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Miner
Family Sangiovese, Gibson Ranch, Mendocino 2007
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Characterized by spicy plum and
cherry-cedar flavors, the 2007 Miner
Family Sangiovese, Gibson Ranch,
Mendocino is readily approachable with
its balanced display of fruit, tannin
and acidity. This Sangiovese reflects
true Tuscan attributes, yet retains the
just picked freshness attributed to the
cooler climate of Mendocino County. From
the medium color and gentle
cherry-tinged fruit to the generous
acidity - which works so well with
Italian cuisine - this Sangiovese
reveals black cherry, spice, cinnamon,
slight cola, and a little tobacco
flavor, producing a wonderfully balanced
fruit-to-alcohol finish. Made from
grapes grown in Mendocino near Hopland
by third-generation vineyard owner Bob
Gibson, this wine complements a wide
range of foods with a particular
affinity for tomato-based pasta dishes. |
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Price $27 |
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Saracina
Atrea Old Soul Red 2006
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Dark ruby in color, the 2006 Saracina
Atrea Old Soul Red's nose reveals ripe
strawberry and red raspberry fruit,
mocha, a hint of white pepper and a side
note of classic Malbec baking spices.
The flavors are jammy, ripe and
expressive, and the tannins are creamy,
supple and well integrated.
Well-proportioned and balanced, juicy
but not overripe, this vintage continues
to deliver the Old Soul Red message of
imminent, satisfying drinkability on
release without sacrificing the merits
of aging potential. 39% Zinfandel,36%
Syrah, 15% Petite Sirah and 10% Malbec. |
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Price $27 |
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Hudson
Wines 2008 Pick Up Sticks
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Hudson Wines 2008 Pick Up Sticks is a
New World aromatic red wine which is
bold, spicy, and meant to be consumed
for the Simple Joy of It. A blend of
five varieties makes this wine both
incredibly luscious and exciting to
drink. Grenache, the Pinot Noir of the
South of France, adds aromatics and
silky texture. Syrah is added for its
spice, strength and broad mid-palette,
Petite Sirah contributes a Bass note,
with Barbera included for its charm and
lively acidity. Last, Viognier
contributes its floral bouquet and fine
tannins. Seductive nose of ripe cherry,
roasted nut, and savory herbs…like fresh
rosemary, and thyme. Vibrant texture,
medium mouthfeel with subtle yet
lingering tannins that make you beg for
a second taste. Perfectly ripe red fruit
- cherry and raspberry allayed with
earth and leather notes that make it
much more than most California wines.
Only 105 cases produced. |
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Price $45 |
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Lasseter
Family Rhone Red Blend 2008
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In 2001, Lasseter Family Winery planted
Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre grapes.
From these vines, famed winemaker, Julia
Iantosca creates a wine with
mouth-watering fresh berry flavors,
harmonizing with soft, supple tannins
for a smooth finish. The 2008 Lasseter
Family Rhone Red Blend is a
well-balanced wine that is easy to pair,
easy to drink, and to us, reminiscent of
easy, laidback summer days. |
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Price $35 |
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Monte Volpe
Primo Rosso 2007
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The 2007 Monte Volpe Primo Rosso is a
blend of many old world varietals:
Zinfandel, Barbera, Carignane, Petite
Sirah, Sangiovese, Syrah, Negroamaro and
Nebbiolo; that were grown on the
hillsides of the Ukiah Valley. This wine
has a dark purple-garnet color, with
fruity aromas and flavors of plums,
blackberry jam, spice and earth with
hints of toasty oak. Rich full flavors,
ample tannins and balanced acidity
seamlessly carry through to a long,
complex finish. Enjoy this wine with
grilled steaks, pasta with forest
mushroom sauce and lamb chops with
rosemary sauce. |
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Price $15 |
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Seabiscuit
Superfecta 2006
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The story of Seabiscuit lives on in the
heart of America. Everyone loves the
tale of this stocky, knobby-kneed
racehorse who triumphed over adversity
to become one of the greatest champions
of the 20th century. During the 1930s,
as America struggled to overcome the
Great Depression, the determined spirit
of this unlikely victor reflected the
mood of the nation. In 1940, Seabiscuit
was retired to a ranch in Mendocino
County's Redwood Valley, where his
memory inspires the winemaking endeavors
of the Dreyer Family, winemakers. The
2006 Seabiscuit Superfecta is an
exceptional red wine blend of four
classic varieties. The name, Superfecta,
is a term to predict the first four
finishers in correct sequence within a
race. Their objective is to produce a
proprietary true super quality wine
comprised primarily of Cabernet
Sauvignon with nuances gained with the
addition of Merlot, Petit Verdot and
Cabernet Franc. All these varieties
develop mouth-filling fruit flavors,
elegance and finesse from Mendocino
County. The wine has deep purple color,
concentrated ripe fruit aromas and
flavors, with medium-to-robust body. It
has soft tannins and is ideal for
drinking now, yet will benefit from
further bottle aging for many years.
1000 cases produced. |
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Price $29 |
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Elyse
Winery Nero Misto 2007
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The 2007 Nero Misto (Italian for “mixed
black”) is a fantastic blend - 37%
Petite Sirah, 25% Zinfandel, 19%
Carignane, 12% Primitivo and 7% blend of
Charbono, Barbera and Vadiguié. This
wine is ruby colored with aromas of
fresh strawberry, plum, and pomegranate
and suggestions of cracked black pepper,
baking spices and orange zest. On the
palate, this medium-bodied wine shows
flavors of red plum, ripe cherry and
raspberries with a hint of spice. It is
soft and supple in texture with bright
fruit, silky tannins and a long, complex
finish. Nero Misto is an extremely
versatile wine, particularly good with
Italian food, spicy southwest cuisine
and steaks and chops off the grill.
Drinking beautifully right now, so why
wait? (Although putting a bit down will
be a nice surprise 5 - 7 years from
now). |
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Price $28 |
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FOURTEEN
2005
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It’s the sum of the parts: the parts are
great, but the sum is even better.
That’s the concept behind the 2005
FOURTEEN, a Bordeaux blend of grapes
from each of the fourteen appellations
of the Napa Valley. Steve Reynolds, of
Reynolds Family Winery, and several
other forward-thinking people harvested
approximately one ton of fruit from each
of Napa’s 14 sub-appellations. There are
some great vineyards being used here –
Constant, Von Strasser, Duckhorn, Brown,
Morisoli, Keenan – to name just a few!
The resulting blend is one of the most
decadent and compelling wines you can
own. The 2005 harvest ended up to be one
of the best on record, full of ripeness
and lots of it! Growers and winemakers
could actually smile and be cordial over
coffee during the season which is rare.
There was a unique balance in the flavor
to acid profile that is not found but
every several years. The entire valley,
including all the sub-appellations
benefited from Mother Nature’s gift. The
wine is robust with a heavier mid-palate
and should prove to be a crowd pleaser
for sure! Only 1000 cases made. |
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Price $110 |
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Les Vignes
de Bila Haut (Chapoutier) Cote du Roussillon 2008
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The Domaine that makes the Les Vignes de
Bila Haut (Chapoutier) Cote du
Roussillon 2008 is owned by the well
known Rhone Producer, Michel Chapoutier.
The name refers to an old farm villa
which was built high into the mountain
slopes, among some old vineyards. The
Domaine is 75 hectares, farmed
bio-dynamically. The grape varieties are
Grenache, Carignane and of course Syrah.
Located in the small village of Latour
de France, it is very close to the
Spanish border, where there is a great
deal of history related to the Knights
Templar, hence the cross on the “t” of
Bila Haut. The wine exhibits a
distinctive pepper and spice aroma, with
a follow through of round velvety red
fruits like dark cherries and
strawberries, finishing with a rich
spicy note. The 2007 vintage received
“89” points Wine Spectator, and “91”
from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, and
Michel Chapoutier feels that his 2008
vintage is better than the 2007. Wine
Spectator picked it as #75 of the TOP100
wines of 2009! |
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Price $18 |
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Domaine de
la Solitude 2007 Cotes du Rhone Rouge
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Domaine de la Solitude 2007 Cotes du
Rhone Rouge comes from the estate of the
Lancon Family who has been producing top
quality Rhone wine for more than five
centuries. It is a robust and full red
wine made from Grenache, Syrah, and
Mourvedre grapes. According to Robert
Parker: “Throughout the southern Rhone,
2007 is the greatest vintage I have
tasted in my thirty years working in
that region... Nearly every producer has
attained largely unprecedented levels of
quality. Moreover, the vintage is
remarkably consistent from top to
bottom. Given the brilliance of this
estate’s Chateauneuf du Papes, it is not
surprising that they have also turned
out a delicious, attractive, elegant,
deep, berry fruit-filled 2007 Cotes du
Rhone. With a velvety texture as well as
wonderful length for a wine of this
pedigree, it can be enjoyed over the
next 1-2 years.” |
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Price $16 |
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Vino Noceto
Sangiovese Riserva 2006
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Beginning with their first, 1990
vintage, Vino Noceto wines have been
100% Sangiovese, targeted at a Chianti
Classico style. This style emphasizes
the delicate and complex fruitiness of
the Sangiovese grape. A Super-Tuscan
style wine, the fruit-packed,
full-flavored, well-balanced, complex
2006 Sangiovese Riserva is a blend of
selected blocks of superior fruit to
provide the best wine they could make
from the vintage. Displays rich flavor,
full body, deep flavor, and a lingering
finish. |
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Price $27 |
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Orin Swift
The Prisoner 2007
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The 2007 Orin Swift The Prisoner is now
available, but won't last long! The 2007
blends the lush berry flavors of
Zinfandel, the power and concentration
of Cabernet Sauvignon, the dark black
fruit of Syrah, the intensity and
structure of Petite Sirah, the flesh of
Charbono, and a hint of Grenache - all
combined for a decadent wine with great
complexity. "Offers both style and
structure, with lively aromas of black
raspberry, cracked pepper and mocha that
lead to plush, layered flavors of wild
berry, fresh sage and licorice. Ripe
tannins sneak in on the finish." Wine
Spectator - 92 Points. Limited!! |
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Price $39 |
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A to Z
Winery Night & Day Blend 2007
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We were very impressed with the 2007
Night & Day blend from A to Z. Saturated
dark purple/red color from rim to center
that looks like a Bordeaux from a great
vintage. The nose shows strong minerality and has complex initial
aromas of blackberries, tobacco, pepper,
iron, graphite, cassis and tar. With
aeration aromas of cedar, Indian spices,
bramble, boysenberries, blood orange,
ripe plums and red currents emerge. In
the mouth the attack is concentrated,
structured and pure. As the wine
continues to move across the palate,
ripe tannins focus and bring balance to
the young and generous fruit. The
mid-palate is focused, strong and broad.
At the end, a classic tannin/fruit
balance gives the finish great clarity
and astounding length. The final flavors
end on a strong note of iron and
minerality. Continuing the tradition of
typicity, excellence and affordability
demonstrated by Southern Oregon and A to
Z, the 2007 Night and Day should drink
well now and for 5 – 10 more years. |
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Price $20 |
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Tablas Creek
Vineyard Esprit de Beaucastel 2007
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The 2007 Esprit de Beaucastel, Tablas
Creek’s flagship red wine, is a product
of the exceptionally intense 2007
vintage, and combines the richness and
structure of Mourvedre, the generosity
of Grenache, the structure and mineral
of Syrah and the brambly wildness of
Counoise. It recently received 95-97
points from Robert Parker and 94 points
from Tanzer's International Wine Cellar.
The 2007 Esprit de Beaucastel is
delicious and unusually approachable
right now, with a complex nose of red
plum, ripe cherry, fresh figs and
candied orange peel, a velvety, layered
palate with spicy plum and cherry fruit,
pepper and nutmeg spices, and excellent
breadth. The finish shows more mineral,
plum, and spice, and a little gentle oak
from the barrel aging. It is delicious
now, if very young, and should evolve
elegantly in bottle for 10-15 years or
longer.
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Price $55 |
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Seghesio Omaggio 2007
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Seghesio Omaggio 2007 gets a 90 in Wine
Spectator! Dark ruby in color with a
enticing nose of black fruit, sour
cherry, violets andtouch of kirsch,
chocolate, clove and graphite. Black
cherry, blackcurrant and plum with some
pine and herbaceous notes on the palate.
We liked the body and weight of the wine
as well as the dusty and silky tannins.
Also impressive were the mellowness of
the Cabernet and the brightness of the
Sangiovese. "Elegant and refined, with
complex, understated loamy currant,
sage,anise and blueberry, keeping a
tight focus and ending with integrated
tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon and
Sangiovese. Best from 2009 through 2015.
600 cases made," James Laube.
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Price $62 |
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Bodegas Caro Amancaya, 2008
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From 50 year-old vines planted in Luján
de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, the 2008
Bodegas Caro Amancaya is a blend of
Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. With a
deep core of black and red fruit
enhanced by refreshing acidity and
muscular tannins this wine never fails
to impress! You’ll be delighted with the
bright, saturated ruby-red color and
aromas of cassis, black cherry, licorice
and leather, plus a whiff of pepper. The
Amancaya has the vivid raspberry and
boysenberry fruit of a Malbec, along
with the fine-grained tannins and nice
framing notes of cedar, coffee and loam
that come from Cabernet. Notes of
vanilla and chocolate coming from the
French oak. The finish is long and
focused.
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Price $26 |
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St. Gregory Pinot Meunier 2007
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The 2007 St. Gregory Pinot Meunier is one of only a small handful of red
still wine Pinot Meuniers in California.
This early-budding, quick-ripening varietal has traditionally
been grown only in France, where it is included in many sparkling wines.
This Mendocino version is their eighth vintage, grown for them by
Roger Webb in an elevated vineyard setting in eastern Redwood Valley.
The color is dark and smoky, with aromas of leather and spice, followed
by flavors of soft, earthy black cherry.
The finish is very crisp and long, with just enough spicy pepper
and firm tannins to allow it to go with rich foods such as duck, glazed
ribs, marinated pork tenderloin or even steak au poivre.
This wine is very approachable now and will improve for at least
3 to 5 years in the cellar. Extremely limited.
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Price $28 |
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Pellegrini Milestone, 2006
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We have had great reaction to the Pellegrini Milestone
2006. With the first winery bonded
in 1933, the company’s history spans four generations, and traces its
evolution from being a grape and wine merchant house to producer of
estate-bottled Sonoma County wines.
Milestone was conceived by selecting special lots of Merlot,
Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc to form a
mosaic that would be defined by its depth of color, richness,
complexity, and supple texture. With Merlot as the dominant variety, it
is a stylistic nod to the wines we admire from Pomerol and St. Emilion,
yet Milestone’s character is clearly the provenance of three vineyards
located in the Russian River, Alexander, and Sonoma valleys.
The ripeness here is superb, showing overflowing richness but
balanced flavors of milk chocolate, vanilla bean, black cherry, oolong
tea and cigar smoke. This is a perfect wine for prime rib.
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Price $35 |
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Trentadue Old Patch Red 2006, Alexander Valley
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Named for the original 1896 plantings, Trentadue’s Old
Patch Red has remained the all time favorite among legions of Trentadue
fans for over three decades. Some of these vines are still producing
today. Although the blend composition varies slightly with the vintage,
the main idea of pre-Prohibition style of field blend based on Zin,
Petite Sirah and Carignane remains the same. The 2006 harvest proved to
be one of the largest in history and while "Mother Nature" cooperated, a
large portion of the fruit became ripe at the same time. This created
some interesting issues with picking order and tank space. The Old Patch
is a serious everyday wine with soft palate and loads of flavors. The
predominance of Zin in the blend brings in jammy, peppery, black cherry
and strawberry aromas with spicy herbal nuances. Further aeration
reveals deeper and more complex layers of plums, brown sugar, graphite
and earthy, dusty undertones. The mouth feel reveals no hard edges, with
a juicy middle but shows a solid tannin core suggesting a good aging
potential.
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Price $16 |
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