The Santa Ynez Valley AVA is a bountiful, flourishing viticultural area that, in many ways, is unparalleled by any of California’s world-class wine-growing regions. The range in geological composition alone transforms this small valley into a winemaker’s paradise. With such breadth in climate, soil and grape varietal to say nothing of the non-wine related activities, the Santa Ynez Valley is in a class of its own among the wine regions of California.
This distinctive terroir was created in the Miocene period when the Pacific Plate struck the North American Tectonic Plate, forcing Santa Barbara County into its current east-west orientation. This unusual positioning allows the Santa Ynez Valley to receive coastal breezes from Lompoc, which become increasingly warm as they reach further east into the interior of the valley. This collision of plates also churned the soil so that today, a mixture of sedimentary rocks, ancient fossils like seashells, limestone and slate can all be found throughout the valley as well as fertile agricultural soils brought in by the Santa Ynez River.
One place to see this dramatic display of geological history is at the Bacara Resort and Spa in Santa Barbara, with its coastal local and striking views of the mountains as they plunge into the sea. The Bacara is also the closest service luxury resort and spa to the Santa Ynez Valley. It is an ideal spot for wine tourists wishing for an ocean view and the smell of the sea after wine tasting. Drive over the peaks and enter into the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Danish town of Solvang. Nearby Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard is a bit removed from the coast’s moderating effects, and experiences fluctuations in temperature year-round, a perfect climate for the Sauvignon Blanc it’s so well-known for. Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards, located between Los Olivos and Santa Maria on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, is further east in the valley where warmer air runs rampant the whole year and Rhone varietals, like their award-winning Syrah, are preferred. Still, there are wineries in the far east of the valley, like Grassini Family Vineyards where Bordeaux varietals reign supreme, that experience 50° at night and 105° in the day during late summer and harvest months… and that’s considered normal! To escape the heat (or cold), visitors can relax at local beds & breakfasts and inns like the vintage-inspired Santa Ynez Inn; take a break from touring with a spa treatment at Hotel Corque in the heart of downtown Solvang; or maybe grab an local, organic, sustainable bite to eat from the innovative Avant Tapas & Wine restaurant.
The Santa Ynez Valley may seem like a hodgepodge region with a little bit of everything, but given a closer looks, it is truly remarkable to see how the wineries hone in on their land’s sub-climates and micro-climate to grow the best varietals and create the best wines possible for their individual wineries.
The following article was provided by our contributing partner – Touring and Tasting Magazine. Cheers – Ken
Ah, California, America’s Golden State. There really is no place quite like it. The people, the places, and lets not forget the wine, make California any wine lovers premier destination. From the legacy of the Napa Valley, to the seaside villages of the Central Coast, California is a dream come true for any wine lover.
But, there’s one tiny problem: California is a huge state. And when I say huge, I mean huge. Sure, Napa Valley might be California’s most popular wine region, but it isn’t California’s ONLY wine region. Oh, no no no, it is far from it. There is excellent wine to be found all over California. From the quiet gold rush towns of the Sierra Foothills, to the rolling hillsides of Paso Robles, California is state rich in wine and I take it upon myself to educate the masses on “California’s 8 Must See Wineries!”
Artesa Vineyards & Winery
Smack dab in the heart of the Napa Valley, Artesa Winery is a serious sight to behold. With a unique hilltop construction, Artesa’s tasting room resembles a 21st century pyramid. A pyramid?! I’m serious! The winery looks just like a grassy, 21st century, alien pyramid. And if that wasn’t enough, Artesa makes some darn good wine. Artesa is a Napa Valley treasure and the first in my must see California wine road trip.
Miraflores
Placerville, the city which Miraflores calls home, boomed in the late 19th century when gold was first discovered. Now, that all the dust has settled and all the gold is gone, Miraflores entices wine lovers with some of the best wine the Sierra Foothills has to offer. With a rich variety of wines being offered, from Barbera to Chardonnay, Miraflores is a must see, must visit, must taste California winery!
Rosenblum Cellars
The next stop on our California wine road trip: the Bay Area! Rosenblum’s unique urban setting on an industrial dock is sure to charm even the most experience winery aficionado. A stellar view of the San Francisco skyline, wine grown from all over Northern California and live music make this Bay Area winery a must see.
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
Located in the heart of Paso Robles wine country, J. Lohr is dedicated to producing excellent California red wines. As if making deliciously good wines wasn’t enough, J. Lohr has the largest three acre “solar tracking system” in America. It powers 85% of the winery’s energy use! The rolling hillsides, clear skies and warm California sun make J. Lohr the perfect winery for those looking to enjoy all the California Central Coast has to offer.
Grassini Family Vineyards
With a tasting room in the center of beautiful downtown Santa Barbara and vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley, Grassini Family Vineyards fully embraces the Central Coast wine community. 10 years since their first harvest, Grassini Family Vineyards has grown into one of Santa Barbara county’s most prestigious wineries. If you are in Santa Barbara, it is time for a visit, trust me.
Cycles Gladiator
If there ever was a rebellious, Han Solo like winery in California, it would be Cycles Gladiator. With a label that is banned in Alabama for being “pornographic,” Cycles Gladiator has fully embraced it’s controversial style. Good thing the Lodi based winery has the winemaking chops to back up their “rebellious” nature. If you ever find yourself in Lodi, California, Cycles Gladiator definitely deserves your undivided attention.
Nottingham Cellars
The next stop of this California wine road trip takes us back to the Bay Area! I know what you’re thinking, but no, this winery’s name has no relation to Robin Hood’s Nottingham (or was I the only one thinking that?) Run by a father and son team, Nottingham Cellars is dedicated to producing excellent, award winning California wines. This Livermore winery is a must taste for any lover of good, Northern California wine.
Vigilance
Vigilance is one of the most interesting California wineries. Because of their devilishly good wines? No, not exactly, but they do have superb California wines. They are the most interesting because they have a pack of sheep roaming through the vineyards! The sheep, eat the weeds and maintain the vineyards, talk about efficiency! Vigilance Winery is a Lake County sight to behold, so do yourself a favor and go visit!
The following article was provided by our contributing partner – Touring and Tasting Magazine. We are sure you will enjoy their guest posts on both wineries and wine regions. Cheers – Ken
We found some terrific Merlot that you will want to try this fall. The best offerings are not inexpensive, but if you love the grape, you will certainly be quite satisfied with our top recommendations. We start with an Excellent offering from La Jota. This winery was taken over by the Jackson Family in 2004. Chris Carpenter of Cardinale fame, took over the winemaking and has slowly been rebuilding this program. This year he hit a home run with his 2009 “Howell Mountain” Merlot. We scored it 94 points. It is made up of 100% Merlot grapes and sells for $55. It opens with a fragrant blueberry bouquet with hints cranberry and tangerine. I loved its nice balance and its delicious blueberry flavors with notes of ripe black currant. I also detected hints of old oak and black licorice. The finish is dry and its dusty fine tannins are pleasant and stick around for a while. This Merlot is very food-friendly and would be terrific with shepherd’s pie. It is a worthy first place finisher.
Our two runner ups are both from the 2010 vintage and are from top Merlot producers. The first one is from perennial favorite Robert Foley. His 2010 Merlot for $52 was awarded 93 points. This wine was by far the best Merlot from one of our mini-tastings. It is full-bodied, smooth and elegant. We loved its delicious blueberry and vanilla oak flavors with hints of acai berry, coffee and a dash of pepper. It finishes with dry fine tannins that drift away nicely. The panel suggested pairing this top shelf Merlot with a filet mignon at your favorite steak house. Equally as good is the 2010 Plumpjack Merlot also from Napa Valley. This wine also costs $52 and was awarded 93 points. It opens with a fragrant and very inviting black cherry and boysenberry bouquet. On the palate, it was full-bodied, nicely balanced and very flavorful. Those flavors were very tasty ripe black plum with notes of black pepper and hints of black currant. This offering would go best with a pepper encrusted NY strip steak.
Our four 92 pointers are also a great collection of Merlot. We will start with the best deal of our top finishers. The 2009 Three Rivers “Columbia Valley” Merlot for $19 is an absolute steal. This wine is medium-bodied balanced and smooth. The panel really enjoyed its pleasant plum and black cherry flavors with a hint of cedar plank and spice. It finishes with dry and mild tannins that are rather sticky. The panel suggested pairing this Merlot with roast beef au jus or bacon burger with Great Hill blue cheese. It was clearly the best value to emerge from our big blind tasting when the wines were unveiled.
The 2009 Sebastiani “Alexander Valley” Merlot for $24 is another very good value. It opens with a fragrant and inviting black cherry bouquet with a hint of black pepper and vanilla oak. On the palate, this wine is medium-to-full-bodied, balanced and rather smooth. The panel loved its tasty gentle blueberry and plum flavors with a delicate hint of dried cherry and oak in the background. It displays fine tannins that are friendly and make it an elegant, drink-now Merlot that would perfectly with Stuart’s yummy steak appetizers. (Feel free to post you EM in the comments if you want Stuart’s recipe)
Another terrific Merlot that is consistently near the top of the entrants is the Shafer Merlot from Napa Valley. Their 2009 vintage for $48 is well-balanced, very approachable, and super smooth. I really enjoyed its tasty blueberry flavors with hints of plum and black currant. I also detected a touch of oak and spice mixed in as well. This is a very appealing wine. It finishes dry with moderate tannins that linger for a while. This Merlot is quite food-friendly and I would pair it with a filet mignon at a nice steak house.
Our last 92 pointer is the 2009 Duckhorn “Napa Valley” Merlot for $52. This gem won our first Merlot blind tasting this year. It is full-bodied, balanced, and shows nice structure. The flavor profile is tasty, mild red currant with notes of black plum jam mixed in. We also detected a touch of cinnamon and old oak mixes well. It closes with moderately dry sticky tannins that linger for quite a while. This offering was built to last the longest of the Merlots we covered. (Very Cab like) The panel suggested pairing it with a grilled NY strip steak with shiitake mushrooms and Stuart’s Brussel sprouts.
Our 91 pointers lead off with another very well-known Merlot. The 2008 Northstar from the Columbia Valley in Washington State is always very good. Priced at $40 and frequently under that, it is a good deal. This year’s version is medium-bodied, well balanced, and smooth, It displays tasty blueberry and black cherry flavors with nicely integrated old vanilla oak. There was also a touch of minerality throughout and a dash of black pepper towards the end. The panel thought this wine would pair well with veal scaloppini.
Our last 91 pointer is a small production offering from Hunnicutt. Their 2009 “Napa Valley” Merlot for $48 is terrific. It finished in 3rd place in our big blind tasting. It was very well received. The panel noted it was full-bodied, balanced, and smooth. They really enjoyed the rich plum flavors with hints of old oak, black olive, and black cherry. It closes with rather sticky dusty tannins that last for quite a while. The panel suggested that this is a great porch sipping wine with a nice cigar around the fire pit. Call the winery soon for a bottle. Only 48 cases were made.
Our four 90 pointers, kick off with a really good value from Joseph Carr. His 2009 Merlot from “Napa Valley” is a really good deal for $17. It is medium-to-full-bodied, balanced, and fruit forward. Those flavors are a blend of black cherry and plum with hints of red raspberry in the background. It finishes dry and its medium tannins linger nicely. This Merlot is very food-friendly and would pair very well with a New York strip steak.
We return to Washington State for our next winner. The 2009 Airfield Merlot from the “Yakima Valley” is medium-bodied, balanced, rich and smooth. The panel really liked its tasty ripe blueberry and black cherry flavors with hints of light oak mixed in. The panel suggested pairing this nice Merlot with roasted duck breast or beef burgundy. At $25 it is reasonably priced.
The 2009 Freemark Abbey Merlot from the Napa Valley costs $30. It performed well in our recent mini-tasting. It is medium-bodied, balanced, and easy going. The flavor profile is a mild blackberry with notes of chocolate. We also detected hints of black plum and licorice mixed in. Its finish builds up and then lingers for a while after the wine is gone. The panel felt in the near term, this Merlot needs to be served with some fatty foods. Beef stew and steak au poivre were the two suggested food matches.
Our final 90 pointer is the 2010 Shafer ”Napa Valley” Merlot for $56. It is not quite as good as 2009 highlighted above. It is medium-bodied, balanced, and easy going. Its flavor profile is a menthol driven wine with notes of black cherry and plum with hints of cassis and old oak. I suggest pairing this hearty Merlot with a NY strip steak.
Our five 89 pointers also warrant your attention. We will give you a quick hint on each. Check out the full reviews on the website.
Chateau Ste Michelle 2009 Merlot “Columbia Valley” (WA) $16 (89)
This is one of the best Merlot deals we discovered. It is medium-bodied, balanced, silky and very easy to drink. I really liked its tasty black cherry flavors with nicely integrated old vanilla oak with a hint of blueberry. This is a very good everyday wine to pair with beef bourguignon or linguini alla puttanesca.
Buena Vista 2009 Merlot “Carneros” (CA) $19 (89)
This Merlot is medium-bodied, balanced, plush and juicy. Its flavor profile is a rich blackberry with notes of spice, anise, plum and vanilla oak. It finishes with mild tannins are a tad dusty and linger for a little while. This wine would pair best with winter comfort food like shepherd’s pie.
Penley Estate 2009 Merlot “Gryphon” (Coonawarra, Australia) $20 (89)
This Merlot from down under is medium-bodied, balanced, and juicy. The panel liked its unique flavor profile of a mineral-infused black plum with hints of cedar plank, mulberry, and rhubarb. The panel suggested serving this Aussie Merlot with coq au vin or tea smoked duck.
Concha y Toro 2010 Merlot “Marques de Casa Concha” (Peumo, Chile) $22 (89)
This Merlot from Chile opens with a lead pencil and old leather bouquet with a hint of black cherry cola. It is medium-bodied, balanced, and juicy with mineral-infused plum and mild black raspberry flavor profile. Its mild dry tannins are subtle. The panel suggested pairing this Merlot with lasagna or wild mushroom ravioli.
Kendall Jackson 2009 Merlot “Grand Reserve” (Sonoma County, CA) $26 (89)
This mid-tier Merlot from KJ is medium-bodied, slightly acidic and juicy. The panel enjoyed its black raspberry flavors with notes of oak, dark chocolate and black plum. It finishes dry and with mild tannins that are slightly prolonged. They suggested pairing this wine with braised short ribs.
Finally, a few Very Good 88 pointers and a couple of Good Value 85 point offerings.
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2009 Merlot “Canoe Ridge” (Horse Heaven Hills, WA) $22 (88)
Aquinas 2009 Merlot “Napa Valley” (CA) $22 (88)
Merryvale 2009 Merlot “Starmont” (Napa Valley, CA) $26 (88)
Skylite Cellars 2008 Merlot “Estate” (Walla Walla, WA) $27 (88)
Gundlach Bundschu 2009 Merlot “Sonoma Valley” (CA) $30 (88)
Smoking Loon 2010 Merlot “California” $8 (85)
Tin Roof Cellars 2009 Merlot “California” $11 (85)
We hope you enjoy these Merlots as much as we did. As you can see Merlot is on a comeback. It is easy to drink and quite enjoyable when well made. Some of the top wines are high level wines that do not cost nearly as much as the top Cabernets and Pinots. Please share your favorite Merlots with us by posting below in the comments section.
Cheers – Ken
Extra! Extra! Read all about the great Pinot Noir wines I discovered and covered this year!! Wow, what a year for Pinots. I started this adventure in April and just finished with my trip to the Wine Blogger’s Conference in Portland, Oregon. It was nice to wrap up this post in the heart of Oregon Pinot country. Below, I am going to present you with some really terrific Pinot Noir selections. The only down side is, you will find very few bargains among the highest scoring wines. Excellent and very good Pinot Noirs cost a lot—that is just how it is. The good news is that these New World offerings still cost less than many offering of similar quality from Burgundy. They are also well below the cost of many California cult Cabernets.
Our top two Pinot Noirs both come from one of the most talented Pinot Noir producers in the US, Merry Edwards. Her 2009 offerings were all at the top of their game. The best one led our tastings this year. This Pinot scored 97 points and is the highest scoring wine we have covered so far this year. The 2009 Merry Edwards “Meredith Estate” Pinot Noir for $57 is smooth and sensational. The flavor profile is an absolutely delicious blackberry and mild black-raspberry blend. I also detected some nicely integrated oak and hints of black plum. It finishes with elegant fine tannins, that drift away nicely. This Pinot is the cream of the crop this year. Be sure to share it with friends!
Not to be completely outdone, our second place Pinot is also from Merry Edwards. The 2009 “Olivet Lane” Pinot Noir for $60 was awarded 94 points. This excellent option is fruit-forward, nicely balanced, smooth, and also very elegant. I loved its delicious plum flavors with notes of gently integrated old oak. I also detected hints black pepper and anise. It finishes with fine, yet slightly sticky tannins. Pair this classy Pinot with a slow cooked pork tenderloin dinner.
Our next grouping is the 93 pointers. These six wines are all on the cusp of Excellence. Some might even be there right now for you. No matter what the score is, these six Pinots are very impressive.
We start with the 2009 Evening Land “Seven Spring Vineyard” Pinot Noir for $45. This Oregon Pinot Noir from the Eola-Amity Hills is very impressive and was my favorite at a mini-tasting of Oregon Pinots at the Wine Blogger’s Conference. It opens with an attractive mild blueberry bouquet with a hint of oak. I found it to be medium-bodied and smooth as silk. I loved its very tasty mild red currant flavors with hints of pomegranate and gently-infused old oak. It is truly a yummy Pinot and would pair perfectly with grilled mahi mahi.
We next travel down to the Anderson Valley in California for a Pinot that I could not get enough of. The 2009 Navarro Vineyards “Deep End Blend” Pinot Noir for $49 was terrific. It is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and savory. I loved its delicious black cherry and cola flavors with hints of mild vanilla oak and a touch of plum. It finishes with friendly fine tannins that drift away nicely. This is the best Deep End Blend that I can remember and it will not last long when you share it with your friends. I suggested pouring a big glass, sitting back and just enjoy the ride.
For our next 93 pointer we return to the Eola-Amity Hills up in Oregon to discover the 2009 Cristom “Marjorie Vineyard” Pinot Noir for $50. This like the Evening Land made a very good impression on me. It was my favorite Pinot from the Cristom portfolio this year. It is medium-bodied, very well balanced, and smooth. I really liked its very tasty strawberry flavors with nicely integrated plum and gentle oak. I also detected a hint in red cherry and cinnamon spice as well. This Pinot is pretty complex. I would serve it with a thyme-seasoned pork tenderloin.
Merry Edwards stays near the top with one of my favorites that that she makes. The 2009 “Coopersmith” Pinot Noir for $60 is consistently very good. It is a full-bodied Pinot that is also very nicely balanced, rich and smooth. The flavor profile is a delectable ripe black plum with some extracted blackberry notes and a hint of black cherry. This solid and sturdy Pinot would be an excellent choice to pair with roasted duck breast.
Our next 93 pointer is from Gary Farrell and his Alysian project. His 2009 “Floodgate Vineyard Origins” Pinot Noir for $55 is really refined and Very Good. It is medium-bodied, super balanced, very smooth and suave. I loved its very tasty mild plum flavors with notes of gentle strawberry and a hint of oak and faint sarsaparilla. This Pinot Noir is very refined and extremely food-friendly. I would love to have this Pinot with my friend, Stuart’s steak treats. Yum!
We close out our 93 pointers with the 2009 Donum “Carneros Estate Grown” Pinot Noir which comes in at $65. This very dark ruby colored Pinot opens with an inviting smoky vanilla oak and black raspberry bouquet. It is medium-bodied and very juicy with spicy black raspberry flavors with notes of plum and old oak. I also detected some black pepper and black cherry. It finishes dry and its refined fine tannins drift away slowly. It’s another terrific Pinot to pair with a slow cooked pork tenderloin.
Because we are recommending so many Pinots this year, I will give you a quick hit and taste of our remaining recommendations. For a full review of each wine, click on the link for the complete details. Let’s start with our 92 and 91 pointers.
Breggo 2010 Pinot Noir “Anderson Valley” (CA) $38 (92)
This Pinot from Breggo is very impressive. It opens with a very inviting strawberry bouquet. It is very smooth and silky. I loved its yummy black cherry flavors with notes of cola and strawberry. It finishes dry and its fine tannins drift away nicely. This Pinot would be a perfect wine to pair with grilled salmon.
Stemmler 2009 Pinot Noir “Ferguson Block” (Carneros, CA) $44 (92)
This Pinot is medium-bodied, slightly acidic, silky, and savory. It displays very tasty mild black cherry flavors with hints of black-raspberry, plum, black pepper, and gentle oak. It would be a perfect choice to pair with cherry amaretto chicken.
La Follette 2009 Pinot Noir “Manchester Ridge Vineyard” (Mendocino Ridge, CA) $50 (92)
I really like Pinots from this vineyard. This one is medium-bodied, juicy and savory with delicious red currant and plum flavors. It also displayed beautifully integrated old oak and a dash of black pepper and blueberry. This fruit bomb of a Pinot would be perfect with thyme-seasoned pork tenderloin.
Cristom 2009 Pinot Noir “Louise Vineyard” (Eola-Amity Hills) $50 (92)
This Pinot was my second favorite Pinot from Cristom. It is slightly acidic, suave, and mouthwatering. It displays mild black-raspberry and plum flavors with notes of black pepper, spice and minerality throughout. It is very food-friendly and elegant enough to pair perfectly with grilled cedar plank salmon.
Domaine Drouhin 2008 Pinot Noir “Laurene” (Dundee Hills, OR) $65 (92)
This impressive Pinot Noir is medium-bodied, slightly acidic, savory and juicy. I enjoyed its very tasty ripe black plum flavors with nicely integrated old oak with a touch of black-raspberry and black pepper. Another option to consider for a thyme-seasoned pork tenderloin.
Domaine Serene 2008 Pinot Noir “Evenstad Reserve” (Willlamette Valley, OR) $65 (92)
This Pinot is very impressive. It has a fragrant and inviting black cherry and cola bouquet. It is very well balanced and smooth. I really like its tasty mild black currant flavors with hints of old oak and black plum. Try it with grilled salmon.
De Ponte 2009 Pinot Noir “Estate” (Dundee Hills, OR) $70 (92)
This “Estate” level Pinot Noir from the Dundee Hills is medium-bodied, very well balanced and super smooth. I loved its tasty blueberry and plum flavors This really nice Pinot would pair well with veal medallions.
Archery Summit 2009 Pinot Noir “Red Hill Estate” (Dundee Hills, OR) $85 (92)
Another impressive Pinot from the Dundee Hills is this offering from Archery Summit. It has mineral-infused red raspberry and black plum flavors with notes of black pepper and hints of blueberry. This one shows nice length as its acidity and fruit flavors linger well after the wine is gone.
Hamilton Russell 2010 Pinot Noir “Hemel en Aarde” (South Africa) $44 (91)
This Pinot Noir from South Africa is consistently the leading Pinot from that country. The 2010 displays very tasty smoky oak-infused plum flavors with a hint of mild anise. I would pair this Old-World styled Pinot with sage and thyme-seasoned pork tenderloin.
Thistle 2009 Pinot Noir “Dundee Hills” (Oregon) $30 (91)
This 91 pointer is an absolute steal at $30. It is well balanced and smooth as silk. I loved its delicious gentle plum flavors with hints of spice and blueberry. This elegant Pinot calls for a second glass and would be perfect with filet mignon with sautéed wild mushrooms
Stemmler 2009 Pinot Noir “Estate Grown” (Carneros, CA) $42 (91)
If you love a fruit bomb styled Pinot, you are going to love this one from Stemmler. It is very smooth, savory and fruit-forward with concentrated ripe blackberry and plum flavors. I also detected notes of black currant jam, nicely integrated oak and hints of minerality throughout. This Pinot is pretty complex and very interesting.
Kosta Browne 2009 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast” (CA) $52 (91)
Kosta Browne hits our list with medium-bodied and silky smooth offering from the Sonoma Coast. This offering displays tasty gentle plum flavors with hints of black raspberry, spice and black pepper. Briefly decant this wine and pair it with a rosemary and thyme-seasoned pork tenderloin.
Winderlea 2009 Pinot Noir “Winderlea Vineyard” (Dundee Hills, OR) $54 (91)
This was my favorite Pinot from Winderlea. It was nicely balanced and very fruit forward. Those flavors were a tasty spicy plum with notes of black pepper and some hints of red beet and black raspberry. It would pair well with smoked salmon.
Lenne 2010 Pinot Noir “Karen’s Pommard” (Yamhill-Carlton, OR) $55 (91)
This one comes from a new producer for me. It was medium-bodied, smooth and approachable. The flavor profile is a tasty cola and gentle plum blend with a hint of black cherry and very mild old oak. I would serve this very elegant Pinot with grilled red snapper.
Chehalem 2009 Pinot Noir “Reserve Ridgecrest Vineyards” (Ribbon Ridge, OR ) $59 (91)
This Pinot from Chehalem is rather refined. This wine is very food-friendly. It has very tasty plum and mild black-raspberry flavors with a hint of beet and very mild old oak in the background. It is a perfect match with grilled salmon.
J Vineyards 2009 Pinot Noir “Nicole’s Vineyard” (Russian River Valley, CA) $60 (91)
This Pinot from J was tied for first place in our big blind tasting. It is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and smooth. It has pleasant black cherry flavors with hints of coffee, vanilla oak and plum. The panel suggested pairing this Very Good Pinot with grilled striped bass or grouper with marinated with olive oil and sea salt.
Alysian 2009 Pinot Noir “Rochioli Vineyard Edgewater” (Russian River Valley, CA) $65 (91)
This Pinot was the other first place finisher in our first big blind Pinot tasting. It is medium-bodied, balanced, juicy and easy to enjoy. The panel really enjoyed its tasty plum flavors with notes of red cherry and a hint of minerality. They suggested pairing it with roast chicken with a balsamic glaze.
Alysian 2009 Pinot Noir “Allen-Rochioli Blocks” (Russian River Valley, CA) $65 (91)
Another 91 pointer from Alysian is the Allen-Rochioli Blocks offering. This Pinot is balanced and loaded with fruit flavors. Those fruit flavors are ripe boysenberry with notes plum and blackberry jam. This Pinot will appeal to readers who love their Zins and big Aussie reds. Pair it with roast duck breast.
Adelsheim 2009 Pinot Noir “Brian Creek Vineyard” (Chehalem Mountains, OR) $75 (91)
This Pinot is perfect for game food. It is medium-bodied, well balanced, and graceful with mild strawberry flavors. I also detected notes of gentle blueberry, red raspberry and mild oak in the background. It would be perfect with squab, pheasant and rabbit.
Our 90 Pointers
Siduri 2009 Pinot Noir “Sta Rita Hills” (CA) $29 (90)
This Pinot from Siduri turned out to be one of the best deals in our first big blind tasting. The panel suggested pairing this very nice Pinot with homemade meatloaf with bacon strips on top or a thick cut of rare tuna steak.
Van Duzer 2010 Pinot Noir “Estate” (Willamette Valley, OR) $30 (90)
This 2010 Pinot from Oregon is approachable and very easy to drink. I enjoyed is tasty mild plum flavors with hints of mild minerality and light oak. It finishes dry and its fine tannins drift away nicely over a long period of time.
Gundlach Bundschu 2009 Pinot Noir “Estate Vineyard” (Sonoma Coast, CA) $34 (90)
This Pinot Noir displays very tasty black currant flavors with nicely integrated oak. The panel also detected notes of black cherry and hints of black pepper and anise. The panel suggested pairing with slow cooked beef brisket.
Merryvale 2010 Pinot Noir “Carneros” (CA) $35 (90)
This ruby Pinot is medium-bodied, a tad acidic and displays lots of juicy fruit. The flavor profile is a pleasant blend of mild red currant and gentle red raspberry with a hint of pomegranate and mild oak.
Dion 2009 Pinot Noir “Winemakers Reserve” (Chehalem Mountain, OR) $35 (90)
This Oregon Pinot Noir from Dion is very good. It is medium-bodied, balanced, smooth and approachable. The flavor profile is a tasty black plum with hints of black pepper and mild old oak. Hurry, there is not much of it.
Dutton Goldfield 2010 Pinot Noir “Dutton Ranch” (Russian River Valley, CA) $38 (90)
This Pinot opens with an attractive plum bouquet with notes of black raspberry. It is medium-bodied, balanced, and juicy with tasty black-raspberry flavors with notes of red currant and plum. Pair it with grilled salmon.
Breggo 2009 Pinot Noir “Anderson Valley” (CA) $38 (90)
This was my first experience covering Breggo. It is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and a very easy to drink Pinot. I enjoyed its mild old oak-infused strawberry flavors with hints of rhubarb and a dash of black pepper.
Greywacke 2010 Pinot Noir (Marlborough, NZ) $39 (90)
This elegant New Zealand Pinot Noir is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and smooth. The flavor profile is a plum and cola blend with nicely integrated oak and a hint of blueberry. The panel suggested chicken marsala.
V Sattui 2010 Pinot Noir “Henry Ranch” (Carneros, CA) $39 (90)
This Pinot is nicely balanced, smooth and very easy to drink. I really liked its tasty black cherry flavors with nicely integrated mild vanilla oak. I also detected some juicy ripe plum and a hint of cola and spice as well.
La Follette 2009 Pinot Noir “Van der Kamp Vineyard” (Sonoma Mountain, CA) $40 (90)
This Pinot is nicely balanced, lush, and round. The flavor profile is plum with notes of cherry and hints of mild oak, strawberry, and anise. Pair with pork chops with apple chutney or lamb chops with a mint sauce.
Robert Stemmler 2009 Pinot Noir “Nugent Vineyard” (Russian River Valley, CA) $42 (90)
Another winner from Stemmler. This one has a very fragrant black cherry, cedar, plum and light strawberry bouquet. It is lush and fruit forward with ripe plum flavors and notes of black raspberry, acai, tea, light clove, and old oak.
Merry Edwards 2009 Pinot Noir “Russian River Valley” (CA) $42 (90)
This full-bodied Pinot Noir is balanced and juicy. The flavor profile is a rich black raspberry jam with notes of red beet and old oak. I also detected a hint of red cherry. I would pair this wine with grilled salmon.
Patz & Hall 2010 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast” (CA) $45 (90)
This Pinot is medium-bodied, well balanced, juicy and really smooth. It displays ripe plum and gentle blackberry flavors with a hint of strawberry licorice and touch of oak in the background. Very food-friendly.
Chehalem 2009 Pinot Noir “Ridgecrest” (Ribbon Ridge, OR) $48 (90)
This Oregon Pinot is medium-bodied, balanced, and savory. It has tasty mild black-raspberry flavors with a gentle mineral-infused streak throughout. It also displays hints of old oak, plum and a touch of black currant.
Cristom 2009 Pinot Noir “Jesse Vineyard” (Eola-Amity Hills, OR) $50 (90)
This Pinot opens with smoky campfire-like bouquet with a hint of black cherry. It is well-balanced, refined and old school. Its flavors are a smoky oak-influenced black-raspberry with notes of plum and black tea.
Alysian 2009 Pinot Noir “Floodgate Vineyard Rock Hill” (Russian River Valley, CA) $50 (90)
This Pinot Noir is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and smooth. I enjoyed its gentle black plum and strawberry flavors with notes of cedar and a hint of red raspberry and dark chocolate. Pair with pepper encrusted tuna.
Handley 2009 Pinot Noir “RSM Vineyard” (Anderson Valley, CA) $52 (90)
This Pinot is very smooth, delicate, and easy going. The panel enjoyed its very tasty black cherry flavors with nicely integrated vanilla oak and hints of red currant and cranberry. Perfect for a turkey dinner with cranberry.
Alysian 2009 Pinot Noir “Hallberg Vineyards Crossroads” (Russian River Valley, CA) $55 (90)
This elegant Pinot is medium-bodied, balanced, and smooth. The flavor profile is a mild blackberry with hints of black cherry, gentle oak and a touch of minerality. It finishes dry, with subtle fine tannins.
Merry Edwards 2009 Pinot Noir “Klopp Ranch” (Russian River Valley, CA) $57 (90)
This Pinot is full-bodied, well-balanced, and very rich for a Pinot. The flavor profile is an impressive plum with notes of red currant and a hint of oak and cranberry. The panel felt this would be a good match with a ribeye.
J Vineyards 2009 Pinot Noir “Robert Thomas Vineyard” (Russian River Valley, CA) $60 (90)
This Pinot Noir is medium-bodied, balanced, and graceful. It displays mild plum and black cherry flavors with a gentle streak of minerality throughout. I also detected a touch of old oak as well. Pair with pork tenderloin.
Darioush 2009 Pinot Noir “Signature” (Russian River Valley, CA) $60 (90)
This Pinot from Darioush shows off the gentle side of Pinot. It is medium-bodied, balanced, and smooth. The flavor profile is black cherry with hints of plum and vanilla oak. It is elegant and pair well with grilled salmon.
Patz and Hall 2009 Pinot Noir “Hyde Vineyard” (Carneros, CA) $65 (90)
This Pinot is medium-bodied, balanced, and juicy. The flavor profile is black raspberry with notes of blueberry and plum. I also detected some old oak and black pepper. It would pair well with beef bourguignon.
Our 89 Point Pinots
Vavasour 2009 Pinot Noir (Awatere Valley, New Zealand) $17 (89)
Duckhorn 2010 Pinot Noir “Decoy” (Sonoma County) $22 (89)
Cambria 2009 Pinot Noir “Julia’s Vineyard” (Santa Maria Valley, CA) $25 (89)
Saint Clair 2010 Pinot Noir “Pioneer Block 16″ (Awatere Valley, NZ) $30 (89)
Sebastiani 2009 Pinot Noir “Russian River Valley” (California) $30 (89)
Sokol Blosser 2009 Pinot Noir “Dundee Hills” (Oregon) $38 (89)
Monticello Vineyards 2009 Pinot Noir “Estate Grown” (Oak Knoll, CA ) $38 (89)
Merriam Vineyards 2010 Pinot Noir “Russian River Valley” (CA) $40 (89)
La Crema 2010 Pinot Noir “Russian River Valley” (California) $40 (89)
Alysian 2009 Pinot Noir “Russian River Selection” (CA) $40 (89)
Ferrari Carano 2009 Pinot Noir “Sky High Ranch” (Mendocino Ridge, CA) $42 (89)
Our 88 and 87 Point Pinots
Saint Clair 2010 Pinot Noir “Vicar’s Choice” (Marlborough, NZ) $16 (88)
Babich 2009 Pinot Noir “Marlborough” (New Zealand) $18 (88)
Wine by Joe 2009 Pinot Noir “Really Good” (Oregon) $19 (88)
Saint Clair 2009 Pinot Noir “Marlborough” (New Zealand) $20 (88)
V Sattui 2010 Pinot Noir “Sattui Family” (California) $30 (88)
Navarro Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir “Anderson Valley” (CA) (88)
Santa Barbara Winery 2009 Pinot Noir “Sta Rita Hills” (CA) $25 (88)
Ponzi 2010 Pinot Noir “Tavola” (Willamette Valley, Oregon) $25 (88)
Handley 2009 Pinot Noir “Mendocino County” (CA) $25 (88)
Lafond 2009 Pinot Noir “SRH” (Sta Rita Hills, CA) $27 (88)
Siduri 2010 Pinot Noir “Russian River Valley” (CA) $30 (88)
Handley 2009 Pinot Noir “Anderson Valley” (CA) $32 (88)
Erath 2009 Pinot Noir “Estate Selection” (Willamette Valley, OR) $34 (88)
Merry Edwards 2009 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast” (CA) $36 (88)
Chehalem 2009 Pinot Noir “Stoller” (Dundee Hills, OR) $48 (88)
Cristom 2009 Pinot Noir “Eileen Vineyard” (Eola Amity Hills) $50 (88)
Kendall Jackson 2010 Pinot Noir “Vintner’s Reserve” (California) $20 (87)
We hope you enjoy exploring these Pinot Noirs as much as we did. I can’t wait to start all over again next April. Please share your favorite Pinots with the group by commenting below. We look forward to reading your comments. Cheers! – Ken
Where to?
Ken and I recently had the pleasure of visiting Portland, Oregon, for the annual Wine Bloggers Conference put on by Zephyr Adventures and the Vincent Group Consulting. As part of the conference, eight mystery buses were assembled on the Friday afternoon of the conference to take us to Oregon Wine Country.
Our adventure began when we boarded a bus with an “unknown destination,” unknown except that we knew the bus was destined for Oregon Wine Country. Although Ken and I like to know where we are going at all times, we knew we couldn’t go wrong riding a mystery bus to Oregon Wine Country—even if it was a bit out of our comfort zone! Soon after our bus departed, we were delighted to learn we were headed to the Dundee Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area), which is in the heart of Oregon Wine Country. You might not be surprised to hear that soon after our bus departed for wine country glasses were passed around and wine bottles were quickly opened, pleasing all passengers. Our first wine tasting of the day would be a white blend from our host winery, the NV (non-vintage) Sokol Blosser “Evolution” 15th Edition. We enjoyed this cool, crisp wine on an unseasonably hot day. It was close to 95°F in the Portland area, which I am told is almost unheard of. Everybody but the bus driver savored this refreshing wine on our 1.25 hour bus ride down to Dundee Hills.
So many wineries, so little time
Reason #5 to visit Oregon Wine Country—it’s easy to get to! There were six other wineries in close proximity to Sokol Blosser that all participated in our winery visit, including Lange Estate Winery, Domaine Drouhin, Archery Summit, Argyle Winery, Winderlea, and Stoller Family Estate. At the host winery we were able to try wines from all of these local wineries. Each winery had friendly and informed staff on hand for questions and answers. If you visit the Dundee Hills AVA, Ken recommends that you stay a while and also visit DePonte Cellars, Domaine Serene, The Eyrie Vineyards, and Thistle Wines in addition to the wineries we mentioned above.
East coast, west coast
Reason #4 to visit Oregon Wine Country—friendly and down-to-earth people! We enjoyed meeting and chatting with Bill Sweat and his wife Donna Morris, founders of the Winderlea Vineyard and Winery. We learned that Bill and Donna were originally from the Boston area and moved to Dundee, Oregon, to start second careers and pursue their passion in 2006.
Learning new things in gorgeous settings
While we were visiting with some new friends and taking in the beautiful views at the winery, the Sokol Blosser tasting room manager, Jenny Mosbacher, pulled up in an ATV. She asked if anyone wanted to go out and see the vineyards. Ken and I were feeling adventurous and hopped aboard the dusty, over-sized ATV. We were whisked away with five others on a brief, but very informative, tour around the vineyards, with Jenny as our very knowledgeable tour guide at the wheel.
One of the most exciting sights for me was when Jenny pointed out grapes that were showing the beginning of veraison, the onset of ripening. I had never seen this stage up close. We also learned a little about the volcanic ash soil and its favorable influence on the wines of the region. This soil is what makes the Dundee Hills Terroir so unique. Mount Hood and Mount Saint Helens can both be seen easily in the distance on a clear day from Portland, not that far from wine country—constant reminders of the volcanic history that surrounds the area.
Did I mention Reason #3 to visit Oregon Wine Country? Stunning scenery near and far! At the Sokol Blosser Winery, there were gorgeous rolling hills of vineyards as far as the eye could see, a 360° panorama. You could also see the neighboring wineries and vineyards. My photos from that day do not do justice to the beautiful scenery.
Ken and I rented a car on our trip and decided to take in some of the other breathtaking scenery not far from wine country. Some of the highlights included the Columbia River Gorge, which I think is a must-see. The historic Vista House with its panoramic views of the Columbia River Gorge offered the best view. We also stopped to see the Multnomah Falls, which are 611 feet tall and do not dry up in the late summer. According to Native American lore, Multnomah Falls were created to win the heart of a young princess who wanted a hidden place to bathe. For the adventurous at heart, you can hike a mile up to the top of the falls. (In retrospect, taking a long hike might have been a good idea to burn off some of the calories we consumed between the delicious wine and food we enjoyed!)
Food: Local, Varied, and Very Tasty
Reason #2 to visit Oregon Wine Country—culinary delights! Or, fabulous food! At Sokol Blosser we tried ice cream from a local favorite, Salt & Straw. I can see why this business is a local favorite. The ice cream was melt-in-your-mouth good! They had some unusual flavors, too. Ken and I tried the caramel and sea-salt ice cream. I was a little skeptical, as I couldn’t imagine liking salt in my ice cream. It was amazing! I wanted to go back for a second cup of ice cream, but I resisted the temptation!
We also tried some watermelon soup at Sokol Blosser. Again, I was a little skeptical; unlike my kids, I am not a huge watermelon fan. Guess what they served the watermelon soup in? I’ll give you a hint—they don’t serve it with a soup spoon. The watermelon soup was served in a wine glass! How fun is that? When I first saw it, I thought it was some kind of funky cocktail. I have to admit it was really good!
One of the first things I noticed on our visit to Oregon was that there seemed to be extraordinary care taken to cook with the freshest ingredients grown as close to home as possible. Saturday night’s amazing wine dinner put on by King Estate Winery featured food either grown on the estate or near the estate to ensure the freshest ingredients possible. We loved each course, paired with a delicious wine. Our first course was a salad of fennel with heirloom tomato, grilled corn, and duck-breast prosciutto, and it was paired with the 2011 NxNW Horse Heaven Hills Riesling. Ken and I didn’t have a chance to visit the King Estate Winery on this trip, but we definitely want to visit on our next trip to Oregon Wine Country.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one of the breakfast culinary delights I enjoyed on the trip to Portland, Oregon: the Voodoo Donuts! Voodoo Donuts can be summed up as yum and fun! A must try if you visit the Portland area. Voodoo Donuts come in zany flavors including “Captain my Captain” (raised yeast doughnut with vanilla frosting and Cap’n Crunch cereal) and “Marshall Matters” (plain cake doughnut with vanilla frosting and mini M&M’s). Since I love both M&M’s and donuts, I chose the “Marshall Matters.” It was really hard to choose, as they had so many wacky choices! These delectable treats were even paired with wine at the Wine Bloggers Conference!
It’s all about the wine
Finally, Reason #1 to visit Oregon Wine Country—the wine of course! For the Pinot Noir fans out there, the 2009 Pinot is showing particularly well. Here’s a random list of some of our favorite wines that we tried on our brief, but incredibly fun and adventurous, visit to Oregon Wine Country:
2009 Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir “Dundee Hills”, (Dundee Hills, Oregon) $38 (89)
2011 Benton Lane Winery Pinot Gris “Willamette Valley”, (Willamette Valley, Oregon) $17 (90)
2009 Thistle Pinot Noir “Dundee Hills”, (Dundee Hills, Oregon) $30 (91)
2008 Folin Cellars Syrah “Folin Vineyards”, (Rogue Valley, Oregon) $30 (89)
2009 Winderlea Pinot Noir “Winderlea Vineyard”, (Dundee Hills, Oregon) $54 (91)
2009 Evening Land Pinot Noir “Seven Spring Vineyard”, (Eola Amity Hills, Oregon) $45 (93)
2009 Dion Pinot Noir “Winemakers Reserve”, (Chehalem Mountain, Oregon) $35 (90)
2009 Archery Summit Pinot Noir “Red Hill Estate”, (Dundee Hills, Oregon) $85 (92)
NV Sokol Blosser “Evolution 15th Edition” White Blend, (Oregon) $15 (88)
2008 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir “Laurene”, (Dundee Hills, Oregon) $65 (92)
2011 Left Coast Cellars Pinot Gris “The Orchards”, (Willamette Valley, Oregon) $16 (89)
2010 Lenne Pinot Noir “Karen’s Pommard”, (Yamhill Carlton, Oregon) $55 (91)
2009 Anne Amie “Prisme Pinot Noir Blanc”, (Willamette Valley, Oregon) $45 (90)
2008 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir “Evenstad Reserve”, (Willamette Valley, Oregon) $65 (92)
2010 Chehalem Riesling “Dry Reserve”, (Willamette Valley, Oregon) $21 (90)
2009 De Ponte Cellars Pinot Noir “Estate”, (Dundee Hills, Oregon) $70 (92)
To learn more about the wines of Oregon, check out the Oregon Wine Board and Wine Julia, winner of the 2012 “Best New Wine Blog” Award. If you haven’t been to Oregon Wine Country, you’ll want to visit soon. We are looking forward to our return trip!
Cheers!
Theresa & Ken
To me, summer means it is time to break out the Sauvignon Blanc. That said, we have been covering them since May in order to get this report out by mid-July, just in time for many vacations. You will find that Sauvignon Blanc wines, in general, are great values, meant to be consumed young. Many of them come with screw caps for easy opening at the beach. Better yet, this year we had a much better batch of Sauvignon Blancs to choose from. I think you will find this year’s Sauvignon Blanc collection of wine recommendations to be very interesting and delightful. There are many Very Good options at all price levels. Even though our top-seven-scoring wines do come with a $20 or more price tag, we do have a few 90 pointers under $20. The best deals in the 89 and 88 point range.
The 2010 Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc for $30 is terrific. The panel awarded it 93 points and found it to be the top Sauvignon Blanc in our big blind tasting. On the palate, you will find this wine to be medium-to-full-bodied, very well balanced, and creamy. We loved its delicious flavor profile of mild Bartlett pear and gentle green melon. We also detected a hint of vanilla. It finishes dry, elegant, and refined. The panel suggested drinking this one on its own. Merry Edward’s Sauvignon Blanc is consistently one of the top Sauvignon Blancs that we cover. Despite its popularity and demand by restaurants, you should be able to get your hands on a bottle or two as 9,005 cases were made. Good luck and enjoy!
My next favorite Sauvignon Blanc is the 2010 Cakebread from the Napa Valley. I discovered this gem as part of a flight of wines I was trying along with an order of popcorn shrimp at Legal Sea Foods in Boston. They went perfectly together. It opened with a fragrant and classic gooseberry bouquet with a hint of yellow grapefruit. On the palate, this wine is light-bodied, slightly acidic, and very juicy. I loved its very tasty pink grapefruit flavors with hints of Anjou pear. I scored this wine 92 points. It is well worth its $24 price tag. Pick up a bottle or two for just about any seafood meal that you have planned this summer.
The next five wines all scored 91 points. We will start with the bargain of the bunch. The 2011 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand was a new one for me. At $20 a bottle, it made quite an impression on the tasters who tried it. It opens with a fragrant ripe pink grapefruit bouquet. On the palate, it is light-to-medium-bodied, crisp and shows pleasant acidity. The group talked a lot about how much they liked its ripe lime and grapefruit flavors with pleasant notes of minerality throughout. They suggested trying this refreshing, Sauvignon Blanc with broiled crab stuffed halibut. Finding it might be tricky, as only 1,500 cases were imported. It might require a special order via your favorite wine shop.
Our next wine is an impressive offering that was also a new discovery for me. The 2010 Cade Sauvignon Blanc for $26 is really good wine. Cade is the sister winery to Plumpjack in Napa. Their Sauvignon Blanc is medium-bodied and nicely balanced between its fruit and acidity. Everyone at the tasting liked it a lot and found it very easy to drink. I loved its tasty mild green apple flavors with a hint of pink grapefruit and mild mineralty. This pleasantly refreshing wine will be a perfect choice with grilled mahi mahi.
We return to kiwi land for our next 91 pointer. The 2010 Saint Clair ”Wairau Reserve” Sauvignon Blanc for $27 is impressive. It opens with a classic and very fragrant grapefruit and gooseberry-like bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium-to- full-bodied and wonderfully balanced between its acidity and fruit. I really enjoyed its ripe pink grapefruit flavors with nicely integrated minerality with hints of lime, spice and white pepper. This rather refreshing wine would be perfect poolside on a hot summer day.
Joseph Phelps Sauvignon Blanc always seems to finish in our top 10. This year is no exception. Their 2010 “Estate Grown” for $32 was well received. Especially by the tasters on the panel who like Chardonnay. The reason is, this Sauvignon Blanc has many Chard characteristics. For instance, it is medium-bodied, balanced and rather smooth. Its flavor profile is also similar in that it displays tasty pear flavors with notes of vanilla and banana with a hint of toasted almonds. It finishes dry and elegant. The panel suggested that this is a very nice wine that would perfectly compliment grilled trout almondine.
We close out our 91 pointers with one of my favorite Sauvignon Blancs so far this year. The 2009 Chalk Hill “Estate Bottled” Sauvignon Blanc for $33 made quite the impression on the panel and me. It opens with a very intriguing honey and bees wax like bouquet with a hint of lime. On the palate, this wine is medium-bodied, balanced, and round. The panel found its flavor profile to be quite complex. Those flavors consisted of mild lemon with hints of green apple, cream soda, white pepper and vanilla oak. It was a really interesting wine and only got better with some aeration over two days. The panel suggested pairing this Sauvignon Blanc with Coquilles St. Jacques. This one should be easier to find as 7,000 cases were made.
Our 90 pointers lead off with a consistent winner. The 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle 2010 “Horse Heaven Vineyard” Sauvignon Blanc for $15 is always a very good deal. With 29,000 cases made, it is amazing that this wine is always so consistent. This year’s wine is light-bodied, slightly acidic and crisp. I really enjoyed is tasty lime and green apple flavors with notes of gentle lime mixed in. I would pair this refreshing offering with grilled swordfish skewers this summer.
The Duckhorn 2011 “Decoy” for $17 is another above average Sauvignon Blanc that comes in under $20. With 17,798 case made, it should also be easy to find. On the palate, this wine is medium-bodied, slightly acidic, and has a round mouthfeel. Its flavor profile is a tangy lime with nicely integrated grapefruit. I found it to be food-friendly and our small group of tasters thought it would pair well with rare blackened tuna served with mango salsa.
The 2011 Saint Clair “Pioneer Block 18 Snap Block” Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand opens with a fragrant ripe pink grapefruit bouquet. On the palate, this wine is light-to-medium-bodied and shows just a touch of acidity and lots of juicy fruit. The flavor profile is a ripe yellow grapefruit with notes of minerality and hints of lime and coconut. Like many of the options above, this Sauvignon Blanc would pair well with grilled swordfish and zucchini skewers.
Dry Creek Vineyard makes a lot of very nice entry level Sauvignon Blancs. A couple of them are noted below. However, a step or two above those is the 2009 “DCV3″ from the Dry Creek Valley. There are only 252 cases of this wine made. It is very different than the above wines. Particularly different is its weight and mouthfeel. You will find it to be full-bodied, balanced, and smooth. I really enjoyed its tasty mild green melon flavors with hints of green apple. If you are looking for a classy and elegant Sauvignon Blanc that is food-friendly, give this one a whirl if you can find a bottle.
Our last 90 point Sauvignon Blanc is the 2011 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. It is one of the most well-known Sauvignon Blancs in the world and there was plenty of it made. (30,000 cases) This year’s version is almost clear and opens with an inviting green apple bouquet with a hint of fig. On the palate, this wine is light-bodied, balanced, a tad austere, and crisp. The flavor profile is a mineral-infused Anjou pear with a hint of pink grapefruit. The finish is dry and very refreshing. It is a little pricier than most Sauvignon Blancs at $25. However, it is a must try if you are exploring the best Sauvignon Blancs around the world. Pair it with trout almondine.
For our 89 Pointers we will give you a snipit of these intriguing and exciting Very Good Sauvignon Blancs.
Babich 2011 Sauvignon Blanc “Marlborough” (New Zealand) $13 (89)
This Sauvignon Blanc wine is light-bodied, balanced, and mouthwatering with tasty gentle grapefruit flavors with hints of pear. It is rather refreshing. Pair this very good value Sauvignon Blanc with pan seared scallops.
Buitenverwachting 2011 Sauvignon Blanc (Constantia, South Africa) $15 (89)
Light bodied, displays crisp acidity and ripe fruit. Tasty green apple, lime, and pineapple flavors with nicely integrated minerality. Pair this lively Sauvignon Blanc with garlic chicken or steamers with drawn butter.
Ferrari Carano 2011 Sauvignon Blanc “Fume Blanc” (Sonoma County) $15 (89)
The longer this wine was open, the better it scored. On day two it was certainly better than right after opening it. Mineral-infused mild lime flavors with hints of peach pit, pineapple, and mild yellow grapefruit.
Airfield Estates 2011 Sauvignon Blanc (Yakima Valley, WA) $15 (89)
This Sauvignon Blanc is medium-bodied, slightly acidic and mouthwatering. It displays mild tart lime flavors with notes of gentle green apple and minerality It is quite friendly and nicely complements shrimp scampi.
Saint Clair 2011 Sauvignon Blanc “Vicar’s Choice” (Marlborough, NZ) $18 (89)
Light-bodied, crisp and has nicely controlled and mouthwatering acidity. Flavor profile is a ripe grapefruit with hints of lime, peach, and very mild minerality. Ideal summer wine and would pair nicely with lobster risotto.
Merryvale 2011 Sauvignon Blanc “Starmont” (Napa Valley) $18 (89)
This wine is light-bodied, tangy, and a tad on the acidic side. Comes together quickly with some aeration. The flavor profile is a mild mineral-infused Anjou pear with notes of green apple and tart lime. Quite expressive.
Neil Ellis 2010 Sauvignon Blanc “Groenekloof” (South Africa) $18 (89)
Light-bodied and slightly acidic. Tart Anjou pear and tangy lime flavors with nicely integrated minerality, grapefruit, and white pepper. The panel suggested pairing this wine with grilled Arctic Char or salmon.
Navarro 2011 Sauvignon Blanc “Cuvee 128″ (Mendocino, CA) $18 (89)
This crowd pleaser is light-bodied, balanced, gentle and very approachable. Flavor profile is a very light quince and mild Bosc pear blend with just a touch of lime. Finish is dry & very friendly. Perfect complement to fish.
Matanzas Creek 2010 Sauvignon Blanc “Sonoma County” (CA) $19 (89)
Light-to-medium-bodied, round and mouthwatering. The flavor profile is a mild lime and green apple with pleasant mineral notes throughout. Finish is quite dry and very lingers for a while after the wine is gone.
Framingham 2011 Sauvignon Blanc “Marlborough” (New Zealand) $20 (89)
Medium-bodied, balanced, and mouthwatering. Very tasty mild grapefruit flavors with hints of lime and a touch of minerality. Dry and refreshing. Very food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc. Pair with grilled swordfish skewers.
Vincent Delaporte 2010 Sauvignon Blanc “Chavignol” (Sancerre, FR) $31 (89)
This Sauvignon Blanc is light-bodied, acidic and lively. The flavor profile is a tangy tangerine with hints of lime and grapefruit. The panel suggested pairing it with linguine smothered with clams or Coquilles St. Jacques.
St. Supery 2010 Sauvignon Blanc “Dollarhide” (Napa Valley, CA) $35 (89)
This Sauvignon Blanc has very tasty ripe grapefruit flavors with notes of integrated minerality. We also detected hints of white pepper and peach. The panel suggested pairing this wine with chicken and shrimp paella.
The following recommended Sauvignon Blancs range in score from 88-87 (Very Good) and a few 86 points that are Good values. Check them out as well.
SeaGlass 2010 Sauvignon Blanc (Santa Barbara, CA) $12 (88)
Kendall Jackson 2010 Sauvignon Blanc “Vintner’s Reserve” (CA) $13 (88)
Cono Sur 2011 Sauvignon Blanc “Organic” (San Antonio Valley, Chile) $13 (88)
Vavasour 2010 Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand) $14 (88)
Dry Creek Vineyard 2011 ”Fume Blanc” (Sonoma County, CA) $14 (88)
Franciscan Estate 2010 Sauvignon Blanc “Napa Valley” (CA) $17 (88)
Navarro 2010 Sauvignon Blanc “Cuvee 128″ (Mendocino, CA) $18 (88)
Saint Clair 2011 Sauvignon Blanc “Marlborough” (New Zealand) $20 (88)
Tom Eddy 2011 Suavignon Blanc “Tenz” (New Zealand) $22 (88)
Patient Cottat 2010 Sauvignon Blanc “Anciennes Vignes” (Sancerre, FR) $22 (88)
Cupcake 2011 Sauvignon Blanc “Marlborough” (New Zealand) $14 (87)
Dry Creek Vineyard 2010 Sauvignon Blanc “Dry Creek Valley” (CA) $16 (87)
St. Supery 2011 Sauvignon Blanc “Napa Valley” (CA) $20 (87)
Frenzy 2011 Sauvignon Blanc “Marlborough” (New Zealand) $10 (86)
Francois Lurton 2011 Sauvignon Blanc “Hacienda Araucano Reserva” (Valle de Lolol, Chile) $11 (86)
Columbia Crest 2010 Sauvignon Blanc “H3″ (Horse Heaven Hills, WA) $15 (86)
Finally, we hope you enjoy exploring these Sauvignon Blancs as much as we did. Have fun this summer with these very refreshing wines. Please be sure to post comments on your favorites. Cheers – Ken
Grilling season is one of my favorite times of year and nothing complements grilled foods better than Zinfandel. My early days of wine reviewing and my passion for wine started with big and bold Zinfandels. I fondly remember heading to Dry Creek with my cousin, to cover as many Zins as we could try in a day. We would always finish the day with a Cline “Live Oak” on the way back to San Francisco. Cline was always open one hour later than everyone else, to catch the weary tasters on the way out of the valley. Those were the days. These days, there are some new players at the top of the Zinfandel scene. They are reviving the grape and making a name for themselves as well. I hope you take the time to explore this unique and exciting grape, along with a big messy rack of barbecue ribs.
Our winner this year was a late entry and quite frankly the last Zinfandel based wine I covered. It is a bit of a blend, but was by far the best Zin option that I covered. The 2009 Paraduxx “Z Blend” from Napa for $48 is Excellent. I awarded it 95 points. This wine is a blend of 62% Zinfandel, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% Merlot. This wine opens with an inviting mild blueberry bouquet. On the palate, this wine is very impressive. It is full-bodied, ridiculously smooth and silky. I loved its delicious blueberry flavors with nicely integrated mild oak and notes of black cherry, plum, and a dash of black pepper. The finish is dry and its fine tannins are subtle and linger slightly. This terrific wine is very food-friendly and it would pair perfectly with a filet mignon. I loved this wine and drank every drop of it. You will love it too!!
Our top 100% Zinfandel this year is the 2009 Robert Biale “Black Chicken” Zinfandel from Oak Knoll in California. This wine is also impressive. I award this offering 93 points. It was a huge hit with our dinner group at Del Frisco’s in Boston a while back. So much so, that we ordered a second bottle. It is fruit-forward, rich and balanced with delicious extracted black raspberry and boysenberry flavors. It finishes dry and its fruit flavors linger for quite some time after the wine is gone. I would suggest pairing it with veal marsala.
Next up are the top two finishers in our Big Blind tasting. Both wines scored 92 points from the panel. The 2008 Shannon Ridge “Home Ranch Two Bud Block” Zinfandel for $24 opens with a mild and attractive boysenberry bouquet with notes of cedar in the background. On the palate, it was full-bodied, very well balanced, and quite smooth. I personally thought this Zin was delicious and the panel voted similarly. Its flavor profile is a blueberry and boysenberry blend with nicely integrated black pepper, spice and a touch of oak. It finishes dry; its flavors and mild tannins sail away nicely. The panel agreed that this Zin was built for a filet mignon.
The 2009 Mauritson “Dry Creek Valley” Zinfandel for $27 also drew some 1st place votes from the panel. As mentioned before it also scored 92 points. This offering opens with a fragrant boysenberry bouquet with a touch of blackberry, strawberry, and smoky oak. It is full-bodied, nicely balanced, and quite smooth. The panel loved its very tasty mild blueberry flavors with nicely integrated old oak and dark cherries. They also detected a dash of black pepper as well. It finishes with dry fine tannins that are a touch sticky. Yet at the same time they are elegant and land softly. The panel suggested that this Zin would also be perfect with filet mignon.
This 92 pointer is still available and I covered it a while ago, before its actual release. I would bet it is showing even better than the score I gave it back then. The 2008 Ravenswood “Teldeschi’ Zin from Dry Creek Valley is one of Joel Petersons Single Vineyard blends. This offering comes in at $35 and is made from 75% Zinfandel, 20% Petite Sirah, 3% Carignane, and 2% Alicante Bouschet. It was full-bodied, balanced, and very smooth. I enjoyed its tasty mild black cherry flavors with notes of gentle oak. Its dry and sturdy tannins are sticky and show very good length. If you are looking for a little bolder Zin, give this one a try with a dry-aged ribeye from Grill 23 restaurant in Boston.
Our next wine is another Zin based blend. The 2009 Orin Swift “Prisoner” for $35 is always popular with our tasting panel. This year’s blend is comprised of 51% Zinfandel, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Syrah, 7% Petite Sirah, 3% Charbono, 1% Grenache, and 1% Malbec. The panel scored this wine 91 points. They described it as full-bodied, balanced, and savory with tasty black raspberry and plum flavors. They also detected notes of black pepper and a hint of cherry vanilla as well. It finishes with dry and building gentle dusty tannins which are a little bit sticky. The panel suggested pairing this wine with several meals. Garlic pork roast, venison or buffalo burgers topped the list.
Our next winner is from one of the top Zin producers in the Dry Creek Valley. The 2009 Seghesio “Cortina” Zinfandel was my favorite from their portfolio this year. It costs $38 per bottle and I scored it 91 points. There were 2,500 cases made, so you should be able to find some. This 100% Zin is medium-bodied, balanced, and fruity. I really liked its classic black raspberry flavors with notes of plum, gentle old oak and a touch of black pepper. It closes with moderate sticky tannins that linger for some time. Those tannins and its flavor profile make it a good match for slow cooked beef brisket.
Our last 91 pointer is the 2008 Robert Biale “Black Chicken” Zinfandel for $40. This vintage is medium-bodied, balanced, and fruit-forward blackberry jam flavors. What added to its intrigue were the notes of black pepper, black cherry, and black currant that were so nicely integrated. It finishes dry with dusty vanilla oak tannins that linger for quite some time. I feel that this big fruit bomb Zin would be a perfect choice for big rack of barbecue ribs this summer.
Speaking of a wine that would be perfect with a messy rack of barbecue ribs and some moist corn bread. Our top 90 pointer comes from one of our favorite Zin producers. The 2009 Four Vines “Biker” Zinfandel from Paso Robles is our top scoring Four Vines Zin this year. This fruit bomb opens with a classic fragrant blackberry jam bouquet with a hint of licorice. It is medium-bodied, balanced, and very fruit-forward. I really liked its ripe blackberry jam flavors with notes of plum and a hint of oak and black pepper. It finishes dry and its fruit flavors linger for quite a while. If you love fruity Zins give this one a whirl.
The 2010 Seghesio “Sonoma County” Zinfandel is Seghesio’s entry level Zin offering. It is always very good and consistently gets high marks from the trade. This vintage continues those winning ways as I awarded this wine 90 points. It is medium-bodied, juicy and fruit-forward with very tasty black raspberry flavors. I also got notes of boysenberry, black pepper and blackberry mixed in as well. It closes with dry, moderate tannins that are quite sticky. Its fruit flavors also linger for a while making this just another very Good Zin to consider with messy barbecue ribs you are grilling up this summer.
Ballentine Vineyards 2008 Zinfandel “Old Vines” (Napa) $21 (90)
This Zinfandel opens with a heavenly blueberry and plum bouquet. It is medium-bodied, balanced, and fruit forward with tasty blueberry and black cherry flavors and notes of old oak. Serve this rich Zin with roasted duck breast with a reduced blackberry sauce.
Ferrari Carano 2009 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, CA) $28 (90)
This Zinfandel Ferrari Carano is quite a fruit bomb. It opens with a fragrant black raspberry jam bouquet. It is medium-bodied, fruit forward, and very jammy. We really liked it ripe black raspberry flavors with notes of red currant jelly and black plum. Its juicy fruit flavors linger making it a perfect wine to pair with meat lasagna.
Miro 2010 Zinfandel “Old Vine Grist Vineyard” (Dry Creek Valley, CA) $28 (90)
This Zinfandel opens with a very fragrant blueberry bouquet with a hint of cranberry. It is medium-bodied, balanced, and very fruit forward. It displays extracted plum flavors with notes of boysenberry and a hint of red raspberry. I would pair this very rich Zin with cherry amaretto chicken.
Hartford 2009 Zinfandel “Old Vine” (Russian River Valley, CA) $35 (90)
This fruit bomb from Hartford is full-bodied, slightly acidic, juicy and very fruit forward. The fruit flavors are a red currant and black raspberry blend with notes of black pepper and spice. The panel suggested pairing this wine with venison stew and a manchengo cheese platter by the fireplace.
Alysian 2009 Zinfandel “Block Three Bradford Mountain” (Sonoma County) $36 (90)
This Zinfandel opens up and improves a great deal after some time in the glass and a few swirls. It is medium-bodied, balanced and juicy. It shows off juicy plum flavors with notes of strawberry licorice and a touch of black cherry. Its mild and slightly dusty tannins are well controlled. Pair it with thyme seasoned pork tenderloin.
Seghesio 2009 Zinfandel “Old Vine” (Sonoma County) $38 (90)
Another treat from Seghesio. This offering is medium-bodied, slightly acidic, lush and savory. The panel liked its mild plum flavors with notes of blackberry, black pepper and spice. The panel suggested that this Zin would pair well with barbecue beef ribs.
Cakebread 2009 Zinfandel (Red Hills, CA) $41 (90)
This Zinfandel from Cakebread is medium-bodied, balanced, and smooth. Its flavor profile is an oak-infused plum with notes of blackberry, blueberry and hint of cola. It finishes dry and its mild tannins are friendly. The panel suggested pairing this Zin with a juicy Angus bacon burger or a flank steak.
Our 89 Point Zins:
Four Vines 2009 Zinfandel “Maverick” (Amador County, CA) $15 (89)
This Zinfandel was deemed to be a friendly Zin by the panel. It is medium-bodied and soft. Its displays gentle plum flavors with hints of black licorice. The panel suggested pairing this friendly Zin with pork tenderloin.
Bradford 2007 Zinfandel “Dry Creek Vineyard” $18 (89)
This Zinfandel opens with a pretty blueberry and mild blackberry bouquet. It is medium-bodied, smooth and easy to drink. I liked its tasty black cherry flavors with hints of juicy blueberry, mild vanilla oak and dark chocolate.
Four Vines 2009 Zinfandel “The Sophisticate” (Sonoma County) $20 (89)
Consistently a reader’s favorite. The 2009 is medium-bodied, balanced and juicy with tasty red currant and plum flavors with notes of pomegranate mixed in. Perfect to pair with lamb kabobs.
Duckhorn 2009 Zinfandel “Decoy” (Sonoma Country) $22 (89)
This is a very nice Zin from the folks at Duckhorn. They also made our top scoring wine. The Decoy is medium-bodied, fruit-forward and displays nice flavors. Those flavors are a black cherry and black raspberry blend with notes of nicely integrated black pepper and some old oak. The finish is dry and it is nicely prolonged.
Dry Creek Vineyard 2008 Zinfandel “Old Vine” (Dry Creek Valley, CA) $28 (89)
Our last highlighted 89 pointer is the “Old Vine” Zin from Dry Creek. This offering is medium-bodied, balanced, and round. The panel liked its oak-infused plum flavors with a hint of black currant. It finishes with dry dusty tannins that are nicely prolonged. The panel thought this Zin would pair well with beef bourguignon or Coq au Vin.
Other 89 Pointers To Consider:
Murphy Goode 2006 Zinfandel “Snake Eyes” (Alexander Valley) $35 (89)
Sebastiani 2009 Zinfandel “Dry Creek Valley” (CA) $30 (89)
Grgich Hills 2008 Zinfandel “Estate Grown” (Napa Valley, CA) $35 (89)
Acorn 2008 Zinfandel “Heritage Vines” (Russian River Valley, CA) $35 (89)
V. Sattui 2009 Zinfandel “Crow Ridge Vineyard” (Russian River Valley, CA) $37 (89)
Tres Sabores 2008 Zinfandel “Rutherford” (CA) $35 (Organic) (89)
Our Other Very Good Zins recommendations:
Navarro Vineyards 2009 Zinfandel “Mendocino” (CA) $19 (88)
Truett Hurst 2009 Zinfandel “Red Rooster” (Dry Creek Valley, CA) $28 (88)
Dashe 2008 Zinfandel “Louvau Vineyard Old Vines” (Dry Creek Valley, CA) $32 (88)
Murphy Goode 2008 Zinfandel “Liar’s Dice” (Sonoma County, CA) $21 (87)
A Good Value Zin to keep on your radar:
The 2009 Four Vines “Old Vine Cuvee” Zinfandel for $12 is a Good bulk purchase wine to consider. It is medium-bodied, balanced, and very easy to drink. Its flavor profile is a mild plum and mild oak blend with a hint of black cherry and a dash of black pepper in the background. It is a pleasant everyday Zin that would pair well with a burger, pizza or even lasagna. They made 50,000 cases so stock up with this affordable Zin for all your summer barbecues.
I hope you have as much fun exploring Zinfandels this summer as I did covering them this winter. Zinfandel is such a fun grape. Please feel free to post a comment and tell me and my readers about your favorite Zinfandel discoveries.
Cheers – Ken
Our annual Syrah and Shiraz tastings are some of my favorite tastings of the year. The flavor profiles I like the best include blueberry, blackberry, and boysenberry. This is a grape that frequently delivers these flavors. Overall, you are going to find the best Syrah and Shiraz offerings are a bit on the expensive side. However, there are a few deals sprinkled in here as well. I hope you find and enjoy some of these gems. I know we enjoyed them!
The highest scoring Syrah, which was the winner of our Big Blind tasting is the 2009 Paul Hobbs “Kick Ranch Vineyard” Syrah for $50. It is outstanding. The panel rewarded it by assigning it 93 points. This wine is full-bodied, balanced, and silky smooth. The panel loved its ripe blackberry flavors with notes of integrated oak. They also detected secondary flavors, like minerality and plum. It is a pretty complex Syrah. The finish is rather dry and its dusty tannins are sticky and sail on for quite some time. The panel suggested that this is a sipping Syrah. Sit back with some sharp cheddar cheese and enjoy! Also note, there were only 193 cases were made, so call the winery and beg.
Our next wine always seems to be near the top of our Syrah results each year. Perhaps it is because it is a blend and they sneak in some Petite Sirah. (Another favorite grape of the panel). The 2008 Shafer “Relentless” for $60 was award 92 points. It is pitch black colored and finished in second place in our big blind tasting. On the palate, this wine is full-bodied, very well balanced, and super smooth. The flavor profile is a delicious mild blackberry and black currant blend with nicely integrated black licorice. There are hints of black pepper as well. It finishes very dry and its tannins are very sticky and quite prolonged. The panel suggested serving this wine with duck. This wine will be easier to find as 3,300 cases were made.
Our next Syrah is a great deal. So much of a deal, that my panel bought up the few remaining cases left in our state. So after your read this, you will need to call your favorite retailer right away to see if you can get some. The 2007 Bradford Mountain “Grist Vineyard” Syrah for $25 is a steal. The panel rewarded it with 91 points and immediately ordered it once they heard the price. There were only 500 cases of this organic gem made, so you will have to hurry to get some. This wine was full-bodied, balanced, and savory. It displayed boysenberry flavors wrapped in a blanket of smoky oak. The panel also detected notes of plum, black cherry, and a dash of black pepper that added to the complexity and intrigue. The panel loved this wine and suggested pairing it with beef bourguignon or venison stew.
Next up is a single vineyard offering from Andrew Murray. His 2008 “Terra Bella Vineyard” for $36 is initially a bit in your face and over the top. It fooled many on the panel who thought it was from Australia. It opens with a fragrant blackberry liquor bouquet with a hint of plum. On the palate, this wine is intense, rich and concentrated with very extracted blackberry flavors. We also detected notes of integrated oak, plum, spice, and black pepper. The panel suggested bringing this wine up to the ski lodge and serving it with sharp cheddar cheese or creole shrimp scampi. Hurry if you want to try it. Only 240 cases were made.
If you want to try the real McCoy from down under, then give the 2009 Brokenwood “Hunter Valley” Shiraz a try. At $40 it is a bit pricey, but it is an impressive offering and received 91 points. It opens with an inviting blackberry jam and blueberry bouquet. It is full-bodied, initially a little acidic, mouthwatering and juicy, but does smooth out with some aeration. I really enjoyed its mild oak-infused ripe blackberry flavors with notes of black raspberry and a hint of black cherry. This wine is built for Mr. P’s barbecue ribs and boy was it a perfect match.
Krupp Brothers has always been a leader in the Syrah category. Their 2007 “Black Bart’s Bount” Syrah is just another example of how good they are. This $45 offering from the Napa Valley is a gem. On the palate, this wine is full-bodied, balanced, fruit forward, and rich. The flavor profile is a dark chocolate and black currant blend with notes of blackberry, blueberry and oak. It was rather complex. It finishes dry, chewy and its dusty tannins stick around for quite a while.
The next two 91 pointers both come with a big step up in price. Both are from Kilikanoon. However, they originate from two different valleys in Australia. The first one is the 2008 Kilikanoon “M” Shiraz for $70. This offering hails from the McLaren Vale. The panel described it as medium-bodied, balanced, and smooth. We enjoyed its very tasty mild boysenberry flavors with notes of blueberry and a touch of mild oak and blackberry. It finishes dry and its fine tannins are nicely prolonged. The group suggested that this Shiraz would pair well with a prime rib.
Next up is the Kilikanoon 2008 “Green Vineyard” Shiraz also for $70. This one comes from the famous Barossa Valley. I personally found this Shiraz to be quite impressive! It is full-bodied, well balanced, and rather smooth. The flavor profile is a very tasty mild blackberry with notes of oak and hints of plum, blueberry, and vanilla. It is quite complex. This wine is the bigger one of the two. The panel suggested pairing it with duck breast, braised short ribs or a veal chop. There were only 50 cases of each of these wines imported into the US. Go right to the folks at Old Bridge Cellars if you want to try some.
We will start off our 90 pointers with one of the best deals in this report. The 2009 Hope Estate “The Ripper” Shiraz for $15 is a steal. This Western Australian gem is full-bodied, balanced, rich and very fruit forward. Its flavor profile is a concentrated blackberry and boysenberry blend with nicely integrated vanilla oak. It finishes dry and its fine tannins are gentle and friendly. I would pair this wine with braised barbecue short ribs.
The next two 90 pointers are also from down under. I will present each briefly. The 2008 Plantagenet “Mount Barker” Shiraz for $29 gets real interesting on the palate. It is medium-bodied, balanced, and very easy to drink. I really liked its very tasty mild red raspberry flavors with hints of red cherry. There is a touch of pomegranate and a dash of pepper mixed in. Pair it with grilled salmon. The 2010 Two Hands “Gnarly Dudes” Shiraz from the Barossa Valley is full-bodied, well balanced, and smooth. We enjoyed its plum and blackberry flavors with notes of mild oak. It would be nice with sharp cheddar cheese by the fireplace on a cold winter night.
John Duval Wines 2009 Shiraz “Entity” (Barossa Valley, Australia) $40 (90)
Reininger 2008 Syrah “Walla Walla Valley” (Washington) $43 (90)
Maisonry 2009 Syrah “Proprietary Red” (Napa Valley, CA) $48 (90)
Cakebread 2009 Syrah “Napa Valley” (Napa Valley, CA) $55 (90)
Krupp Brothers 2008 Syrah “Black Bart Stagecoach Vineyard” (Napa Valley, CA) $60 (90)
Kilikanoon 2008 Shiraz “Oracle” (Clare Valley, Australia) $70 (90)
Donelan 2009 Syrah “Cuvee Keltie” (Sonoma County, CA) $75 (90)
Other Very Good Shiraz And Syrahs To Consider
Shoofly 2010 Shiraz (South Australia) $14 (89)
A great value Shiraz that is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, smooth and fruit-forward. I really enjoyed its tasty black-raspberry jam flavors with hints of integrated mild oak. Pair it with a pulled pork sandwich.
Andrew Murray 2008 Syrah “Tous les Jours” (Central Coast, CA) $16 (89)
This is another good value California Syrah that is light enough to appeal to Pinot lover. It is medium-bodied, smooth, and very approachable. It displays pleasant black plum flavors with hints of blackberry and red currant.
Acorn 2008 Syrah “Axiom” (Russian River Valley, CA) $33 (89)
Montes 2007 Syrah “StarAngel” (Paso Robles, CA) $35 (89)
Sequel 2007 Syrah (Columbia Valley, WA) $55 (89)
Turtle Creek 2009 Syrah (Grass Valley, CA) $18 (88)
Leeuwin Estate 2008 Shiraz “Siblings” (Margaret River, Australia) $20 (88)
Stark Conde 2008 Syrah (Stellenbosch, South Africa) $27 (88)
Leeuwin Estate 2008 Shiraz “Art Series” (Margaret River, Australia) $35 (88)
Plantagenet 2008 Shiraz “Hazard Hill” (Western Australia) $13 (87)
A Couple Of Good Entry Level Options
Mandolin 2009 Syrah “Central Coast” (CA) $10 (86)
D’Arenberg 2010 Shiraz “The Stump Jump” (McLaren Vale, Australia) $12 (86)
As many readers know, Petite Sirah is one of my favorite wines. The panel loves it as well. So every March we try to do a mini-tasting to find some gems for our readers. Here are this year’s results.
I’m going to start with the clear winner from our most recent blind tasting for this grape category. The 2009 Tres Sabores Petite Sirah “Calistoga” for $45 Rocks! The panel scored it 92 points. On the palate, this wine is so inviting. It is full-bodied, very well balanced, and really smooth. The panel loved its flavor profile of very tasty mild black plum and gentle oak with hints of blueberry, chocolate, and coffee. It finishes very dry and its dusty moderate tannins drift away quite nicely. The panel suggested pairing this gorgeous Petite Sirah with a dry-aged rib-eye.
Our only 91 pointer is a hybrid. The 2009 Robert Foley “The Griffin” is made up of 50% Petite Sirah and the rest Cab and Merlot. However, it is a good value and will be enjoyed by all Petite Sirah lovers. It is full-bodied, very well balanced, and super smooth. The panel loved its delicious cherry vanilla flavors with notes of blueberry and plum with a touch of black licorice. Its finish is dry and its bold tannins are dusty and very sticky. This wine is always very consistent and for $35, it is a lot of wine for the money!
Four Vines has always crafted Very Good Petite Sirah. The 2009 Petite Sirah from Paso Robles was well received by the panel and scored 90 points from the panel. At $18 it is the best deal we found. It opens with a blueberry and mild oak bouquet. On the palate, this wine is full-bodied, slightly acidic, and juicy. The panel enjoyed its mild red raspberry and plum flavors with hints of cherry-cola, black pepper and oak. Unlike many Petite Sirahs this offering displays moderate tannins which are slightly prolonged and food-friendly. The panel suggested pairing this wine with barbecue steak tips or meatballs.
The next offering is a new one for us and for Ferrari Carano. Their 2009 Petite Sirah from the Dry Creek Valley is pretty impressive for a first time offering. It is 100% Petite Sirah, costs $34 and scored 90 points from the panel. We found it to be full-bodied, round and juicy. Its flavor profile is a black cherry and plum blend with hints of blueberry and black pepper. Like the Four Vines, it displays friendly moderate tannins that are nicely prolonged. The panel thought this one would be best with slow cooked barbecue beef brisket or veal marsala.
Other Petite Sirahs to consider:
1) Shannon Ridge 2009 Petite Sirah “Ranch Collection” (Lake County, CA) $24 (88 points)
2) Vina Robles 2008 Petite Sirah “Jardine Estate” (Paso Robles, CA) $26 (88 points)
As you can see, there are very few Petite Sirahs that qualify as Very Good or better. Those that do make the cut are extraordinary wines. We hope you enjoy the above gems as much as we did. Cheers and Enjoy! - Ken
This year was a very interesting year for Cabernets under $50. The reason it was so interesting is that the 2008 Cabs at this level were such fruit bombs. Many could be confused with a very good Zinfandel in a blind tasting. We also tried some 2007s and a few 2009s as well. In general, the 2007s are very tasty and ready to go right away. However, they tend to lack the structure or tannins that we found in the 2006 and 2008 vintages. 2008s as I mentioned are fruit bombs with a decent amount of tannins. 2009 is a vintage that I think we are really going to like a lot, but it is too early to make a broad based statement on the vintage.
So what Cabs did well? Our top scoring wines tended to cost between $30 and $50 with a couple of exceptions. Our top 91 pointer is the 2008 Paul Hobbs “Crossbarn” Cabernet for $35. This 100% Cabernet oozes with very fragrant ripe black raspberry and blackberry jam aromas. Like many 2008 Cabs at this level, it is juicy and loaded with extracted fruit. Those fruits are ripe black currant and blackberry with complex hints of dark chocolate, oak, boysenberry, and plum. This Cab is ideal for drinking on its own as its complex and robust flavors will likely overwhelm many foods. Sit back by the fireplace on a cold winter’s night and enjoy.
Our next 91 pointer isn’t exactly a pure Cab but a cuvee of mostly Cab with some Merlot & Cabernet Franc. However, it was so good and well received, that I had to include it in the post. The 2008 Monticello Vineyards “Jefferson Cuvee” for $38 was one of our top scorers in our fall blind tasting. The panel thought it was a lot of wine for the money. It is medium-bodied, balanced, and very suave. The panel loved its tasty mild plum flavors with notes of cinnamon and holiday spices. We suggested drinking this in the near term with a beef wellington or sesame encrusted seared tuna.
Our sole 2007 91 pointer was the Ladera from Napa Valley. This $39 offering was balanced and smooth. Its flavor profile was a mild black currant with hints of black cherry and gentle oak. It finishes dry and its moderate tannins are a bit sticky and linger nicely. This wine would be perfect with a thick porterhouse steak
Our next offering is consistently at the top of our list for this category. The 2008 Chappellet “Signature” Cabernet from the Napa Valley cost $48 per bottle. It opens with a fragrant ripe black currant bouquet with hints of black cherry. It displays juicy ripe black currant flavors with integrated oak notes. I also detected hints of anise and black cherry as well. Its moderate and fine tannins are friendly and would pair well with a messy batch of braised short ribs.
Our final 91 pointer is one of our top organic wines of the year. The 2008 Volker Eisele “Family Estate” Cabernet for $48 hails from the Napa Valley. It is medium-bodied, balanced and very approachable. The panel really liked its oak-influenced black raspberry flavors with notes of black currant and a touch of black pepper. Its big tannins are rather sticky and ripe fruit also sticks around for quite a while. This organic wine will benefit from air and cellar time. If you can’t resist, you could pair it with braised short ribs as well.
Our next grouping is our 90 pointers. We had 8 wines that qualified at this level. Our top choice is the 2008 Shannon Ridge “Home Ranch” Cabernet. This Cab is from the High Valley in California. At $25 it is one of the best value Cabs that I covered from the 2008 vintage. It is balanced, smooth, and fruit forward. It is also quite complex with several different flavors including ripe blackberry, pomegranate and a touch of vanilla, black cherry, and oak. It finishes with dusty tannins that are rather sticky and linger for quite some time after the wine is gone. This wine has lots of flavor and needs some fat in the near term. I would serve this very good Cabernet with barbecue grilled Angus steak tips. There were only 337 cases of this wine made. Seek it out soon before it is all gone!
Our next 90 pointer is our first 2009 vintage Cabernet. The 2009 Cameron Hughes “Lot 300″ Cabernet for $28 is very impressive. I am sure it was a hit at the Boston Wine Expo. It is medium-bodied, very well balanced, and quite smooth. I loved its tasty blueberry and black cherry flavors with notes of vanilla oak. It is quite dry and its sticky fine tannins linger for quite some time. This Cab from Cameron would pair perfectly with pulled pork sliders.
Kendall Jackson has really stepped up its red program over that last few years. Their success continues with the 2008 “Grand Reserve” Cabernet. This $30 Cab opens with an inviting mild black currant and blackberry bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium-bodied, balanced, savory and shows off its fruit. The flavor profile is a tasty mild blackberry with an interesting peppermint flavor nicely intertwined. I would pair this friendly Cab with a Colorado lamb chop.
Our next Cab is the 2007 Matanzas Creek “Helena Montana” Cabernet from the Knights Valley. It is a nice reflection of the 2007 vintage. It is a very friendly and elegant. It is designed to be consumed in the near term. I enjoyed its tasty mild black cherry flavors with hints of oak and a splash of anise and dash of black pepper. Its dry fine tannins drift away nicely and make it a good choice with a filet mignon.
Another elegant and food friendly Cabernet Sauvignon is the 2007 “Elodian” Cab from Tom Eddy. It is medium-bodied, rather smooth and very approachable. I liked its tasty mild black currant flavors with notes of oak and hints of blueberry and blackberry. It finishes with moderate dusty oak tannins that are well managed and nicely prolonged. It comes in at $40 and would be ideal with a thick ribeye steak.
Sebastiani’s white label Cabernet from the “Alexander Valley” has consistently been one of my favorite Cabs at this level over the years. The price has crept up a bit and it is now $40 a bottle. But given its 90 point status for the 2008 vintage and the fact that it was a real crowd pleaser at a Christmas party we attended makes it a worthwhile investment. Its flavor profile is a very tasty black currant and plum blend with notes of nicely integrated old oak and a hint of black pepper and black cherry. This food-friendly Cab with perfect beef stroganoff.
Our next two 90 pointers come from the same producer. Both the 2007 and 2008 vintages scored 90 points. Who is this consistent producer? Clos Pegase. Their 2007 “Estate Bottled” Cab for $40 is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, savory and fruit forward. The panel enjoyed its tasty classic black currant flavors with hints of black pepper and blackberry. The finish is dry and its moderate tannins make it food-friendly. The panel suggested pairing it with a New York Strip steak or braised short ribs. The 2008 Clos Pegase “Estate Bottled” Cab is is full-bodied, lush, juicy and shows pleasant acidity. It displays interesting blackberry flavors with notes of black licorice, dark chocolate and hints of black currant and gentle oak. It finishes dry and its fruit flavors linger with just a bit of sticky mild tannins. This wine is one of those fruit bombs that will appeal to readers who like fruity Cabs and Zins alike. I would pair it with Mr. P’s beef brisket.
Our final 90 point wine less than $50 is the 2008 Robert Mondavi “Oakville” Cabernet Sauvignon. This popular Cab costs $45 a bottle and there is plenty of it as 7,700 cases were made. It opens with a fragrant black currant and blueberry pie bouquet with hints of mint. On the palate, it is medium-bodied, balanced, and very smooth. The panel liked its tasty black cherry flavors with notes of oak and plum. It finishes dry and its moderate dusty tannins show moderate length. The panel suggested pairing this very nice Cab with a venison steak or red wine braised lamb shanks.
Our first three 89 pointers are all under $20, so they are worthy of some fanfare and highlighting. Our first one is the 2009 Columbia Crest “H3″ Cabernet from the Horse Heaven Hills in Washington State. I often get asked for a really good value Cabernet. Here it is! This is a lot of Cab for the money. It is an impressive and affordable at $15. It is balanced and smooth and displays gentle black cherry and plum flavors with a hint of black currant and oak. Its very mild tannins that barely show up in the end which makes it very food-friendly and it would be perfect with meatloaf. It should be easy to find with 69,000 cases made. You might want to stock up and make it your weekday Cab.
Joe Carr is known for his Very Good reasonably priced wines. His 2009 “Josh” Cabernet for $14 is another food-friendly wine. It is medium-bodied and very approachable. The flavor profile is a plum and black currant blend with hints oak of blueberry. It would pair well with veal parmigianna.
Our final highlighted 89 pointer is the 2008 Merryvale “Starmont” Cabernet. This Napa Valley Cabernet is a deal at $18 per bottle. It is mediu-bodied and juicy with tasty black cherry flavors. I also detected notes of black plum with hints of black currant and a touch of old oak mixed in. Its dusty tannins are sticky and slightly prolonged. I would suggest that this Cab would be a nice glass pour option paired with a grilled barbecue chicken sandwich.
4. Zuccardi 2007 Cabernet “Q” (Mendoza, Argentina) $22
5. Charles Krug 2008 Cabernet (Napa Valley, California) $27
6. Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Cabernet “Canoe Ridge Estate” (Horse Heaven Hills, WA) $28
7. Reininger 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon “Walla Walla” (Washington) $33
8. Francois Lurton 2008 Cabernet “Gran Araucano” (Colchagua Valley, Chile) $35
9. Freemark Abbey 2007 Cabernet “Napa Valley” (California) $40
At the 88 point level I am going to tell you about another Columbia Crest Cab. Their 2008 “Grand Estates” Cabernet for $12 is a steal. It is medium-bodied and smooth. I really like its tasty black cherry and blueberry flavors with nicely integrated mild vanilla oak. This wine is a Very Good option for a $12 bottle of wine. It is also a great glass pour and it would be perfect with a thick Angus burger smothered in sautéed mushrooms and barbecue sauce. There are 225,000 cases of this wine made so it should not be hard to find. Buy it by the case.
2. Oberon 2009 Cabernet “Napa Valley” (California) $20
3. Vina Robles 2008 Cabernet “Huerhuero Estate” (Paso Robles, CA) $22
4. Franciscan 2008 Cabernet “Napa Valley” (California) $27
5. Plantagenet 2008 Cabernet “Mount Barker” (Australia) $29
Another $12 Cab to consider is the Aquinas 2009 from Napa Valley and it tops our 87 point Cabs list. It opens with an attractive oak and mild black cherry bouquet with hints of inviting plum and floral notes. Its flavor profile is an interesting blend of dark chocolate, mild black cherry and black currant. I also detected some old oak as well. It’s pretty interesting for a $12 wine. It finishes with mild sticky tannins that linger for quite a while. It’s a nice pub wine to enjoy with a big and juicy burger.
1. Kendall Jackson 2008 Cabernet “Vintners Reserve” (California) $18
2. Shannon Ridge 2008 Cabernet “Ranch Collection” (Lake Country, CA) $19
Our 86 point Cabs are all Good options. Three of them only cost $10. Check out the reviews and give a couple a try. They are all nice wines for the money.
1. Valentin Bianchi 2009 Cabernet “Sensual” (Mendoza, Argentina) $10
2. Cono Sur 2009 Cabernet “Bicycle” (Central Valley, Chile) $10
3. Fairview 2010 Cabernet “La Capra” (Coastal Region, South Africa) $10
4. Mandolin 2009 Cabernet “Central Coast” (California) $12
We hope you enjoy thes Cabs as much as we did. Please be sure to post your favorite Cabs for all our readers to see. Cheers! – Ken
