Urbans-Hof Riesling QBA 2010 – 14.57 – Elderflower, lilac, violet, and rose are the floral notes attributed to these wines along with the aforementioned smoky minerality. WS – “This features fairly intense savory herbal notes to the firm flavors of white peach and orange zest. Gooseberry and slate accents linger on the finish. Drink now through 2016. 10,000 cases made.” / Tasted by Roadrunner7431 on 3/24/2012 & rated 90 points: light yellow, delicate mineral riesling nose, light body but refreshing acidity explodes with citrus ( mostly lime ) flavors well balancing the light sweetness. good crisp finish. a food wine pairing well with smoked salmon omlette, lightly specced indian vegetables and at subsequent meal with spanakopita. I could make this my house white wine through spring and summer. 9% alcohol. / Tasted by David_T on 12/16/2011 & rated 88 points: 12/16 NC Cindy Tasting (Raleigh, NC): Sweet and sour, with a lime on both the nose and palate. Acid up front, then its sweetness emerges, but keeping an acidic backbone throughout. / Tasted by Phredd on 12/16/2011 & rated 88 points: NC Cindy Tasting, Pre-Christmas 2011 (NC Wino’s Stately Wayne Manor): Very light yellow in the glass, almost clear, the nose was brightly floral, with significant notes of apples and sweet pear. The palate begins slightly off-dry, but the sweetness is torn off the palate with the ripping acidity of unripe apples. If you’ve ever had Haralson apples from Minnesota, that’s the tart profile here. There’s a bit of petrol early on, as well, and as I said in a previous note, this may actually do better with a little age on it. /
The 2010 vintage was quite an unusual one, to say the least, with yields down more than 40% compared to last year. Flowering took longer too in 2010 due to cold weather, and the vines produced less shoots, due to frost damage caused by the previous, harsh winter. While most of the 2010 growing season was mostly characterized by cool, dry weather, the ongoing rains in September made the berry skins quite thin. The weather in October was fair and dry with cool nights, and truly ideal conditions for a slow and even ripening.
At the end of the growing cycle the thin berry skins got affected by botrytis, but fortunately it turned out to be pure, proper and real noble rot, without a hint of the so called “sour rot penicilium” or volatile acidity, like in 2000. The grapes had already reached good ripeness levels when botrytis started to attack the berries and sunny and dry weather throughout October helped dry the grapes, and concentrate the juice. Although botrytis penetrated as much as half of the total crop, we detected very little botrytis character in the juice, especially on QbA and Kabinett level.
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally pure and are seldom oaked. As of 2004, Riesling was estimated to be the world’s 20th most grown variety at 48,700 hectares (120,000 acres) (with an increasing trend),[1] but in terms of importance for quality wines, it is usually included in the “top three” white wine varieties together with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riesling )
Fleur de Coucou 2010 ● – 14.57 – Tourraine, Loire, France – Classic, blended from sustainably farmed vineyards. Sauvignon Blanc from natural vignerons producing unsulphured wines. Ripe citrus fruit & a pretty mineral note. From Alpha Loire Domaines, a wine grower & merchant based in the main regions of the Loire from Pouilly-sur-Loire to Nantes. Carefully selected wine-making & aging sites. Ripe Citrus Fruit and mineral note. From Alpha Loire Domaines, a wine grower & merchant based in the main regions of the Loire from Pouilly-sur-Loire to Nantes. Carefully selected wine-making & aging sites.
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage (“wild”) and blanc (“white”) due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France.[1], a possible descendant of savagnin. Sauvignon blanc is planted in many of the world’s wine regions, producing a crisp, dry, and refreshing white varietal wine.
Depending on the climate, the flavor can range from aggressively grassy to sweetly tropical. Wine experts have used the phrase “crisp, elegant, and fresh” as a favorable description of Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley and New Zealand.[2][3] Sauvignon Blanc, when slightly chilled, pairs well with fish or cheese, particularly Chèvre. It is also known as one of the few wines that can pair well with sushi.[4]
Along with Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc was one of the first fine wines to be bottled with a screwcap in commercial quantities, especially by New Zealand producers. The wine is usually consumed young, as it does not particularly benefit from aging, except for some oak-aged Pessac-Léognan and Graves from Bordeaux that can age up to fifteen years.
In France, Sauvignon Blanc is grown in the maritime climate of Bordeaux (especially in Entre-Deux-Mers, Graves and Pessac-Leognan as a dry wine, and in Sauternes as a sweet wine) as well as the continental climate of the Loire Valley (as Pouilly Fumé, Sancerre, and Sauvignon de Touraine). The climates of these areas are particularly favorable in slowing the ripening on the vine, allowing the grape more time to develop a balance between its acidity and sugar levels. This balance is important in the development of the intensity of the wine’s aromas. The gravel soil found near the Loire River and its tributaries impart spicy, floral and mineral flavors.
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauvignon_blanc#France )
Gayda Cepage Chardonnay 08 ● – 14.57 – Domaine Gayda has captured the Spirit of the Languedoc in this wine. A wine made from the heart with creativity and respect of our natural environment, bringing together tradition and innovation. This wine represents the diversity of our magnificent region blessed with an incredible variety of soils and climates that gives some of the most exciting wines in the world. Domaine Gayda has grown all its grapes following strict organic principles and is in the process to get all the wines certified AB (Agriculture Biologique) by 2012. More than just a vineyard and world class winery, Domaine Gayda is a concept of winemaking and vineyard management based on an in-depth understanding of our vines, our natural environment and the winemaking process. As much as possible, on top of the Organic systems we have a strict minimal intervention policy on all that we do – the terroir must express itself and the grapes need to reflect that terroir.
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand.
The Chardonnay grape itself is very neutral, with many of the flavors commonly associated with the grape being derived from such influences as terroir and oak.[2] It is vinified in many different styles, from the lean, crisply mineral wines of Chablis, France to New World wines with oak, and tropical fruit flavors.
Chardonnay is an important component of many sparkling wines around the world, including Champagne. A peak in popularity in the late 1980s gave way to a backlash among those wine drinkers who saw the grape as a leading negative component of the globalization of wine. Nonetheless, it remains one of the most widely-planted grape varieties, with over 160,000 hectares (400,000 acres)[3] worldwide, second only to Airén among white wine grapes and planted in more wine regions than any other grape – including Cabernet Sauvignon.[1]
Other French regions – Champagne, Chablis and Burgundy account for more than three-fifths of all Chardonnay plantings in France. The next largest concentration is found in the Languedoc where it was first planted around the town of Limoux and up to 30% can be blended with Mauzac in the sparkling Blanquette de Limoux.[1] By the year 2000, there was more than 9,000 hectares (22,000 acres) planted with many being used for wines under the Vin de Pays d’Oc. These wines were unique in that they were some of the first examples of Chardonnay to be varietally labeled as “Chardonnay”. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chardonnay#Other_French_regions )
Lucas Lewellen Pinot Noir 07 – 14.97 – Tasted by DanSm on 11/26/2011 & rated 85 points: Nice spices with light red fruits. / Tasted by DarteeDeeds on 10/10/2010 & rated 88 points: quite a nice surprise with an entcing nose and a patio friendly drinkability, will order a case for this price and value.
From the Lucas & Lewellen vineyards in Santa Barbara County, Louis Lucas selects choice lots for a limited production of premium wines. Attention to detail in the vineyards yields superior quality grapes from which Megan McGrath Gates crafts award winning wines. The vineyards of Lucas & Lewellen are located in the three principal wine grape growing regions of Santa Barbara County: the Santa Maria Valley, the Los Alamos Valley, and the Santa Ynez Valley. These valleys all run west from the coastal mountains to the Pacific Ocean, allowing warm days and cool nights to produce a long, gentle growing season.
This stylish wine is a blend of selected lots from two of our estate vineyards which include four distinct clones. Fermentation took place in small, 1½ ton fermenters which were punched down manually 3-4 times daily for approximately 10 days. After pressing, the wine was immediately barreled, with all its lees, in neutral French oak and aged for 9 months. Signature bright red fruit, savory herbs, wet earth minerality and creaminess are the hallmarks of this premium blend. The palate is refined with a naturally crisp acidity and excellent mid-palate structure giving the wine both weight and buoyancy. This is a wine best consumed in its youth; over the next 2-3 years.
Pinot noir (French: [pino nwaʁ]) is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French words for “pine” and “black” alluding to the grape variety’s tightly clustered dark purple pine cone–shaped bunches of fruit.
Pinot noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in the cooler regions, but the grape is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. It is widely considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world, but is a difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine.[1]
By volume most Pinot noir in America is grown in California with Oregon coming in second. Other regions are Washington State, Michigan and New York.
During 2004 and the beginning of 2005, Pinot noir became considerably more popular amongst consumers in the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia possibly because of the movie Sideways.[19] Being lighter in style, it has benefited from a trend toward more restrained, less alcoholic wines being at or around 12% alcohol by volume. Robert Parker has described Pinot noir in Parker’s Wine Buying Guide: When it’s great, Pinot noir produces the most complex, hedonistic, and remarkably thrilling red wine in the world… (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinot_noir )
Milbrandt Merlot 08 – 14.57- Our 2008 Traditions Merlot features grapes from a number of our estate vineyards in Eastern Washington’s Wahluke Slope. Established in 2006, the Wahluke Slope is a sub-region within the Columbia Valley appellation. Located midway between Seattle and Spokane it is bordered by the Columbia River to the southwest and Hanford Reach National Monument to the east. The climate here is warm enough during the day to fully ripen grapes, yet cool enough at night to ensure bright acids and firm tannins. The color is a deep dark black cherry red. The nose is the nose starts with oak spice and then the cherry and the plum kicks in. Smooth rich fruit up front, cherry and blueberry, then tea and Nestle Quik powder shows up. Nice stiff tannins on the back end and the acidity is well balanced. The finish is strong and of good length.
The Milbrandt Vineyards Traditions Merlot is a solid, well made Merlot, it has pleasing flavor, excellent structure and body and it should sell for under $15. Some Merlot’s in this price range don’t have a great deal of personality, but the Milbrandt Traditions Merlot has a bit of character and would pair really well with “comfort food”.
Our 2008 Traditions Merlot is elegant, balanced and approachable. The nose is bright and forward with cherries, berries and plums wrapped in crème brulée and brown sugar. The flavors are a seamless blend of fruit, oak and acidity. / Our Traditions Merlot is deep and lush with cassis, blueberries, toast and vanilla. Blend: 78% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec & 1% Barbera. “Smooth and round, brimming with cherry and tobacco flavors, a savory edge adding depth to the open-textured freshness. Drink now through 2014.” – WS 89.
The initial nose of this wine offered mocha, brown sugar, black cherry and tobacco notes. Firm, sweet, silky tannins carried consistently through the taste. The complex depth of this wine carried raspberry, black cherry and red licorice hints that brought a bit of delicate nature to the wine. It truly was impressive. (http://www.southeastvino.com/index.php/2012/04/milbrandt-vineyards-merlot-2008/ )
Merlot (pronounced mare-LOW ) is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird (Turdus merula), probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines usually have medium body with hints of berry, plum, and currant. Its softness and “fleshiness”, combined with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot a popular grape for blending with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be higher in tannin.
As of 2004, Merlot was estimated to be the third most grown variety at 260,000 hectares (640,000 acres) globally, with an increasing trend.[2] This puts Merlot just behind Cabernet Sauvignon’s 262,000 hectares (650,000 acres). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlot )
Dona Auristela Cabernet Sauvignon 08 – 15.57 – Rated: 89 by Josh Raynolds, Mar/Apr 10, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar – Saturated ruby. Cherry compote, plum and dark chocolate aromas are complicated by smoky herbal and floral qualities. Smooth, fleshy and expansive but surprisingly lithe on the palate, offering warm dark fruit flavors and a touch of candied licorice. The alluringly plush finish displays ripe, sweet fruit preserve qualities and no obvious tannins.
It exudes complex layers of ripe fruit- black currant, blackberry, blueberry- with sweet hints of vanilla & cloves. It’s barrel-aged for a quick 6 to 8 mths. The tannins are fine & velvety but not cloying. Get to know Lontue Valley.
Powerful, yet full of finesse, this deep ruby wine exudes rich, complex layers of ripe fruit. The intense bouquet releases enticing aromas of raspberries and black currants, alternating with sweeter hints of vanilla and cloves. On the palate, this wine immediately shows its great consistency with perfectly integrated tannins and just the right balance of acidity. The vibrant flavors of blackberry and blueberry weave into a long, warm finish. The tannins are extremely fine and velvety, ensuring continued development of complexity in the bottle.
Cabernet Sauvignon (French: [ka.bɛʁ.nɛ so.vi.ɲɔ̃]) is one of the world’s most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada’s Okanagan Valley to Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon became internationally recognized through its prominence in Bordeaux wines where it is often blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. From France, the grape spread across Europe and to the New World where it found new homes in places like California’s Napa Valley, Australia’s Coonawarra region and Chile’s Maipo Valley. For most of the 20th century, it was the world’s most widely planted premium red wine grape until it was surpassed by Merlot in the 1990s.[1]
Despite its prominence in the industry, the grape is a relatively new variety, the product of a chance crossing between Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc during the 17th century in southwestern France. Its popularity is often attributed to its ease of cultivation—the grapes have thick skins and the vines are hardy and resistant to rot and frost—and to its consistent presentation of structure and flavours which express the typical character (“typicity“) of the variety. Familiarity and ease of pronunciation have helped to sell Cabernet Sauvignon wines to consumers, even when from unfamiliar wine regions. Its widespread popularity has also contributed to criticism of the grape as a “colonizer” that takes over wine regions at the expense of native grape varieties.[2]
In Chile, the wines were historically limited by the excessively high yields that were commonplace throughout the country. As producers begun to concentrate on limiting yields, regional differences began to emerge that distinguished Chilean Cabernets. For vineyard plantings along flat river valleys, the climate of the region is the most important consideration; as plantings move to higher elevations and along hillsides, soil type is a greater concern.
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabernet_sauvignon#South_America )
