major motorcycle enthusiasts. Their future plans for a tasting room includes finding a location where both passions can co-exist for them and their customers. Their website is the first step in that direction with a member photo gallery. I’ll be looking at several of their releases this week, the first is a Zinfandel. The 2005 V-Twin Vineyards Poker Run Zinfandel was produced from old vine fruit sourced in Alexander Valley. This offering is a blend of Zinfandel (75%), Petite Sirah (15%), Carignan (5%) and Syrah (5%). Oak aging was accomplished over 14 months in a combination of barrel types. 400 cases of this vintage were produced and the suggested retail price is $24.

One of the things that attracts me to Zinfandel is that it can and is made in a very wide variety of styles. As long as they’re well made I can appreciate many of those variations. Speaking of style it’s apparent from the word go that the Poker Run Zin is of the Jammy variety. A huge potpourri of big, bright berry fruit aromas fills the nose of this Zinfandel. Fresh cherries dipped in sweet chocolate are omnipresent throughout the palate of this Zin along darker fruit such as plum and blackberry, not to mention a host of spice notes. Sour cherry, earth, black pepper and hints of vanilla are all part of the remarkably smooth and lingering finish of this wine.

What I like most about this offering is that it’s a classic example of Alexander Valley Zinfandel. It reminds me in some ways of Alexander Valley Vineyards SinZin in style and level of decadence. If you like your Zins big but still balanced, Poker Run from V-Twin Vineyards might just be the wine for you.

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Trapiche - NV Extra Brut Sparkling Wine

When most people think of Sparkling wine, Champagne comes to mind. In truth Champagne represents a small percentage of the sparkling wines out there. As time goes on there are more and more options as additional wineries and regions start experimenting with different styles of Sparkling wines. And of course many counties have long had their own traditions when it comes to them. Today I’ll look at an Argentine example from Trapiche. The Trapiche Sparkling wine is a non-vintage selection. This offering is a blend of Chardonnay (70%), Semillon (20%), and Malbec (10%). The “Charmat Lungo” method, widely employed for producing sparkling wine in Italy was used.  This wine most often sells for just under $15.

Sparkling wine is a little like Petite Sirah for me. No they don’t have a thing in common. What I mean is that whenever I have an enjoyable example of either it occurs to me that I don’t drink enough of either Petite Sirah or Sparkling Wine.  The Non-vintage Extra Brut from Trapiche has lovely pure yellow hue. Hints of mango emerge in the nose and also continue through the palate which features a serious wallop of pineapple. An edge of creaminess emerges mid-palate and continues forth joined by copious golden delicious apple notes. Towards the back of the palate ginger comes out in force and carries through the finish which has lots of flaky biscuit and yeast elements.

I was impressed with the quality of this wine for the money. Most impressive was the nice finish which lingered. There are hints of sweetness here and there but this is a dry wine. A lot of folks save Sparkling Wine for special occasions. And that’s fine in some ways. But when you can get a tasty and well made sparkler from Argentina for such a reasonable price why wait for a special occasion? Check this wine out and tell me if you agree.  As with the Torrontes, if you like this wine you may want to hit up the folks at Trapiche on their Facebook page.

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Trapiche - 2008 Torrontes

When it comes to white varietals from Argentina, Torrontes is poised to be the star of the show. It’s emerging here but not quite on the tip of every wine drinkers tongue yet. The question isn’t if Torrontes is going to break out and be everywhere, it’s when. This is an excellent varietal which most often produces floral wines with diverse food pairing possibilities. Today I’m going to look at a current release from Trapiche. If you shop for Argentine wines the name Trapiche is likely familiar; they make a wide range of offerings in several tiers. The Torrontes I’m examining today is from their varietals tier. These wines are under $15 and aimed at everyday affordability and enjoyment. The Trapiche 2008 Torrontes is made from fruit sourced in the Mendoza region of Argentina. This offering is 100% Torrontes. This selection can often be found on store shelves for less than $10.

The light yellow hue of this wine is offset by a tinge of green. Hazelnut, vanilla, lemon zest and a touch of Valencia Orange are part of the lovely and evocative nose. Yellow peach and continued underlying citrus characteristics are present through the palate. Toasted nut, white pepper and additional vanilla emerge in the nice finish. This Torrontes has excellent acidity. Trapiche offers a wine that will pair well with a variety of  lighter cuisine. However I really like to use is as a welcome wine when guests first come over.

As I mentioned above Torrontes is primed to become a bigger and bigger player on US shelves in the upcoming years. Right now it’s still under many peoples radar though. That gives you a great opportunity to surprise your friends with something unique they may have not tasted before. While you’re making friends, if you like this wine you may want to hit up the folks at Trapiche who have setup a Facebook page to connect with fans.

Bottom line for me is that this wine is very tasty and well priced. A safe summer bet and one you can bust open no matter how many people you have over.

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Clean Slate - 2008 Riesling

I really enjoy Riesling, but over the years I've had a hard time finding well priced examples that impress on any level. Too often the offerings on US shelves at an everyday drinking price-point are one dimensional and uninteresting at best. In many casing that single dimension is sweetness. While I enjoy this in a dessert wine, it's not something I generally look for in table wines. The 2008 Clean Slate Riesling is from Mosel Germany. The fruit was sourced from a number of vineyards throughout different sections of the Mosel. This wine most often sells for right around $10.

Stone fruit and citrus highlight the aromatic nose of this wine. Throughout the palate white peach notes are prominent and accompanied by underlying touches of lemon zest, tangerine and spice. Terrific acidity, mineral, flint and continued spice are all part of a nice finish. This wine is tasty on its own but it's really tailor made to pair with food. While Thai cuisine might be the obvious choice, I found it to be an excellent match with a range of Indian dishes I was sampling along with it.

What stands out most to me in this wine is the acidity. It provides a great backbone and gives it the structure to stand up to a variety of foods. This is also a refreshing wine that will keep you coming back to the glass for additional sips. A far cry from the host of cloying and borderline syrupy selections that have often clogged up store shelves over the years. As an everyday selection this provides nice varietal character and represents a solid value.

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Titus Vineyards - 2006 Cabernet Franc

A couple of weeks ago when I was out in Napa Valley I had the opportunity to visit Titus Vineyards. They're right on Silverado Trail yet if you blink there's a good chance you'll miss them, which I almost did. Generally they're not open for public tastings. On this particular occasion they were hosting a blind tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon. Many other folks in the local wine community stopped by with a bottle of wine. Each bottle was in a brown paper bag and had a number assigned. I didn't count exactly how many there where, or taste every one, but I think it was in the neighborhood of 50 Cabs. It was a fun time and it was nice to say hi to the Titus brothers, who are responsible from some very tasty wines. It put me in the mood to taste and report on more of their selections. Today I'll look at their current release of Cabernet Franc. The Titus Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Franc has Cabernet Sauvignon (11%), Malbec (10%), and Merlot (4%) blended in. Barrel aging was accomplished over 20 months in all French oak; 30% were new. 385 cases of this selection were produced. The suggested retail price for this wine is $36.

I've thoroughly enjoyed and been impressed by each release I've had from Titus Vineyards. If you add that together with the fact that Cabernet Franc is a varietal I particularly enjoy, you can imagine I was excited to taste this wine. Leather, black fruit and an undercurrent of lavender are the most obvious aromas that emerge from this wine. Dark cherry notes are gloriously prominent and downright exuberant throughout the palate of this Franc. Dark chocolate is also present and echoes throughout this wine from start to finish in varying degrees, reaching a crescendo towards the back of the palate as it leads into the finish. Cloves, mineral and earth are joined by hints of tobacco and black tea on an excellent finish that is marked by it's length and lingering remnants of excellent acidity which is present throughout. This wine will pair well with roast meats, mushroom based dishes and other flavorful foods.

I went back to this wine after it had been open for 24 hours and it had continued to evolve and improve. If you store this wine properly it's going to get better in the bottle for the next 5 or so years and drink well for another 5 after that. However, if you're impatient and plan to drink this Cabernet Franc soon, do yourself a favor and decant it for at least an hour. This wine continues the streak of impressive offerings from Titus Vineyards. The hallmark for me has been a combination of brash and exuberant wines loaded with fruit, that are balanced with excellent structure, firm acidity and the ability to age. Another common trait amongst the Titus wines is that they over-deliver on their price points. If I had paid $55 0r $60 for this wine, it would have still been a fair value. At $36 it's a tremendous one.

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