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Archive for the ‘California’ Category

Week 52: See the Results and the Recipe!

27 Aug

It’s been another crazy week around here, and, although I have, indeed, tasted all three of this week’s wines, I haven’t had a chance to post about each of them individually. Moreover, I’m headed up to Seattle this weekend to attend the International Food Bloggers’ Conference, which condensed the week even further. As such, this post is a 4-in-1 – reviews of the week’s three wines along with the recipe for this week’s CorkPopper Dinner. So, here we go!!

This week’s first California Cabernet Sauvignon was a 2006 Chateau Souverain from Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley, which offers warm days and cool nights tempered by the Russian River winding its way along the valley floor. This particular wine is huge, with a rich aroma of dark fruit and cedar and an enormous palate full of juicy black cherries, anise, and bitter chocolate. There’s a slightly odd aftertaste that threw me off a bit, though it mellowed out a bit with some time in the glass. You can find this wine at wine.com for $19.99/bottle.

3 corks popped!

Next, I tasted a 2006 Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County, which lies between Napa County and the Pacific Ocean. Like the Chateau Souverain, this wine has a hefty aroma of dark berries, along with a nice earthy component, which I actually really enjoy. The palate is typical of a California Cabernet Sauvignon, with lots of dark cherry, blackberry, and tobacco, topped off with a touch of oakiness. The finish is smooth and long, making this a pretty decent sipper, especially at just $17.99/bottle from wine.com.

3.5 corks popped!

Finally, we have a 2006 Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon, which hails from the Napa Valley. Napa, being further from the Pacific Ocean or the San Francisco Bay, tends to be warmer than Sonoma County, and, as such, produces riper fruit with (in general) lower acid levels. True to form, the fruit is pretty huge in this wine. The aroma is, once again, dominated by ripe black cherries, though there are nice undertones of anise and dried tobacco to bring the fruit back down to earth. On the palate, there’s lots of intense cherry and plum, along with some baking spice and a bit of smoke. If you’d like to check this one out for yourself you can find it at wine.com for $19.99/bottle.

3.5 corks popped!

I was actually worried that none of this week’s wines would inspire a CorkPopper Dinner. You see, the CorkPopper Project is never just about the wine. Indeed, my favorite thing about wine is its intimate relationship with food – how pairing a particular wine with a particular food can elevate both far beyond their individual qualities. And while most people start with a food and try to figure out what kind of wine with which to pair it, I prefer to start from the opposite end, taking a wine and designing a meal around it. Some wines, of course, are easy to design recipes for. They have one or two really distinctive characteristics that instantly call a particular food or flavor to mind. Other wines require a bit more creativity but are still fundamentally food-friendly. Yet others are not really suitable for drinking with food at all, as they are either too big (or tannic) to really pair well with anything or are too light and simple and are really better suited for simply sipping on their own.

The Chateau Souverain, for me, fell in this final category. It was just so big and interesting on its own that I couldn’t really picture a food that it wouldn’t overpower. The Benziger was more mellow, yes, but didn’t really inspire me to rush into the kitchen. Luckily, the smoky notes in the Louis Martini finally lit a little spark of something for me, and I suddenly found myself craving…. wait for it…. Barbecue Beef Ribs! Strange? Maybe. Delicious? Absolutely!

Barbecue Beef Ribs with Spicy Red Wine Barbecue Sauce

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 full rack of beef back ribs (8 individual ribs)
  • 2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 1 large brown onion, peeled and quartered
  • 2 bay leaves
  • About 12 whole black peppercorns
  • About 1.5 tablespoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium shallot, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper powder*
  • 2/3 cup dry red wine (hello, California Cabernet Sauvignon!)
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

Preparation

Cut the rib rack in half. Place the rib rack and the next seven ingredients in a large pot. Fill with enough water to cover the ribs entirely. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and allow it to simmer until the meat is tender. (I cooked it for an hour and it still wasn’t quite tender enough, so be sure to give yourself PLENTY of time for this step. You can always do it the day before, if necessary. Just cool, cover, and refrigerate.)

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the cumin and chile powder and stir for another minute or so. Add the red wine and stir another 2 minutes, allowing the alcohol to cook off. Add the ketchup, vinegar, and soy sauce. Turn the heat down to low and continue to simmer another 5 minutes or so. (Note: The sauce can also be made a day ahead. Just cool, cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat the grill to medium heat.

Once the meat is tender, remove them from the pot using a pair of tongs. Cut the rack into individual ribs and slather generously with sauce. (Be sure to save some sauce for the table!) Grill over medium heat, turning and basting occasionally until the ribs are nicely glazed. This shouldn’t take more than about 10 minutes or so.

Serve with grilled corn on the cob, some grilled red onion, and plenty of paper towels!

I’m giving this one 4 forks

And 4 corked forks!

Cheers!!

* You should be able to find this in the “ethnic” aisle of the grocery store.

NOTE: The recipe above was adapted from several recipes I found on Epicurious.

 
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Posted in 3 corks popped, 3.5 corks popped, 4 Corked Forks, 4 Forks, Benziger, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Chateau Souverain, Louis Martini, recipes, red wine

 

Week 52: California Cabernet Sauvignon

23 Aug

Wow.  It is Week 52 of the CorkPopper Project, my ambitious attempt to explore the wines of twelve of the world’s top wine-producing countries and create recipes for my favorites.  It has been quite a journey (albeit from my couch), full of an amazing amount of fantastic food and wine, and I really just can’t believe it’s nearly over.  But fear not, dear readers, as I have a new project in the works, which I will announce in due time.  For now, let’s talk a bit about California Cabernet Sauvignon, shall we?

California Cabernet Sauvignon is, as most serious wine drinkers will tell you, in a class virtually by itself.  It was a California Cabernet Sauvignon (a 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cab, to be precise), after all, that won at the famous 1976 blind tasting that took place in Paris and pitted some of California’s best wines against some of the most well-respected French wines.*  The panel was entirely comprised of French judges and included well-regarded journalists, academes, merchants, government officials, restaurateurs, and wine producers.  It was, and still is, the defining moment in California’s wine-producing history – when the Old World was finally forced to sit up and take notice of the wines coming out of this strange land.

Of course, the best of the best of California Cabernet Sauvignon comes nowhere near fitting within the CorkPopper budget of $25/bottle or less.  Indeed, such wines remain out of the financial reach of most normal wine drinkers, easily demanding upwards of $100/bottle.  As such, this week I’ll be checking out what three California wineries (one in Napa, one in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley, and one in Sonoma) can do with the regal Cabernet Sauvignon grape for under $20/bottle.  Skeptics and naysayers will say, “Not much!”  But, as always, I reserve judgment until I’ve had a chance to taste.  So, without further delay, let’s meet this week’s contenders, shall we?

First, we have a 2006 Chateau Souverain Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which earned 91 points and an "Editor's Choice" designation from Wine Enthusiast and is available at wine.com for $19.99/bottle.

Next, I'll be checking out a 2006 Benziger Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, which garnered 90 points from Wine Enthusiast and is available for $17.99/bottle at wine.com.

Finally, I'll be tasting a 2006 Louis Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which garnered 90 points from Robert Parker and is available for $19.99/bottle at wine.com.

Cheers!

* The 2008 film “Bottle Shock” tells the story of the Paris tasting.  Sadly, the movie wasn’t all that good, but it’s still a phenomenal story if you’re at all interested.

 
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Posted in Benziger, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Chateau Souverain, Louis Martini, red wine

 

Week 51: What to Eat with the 2008 Newsome-Harlow Calaveras County Zinfandel

22 Aug

It has been yet another fantastic week for the CorkPopper Project.  All three of this week’s wines (see them here, here and here) were delicious and, I believe, proved that there are indeed California winemakers making high quality Zinfandel with neither excessively high alcohol content nor overwhelmingly overripe fruit.  On the contrary, these wines are complex, balanced and perfectly drinkable, proving themselves excellent ambassadors for the varietal to the wine-drinking public.

This week’s winning wine – the 2008 Newsome-Harlow Calaveras County Zinfandel – shows a lot of the grape’s typical berry flavors, but it also has an intriguing savory undertone that I really wanted to highlight with this week’s recipe.  The solution?  Roasted Beef Tenderloin with a Raspberry-Red Wine Reduction and Sage and Fig Balsamic Mushrooms.  Hopefully Scott and Melanie Klann will approve….

Roasted Beef Tenderloin with a Raspberry-Red Wine Reduction

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds beef tenderloin
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Sea salt
  • 1 package fresh raspberries
  • 2-3 cups dry red wine (Zinfandel!!)
  • 1 branch fresh rosemary
  • A few sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
  • 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation

Trim the tenderloin, and pat it dry with a paper towel.  Rub with a bit of olive oil and then season generously with salt and pepper and sprinkle with rosemary, pressing the seasoning into the meat so that it stays.  Allow to rest at room temperature 1-2 hours before cooking.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the tenderloin in a rack in your roasting pan (to keep it out of the drippings) and roast until the internal temperature of the beef reaches 130-140 degrees for medium-rare (about 25-30 minutes). Start checking the temperature at about 30 minutes so that you don’t overcook it.  When the beef is done, remove it to a cutting board and tent it with foil for at least 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, bring the wine to a boil then add the raspberries, rosemary and thyme, stirring occasionally, until the raspberries have broken down and the liquid has reduced by about half.  Season with salt and pepper.  Strain out the solids, squeezingout all possible liquid.  In the same sauce pan, heat another tablespoon of olive oil and saute the garlic and shallot until translucent.  Add the butter and allow it to melt but not brown, stirring constantly.  Add the sauce back to the sauce pan and continue to reduce until it has reached the desired thickness.  Using a food processor or blender, puree the sauce until smooth.

Slice the beef into 1/2 inch slices.  Place a few slices atop some Sage and Fig Balsamic Mushrooms (recipe below) and drizzle with sauce.

Sage and Fig Balsamic Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 1 pound wild mushrooms (go crazy with whatever varieties you like)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • A splash of Brandy
  • 2/3 cup fig balsamic vinegar
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Sea salt

Preparation

Clean the mushrooms by rubbing them gently with a wet paper towel.  Do not rinse them under water, as it makes them soggy.  Remove the stems and slice the mushrooms into thick (but relatively uniform) slices – about 1/4 inch.  In a large nonstick

saute pan, heat about 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and shallot and saute until aromatic and translucent.  Add the mushrooms and saute until nearly soft.  Add a splash of Brandy and (very carefully) light it on fire.  Take the handle of the pan and slide the pan back and forth on the burner rapidly to mix and allow the flames to sear more of the mushrooms.

Once the flame has died out, add enough vinegar to nearly cover the mushrooms.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and allow the vinegar to thicken, stirring occasionally.

Pour yourself a glass of the 2008 Newsome-Harlow Calaveras County Zinfandel and propose a toast to a beautiful day, a beautiful meal, and a beautiful wine.

One word…. Yum!!

Cheers and buon appetito!!

 
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Posted in 4 Forks, 4.5 Corked Forks, California, Newsome-Harlow, Zinfandel, recipes, red wine

 

2008 Newsome-Harlow Calaveras County Zinfandel

19 Aug

This week’s final California Zinfandel comes from one of my new favorite California wineries and, as such, admittedly came in with a leg up on this week’s competition.  Nestled in the Sierra Foothills in the heart of California Gold Country, the tiny town of Murphys, California is working hard at transforming itself from a sleepy mountain haven into a veritable wine and food destination.  Dozens of wineries and restaurants now line the town’s quaint main street, and although some are still in their infancy (and/or simply aren’t any good), there are a few standouts, Newsome-Harlow being the prime example.

Newsome-Harlow is the love child of winemaker Scott Klann (who also has a hand in making the wines at nearby Twisted Oak and Tanner) and his wife (and Chef) Melanie.*  Scott, as a local with long-standing relationships with the area growers, sources grapes from the region’s best vineyards and somehow manages every year to create some of the most complex yet balanced wines you’ll find anywhere in California.  Zinfandel is the winery’s perennial superstar; indeed, in addition to the Calaveras County Zinfandel, Scott makes several single-vineyard Zinfandels as well (Big John being my favorite) that are nothing short of phenomenal.  But Newsome Harlow is no one trick pony, no sir.  Each time I’ve visited (J’s family has a cabin just outside Murphys, so J and I have made it our mission to become Newsome-Harlow regulars), there has been a different wine on the tasting list that was there simply because Scott was curious as to what would happen if he bought, for example, some local Petite Sirah and played around with it a bit until produced something magical.

But this post isn’t about Newsome Harlow’s Petite Sirah (or Rose or Sauvignon Blanc or Syrah or Meritage or Dry Muscat Blend).  It’s about the 2008 Calaveras County Zinfandel, quite possibly one of the best examples of California Zin you’ll find at this price point ($20/bottle or $15 with wine club membership).  Dark, brilliant garnet in color with huge aromas of raspberry, anise, pepper and cedar, I just love how the palate on this wine starts out with a rush of juicy fruit and spice that stretches out to gradually expose an almost umami flavor that just screams for something meaty and earthy (steak and mushrooms, perhaps?).  Don’t get me wrong, though, this wine neither needs food to be enjoyable nor demands red meat as a pairing.  It is, in a word, delicious.

4 corks popped!

If you can’t make it to Murphys yourself, you can find Newsome-Harlow online here.  If you do wander up that way, however, look for me and J in the Newsome-Harlow courtyard!

Cheers!

* Sadly, J and I have never managed to make it up to Murphys for one of Newsome Harlow’s winemaker dinners, catered, of course, by Chef Melly.  I find myself salivating profusely, however, every time I hear about her menus, and you can be sure that we WILL make it to a dinner one of these days….  Melly does, after all, seem to share my philosophy that the best pairings of wine and food start with the wine.

 
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Posted in 4 Corks Popped, California, Newsome-Harlow, Zinfandel, red wine

 

2006 Artezin Dry Creek Zinfandel

19 Aug

This week’s second California Zinfandel, like the first, comes from the Dry Creek Valley AVA in northern Sonoma county.  According to the winery’s website, the 2006 Dry Creek Zinfandel is made from grapes sourced both from old vines on the hillside as well as younger vines on the valley floor near Dry Creek.  There is no legal definition of the “old vine” designation, of course, but as grape vines get older, they produce less and less fruit, allowing the sugars and flavor to concentrate in fewer berry clusters.  By blending wines made from old and new vines, then, the idea is that the winemaker can find the perfect balance between the tannic liveliness and structure of the younger grapes and the smooth depth of flavor of the older ones.

Here, those efforts have created a wine whose aroma and palate open with a big burst of blackberries and chewy raspberry jam (from the old vines!), and open up further to spicy notes of anise and black pepper.  Though a bit too jammy at the first sip, with some time in the glass, this wine mellowed out nicely and showed itself to be quite pleasant.

The 2006 Artezin Dry Creek Zinfandel is available at wine.com for $19.99/bottle.

Another 3.5 corks popped here!

Cheers!

 
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Posted in 3.5 corks popped, Artezin, California, Zinfandel, red wine

 

2006 Bradford Mountain Dry Creek Zinfandel

18 Aug

This week’s first California Zinfandel – a 2006 Bradford Mountain – hails from the Dry Creek Valley AVA in northern Sonoma County.  With its long, warm growing season and proximity to both Dry Creek (a Russian River tributary) and Lake Sonoma resevoir, this region is pretty much perfect for growing both Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc.  Indeed, Zinfandel has been grown in the Dry Creek Valley since the early 20th century, and it has, since the resurgence of the California wine industry in the 1970s, become one of the state’s premier Zinfandel (and Sauvignon Blanc!) regions.

The 2006 Bradford Mountain Dry Creek Zinfandel is quite typical of a Dry Creek Zinfandel, with lots of fresh red cherries, raspberries, and crisp red apple, along with a pleasant dash of baking spice, pepper and earthiness to accompany the smooth tannins.

I tasted this wine together with some fresh pasta topped with a new batch of tomato sauce made with more of LM’s heirloom tomatoes and some delightfully sweet Walla Walla onions.  Though not a perfect pairing, this wine is very forgiving and can be paired with any number of dishes.

Check it out for yourself.  It’s available at K&L Wine Merchants for $19.99/bottle.

3.5 corks popped!

Cheers!

 
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Posted in 3.5 corks popped, Bradford Mountain, California, Zinfandel, red wine

 

Week 51: California Zinfandel

17 Aug

We’re down to the second to last week of the CorkPopper Project.  Wow.  The last several weeks have been fantastic, and this week has the potential to be equally as delicious, as I’m headed back to California to explore the world of California Zinfandel.  The first two are Zinfandels from the Dry Creek Valley AVA, while the third is from Calaveras County in California’s gold country.

Let’s meet the contenders, shall we?

First, we have a 2006 Bradford Mountain Zinfandel, which earned 93 points from Wine & Spirits and is available for $19.99/bottle at K&L Wine Merchants.

Second, is a 2006 Artezin Zinfandel, which received 90 points from Wine Spectator and is available at K&L for $19.99/bottle.

Finally, is a 2008 Newsome Harlow Zinfandel, which is a favorite of J's and mine and can be purchased from the Newsome Harlow website for just $20/bottle.

Cheers!

 
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Posted in Artezin, Bradford Mountain, California, Newsome-Harlow, Zinfandel

 

Week 49: What to Eat with the 2008 Babcock Rita’s Earth Pinot Noir

09 Aug

California Pinot Noir was, as I expected, a fantastic week.  All three wines were delicious (see the reviews here, here, and here), with the Babcock and Sean Minor wines making particularly great showings.  I had to pick one, however, and (perhaps not surprisingly) Babcock won out.

When deciding what to cook for the 2008 Babcock Rita’s Earth Pinot Noir, I knew I wanted to play upon the savory “bacon” flavor in the wine without, as one might say, completely porking out.  So, instead of a straight pork dish, I decided to instead make a beef roulade* filled with speck (smoked prosciutto), burrata cheese and basil.  The thinly sliced pork gives just enough salty kick to bring home the bacon in the wine, while the cheese and basil provide a summer fresh twist and the tender beef gives the entire dish the depth and balance it needed to fully compliment the wine.

Ideally, you want the meat you use for a roulade to be as thin as possible.  I had planned on pounding down my flank steak with a meat tenderizer, but J and I spent last weekend on my parents’ boat on Catalina Island, and the meat tenderizer I was convinced would be there was, unfortunately, not.  As such, my roulade didn’t quite roll the way I intended, and the too-thick slice of beef slightly overwhelmed the flavors of the pork, cheese and basil.  With that in mind, the following is how you should make a roulade to pair with the 2008 Babcock Rita’s Earth Pinot Noir.

Beef Roulade Stuffed with Speck, Burrata and Basil

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. skirt or flank steak
  • 6-8 slices thinly sliced speck or prosciutto
  • About 4-6 ounces burrata cheese, excess water squeezed out
  • A handful of fresh basil leaves
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Sea salt

Preparation

Preheat your grill to high.  Pound out the steak with a meat tenderizer so that it is about 1/2 inch thick.  Pat the steak dry with a paper towel and then season well with salt and pepper.  Quickly sear both sides of the steak and then remove to a cutting board.  Spread the cheese onto one side of the steak, followed by the speck/prosciutto, the garlic and then the basil leaves.  Very carefully roll the steak tightly around the filling, being sure to roll perpendicular to the grain of the steak, as you want to eventually cut the roulade across (rather than with) the grain.  Seal the roulade with toothpicks, skewers or cooking twine.

Turn the heat on the grill down to medium.  Place the roulade back on the grill and close the lid.  Allow the roulade to finish cooking, turning occasionally so that each part gets cooked evenly.  Because the beef has been pounded thin and has already been seared, this whole process shouldn’t take more than about 5-7 minutes. Remove the roulade to a cutting board and allow to rest at least another 7-10 minutes.  With a very sharp knife, cut 1- to 1 1/2-inch slices.  Serve with crusty grilled bread and a simple green salad.

3.5 forks

and 3.5 corked forks!

Cheers!

* A roulade is a slice of meat (often beef) rolled around a filling (often cheese, vegetables, or other meat).

 
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Posted in 3.5 Corked Forks, 3.5 Forks, Babcock, California, Pinot Noir, recipes, red wine

 

2008 Babcock Rita’s Earth Pinot Noir

09 Aug


I know, I know.  I’m behind on my posts.  It’s been harder than expected to keep up with the CorkPopper Calendar this summer.  But fear not.  Though it may take me a few extra days, I will absolutely get to everything eventually.  Pinkie swear!

The final California Pinot Noir is from one of my favorite wineries and, therefore, admittedly had a significant leg-up on this week’s other two contenders.  Babcock is located along Highway 246 between Buellton and Lompoc in Santa Barbara County’s Santa Rita Hills appellation.  As my regular readers already know, this is the area where I first really fell in love with wine.  As a student at the University of California at Santa Barbara, I was barely an hour away from the vineyards of Santa Barbara wine country and would find myself inexplicably giddy every time those vines first came into view.  While the greater Santa Barbara County AVA is huge and diverse, the Santa Rita Hills might be said to specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as those grapes directly benefit from the way the hills gently slope toward the Pacific Ocean, allowing the coastal fog to creep up the ravines at night just the way Pinot Noir and Chardonnay like.

Now, Babcock makes a wide variety of wines at a wide range of price points.  This, the Rita’s Earth Pinot Noir, is the winery’s entry level Pinot Noir, which retails for $25/bottle at the winery’s website (though I get it at an additional 35% discount with my club membership).*  A bright, deep ruby red, this wine has a beautiful aroma of cherries, pepper, and, well, earth.  On the palate, the cherries and spice are most prominent, but what makes this wine especially interesting (particularly to J) is the faint hint of savory bacon.  Indeed, on one of our last trips to the winery, J took one sip of the 2007 Rita’s Earth and could only  say one thing, “Mmmmmm….. bacon…..”  Trust me, it’s a high compliment.

4 corks popped!

Cheers!

*  Babcock’s other three Pinot Noir bottlings – the Grand Cuvee ($35/bottle), Ocean’s Ghost ($55/bottle) and Deja Vu ($55/bottle) -  don’t quite fit within the CorkPopper Budget but are worth every penny if you happen to see them anywhere.

 
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Posted in 4 Corks Popped, Babcock, California, Pinot Noir, red wine

 

2008 Chad Pinot Noir

05 Aug

This week’s second wine, a 2008 Chad Pinot Noir, hails from the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, which lies along Monterey Bay in Northern California.  This area gets a significant amount of fog from the Monterey Bay (which is fantastic for Pinot Noir), though at just the right elevation for the fog to burn off in the afternoon and allow the grapes to ripen evenly and without significant spikes in alcohol levels.

The story behind this wine is actually fantastic, as it came about as a happy accident.  Chad Alexander had a winemaker friend who found himself with a glut of young bulk Pinot Noir wine in a depressed market.  The winemaker couldn’t sell wine of this quality at an acceptable price to the more well-known labels, so he sold it instead to his friend, Chad Alexander, who bottled it under his own label.  Because of this lucky sequence of events, this wine that would have easily cost more than $40/bottle became available to those of us on the Wine Access mailing list for just $18.99/bottle.  Lucky, indeed.

A lovely bright ruby in color, this wine both smells and tastes of ripe red cherries with faint notes of soil and dried flower petals.  The flavors are bright, with the cherries dominating.  Though not the most complex of wines, it is a truly solid bottle and an excellent example of a cool climate California Pinot Noir.

3.5 corks popped!

Cheers!

 
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Posted in 3.5 corks popped, California, Chad, Pinot Noir, red wine

 
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