Selections of the most interesting Online Fine Wine Auctions.
Posted in Wine For Sale on Nov 12th, 2008
auction for a bottle of Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2005 vintage bottle !!!!!!!!! fabulous !!!!!!!!!!!,, perfect level, capsule, etiquette impecable delivered with its tissue paper in cave conservation since purchase. In the style of the 1955 vintage, this wine blazes freedom in a glass, already red with a ruby purple color very intense. With a top [...]
Posted in Wine For Sale on Nov 12th, 2008
auction for a bottle of Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2005 vintage bottle !!!!!!!!! fabulous !!!!!!!!!!!,, perfect level, capsule, etiquette impecable delivered with its tissue paper in cave conservation since purchase. In the style of the 1955 vintage, this wine blazes freedom in a glass, already red with a ruby purple color very intense. With a top [...]
Posted in Wine For Sale on Nov 4th, 2008
A BOTTLE of Château Haut-Brion 2002 1er Cru Classe DESIGNATION OF SERIOUS PESSAC-CONTROLLED LEOGNAN Premier Grand Cru Classé 1855 13.5% IN RED CL 75. Bottled CHATEAU.Château TO 2002Présentation Haut-Brion of Chateau Haut Brion's hard to Haut Brion without falling into repetition and dithyramb … Recognized as the technical premier.Informations Haut Brion vineyards Size: 43 Ha [...]
Posted in Wine For Sale on Oct 26th, 2008
101,00 EUR (10 Bids) End Date: Thursday oct.-30-2008 13:35:36 CETBid now | Add to watch list
LOT 2 BOTTLES Chateau Pape Clement 2003 Pessac Leognan - GRAND CRU CLASS OF SERIOUS - Bernard Magrez, prporiétaire collecting Pessac.Elevé to 18 months in French oak barrels new, this grand cru classé Graves is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon [...]
Posted in Wine For Sale on Oct 21st, 2008
53,00 EUR (3 Enchères) Fin: dimanche oct.-26-2008 12:21:54 CETEnchérir | Ajouter à la liste d’Affaires à suivre
A BOTTLE of Château Haut-Brion 2002 1er Cru Classe DESIGNATION OF SERIOUS PESSAC-CONTROLLED LEOGNAN Premier Grand Cru Classé 1855 13.5% IN RED CL 75. Bottled CHATEAU.Château TO 2001Présentation Haut-Brion of Chateau Haut Brion's hard to Haut Brion without falling [...]
Posted in Wine For Sale on Oct 21st, 2008
67,00 EUR (3 Enchères) Fin: mardi oct.-28-2008 20:10:00 CETEnchérir | Ajouter à la liste d’Affaires à suivre
***** MAGNIFIQUE***** ORNELLAIA 2005 RP 95 DEPART A 1 € SANS PRIX DE RESERVE”20 ans de la propriété”Le Super Toscan des américains Mondavi et italiens FreshcobaldiBorn in a cooler than usual year, the aromatic complexity and freshness of the 2005 Ornellaia reflect [...]
Posted in Wine News on Jul 9th, 2008
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes greater than great, as is the case with today’s wine from Hans Fahden Winery.
Wine Spies Once-in-a-lifetime Alert!: Today we are pleased to the first wine seller to bring you another exclusive from Hans Fahden. This wine is not only very special, it is also precious. Once this wine is gone, the winery will not release another
Superior Wine Alert!: This is another exceptional Hans Fahden wine and we are astounded that it sells for so little
SAVINGS ALERT!: Operatives who buy six or more bottles today will be rewarded with Free Ground Shipping, but only if they enter the secret savings code: MERLOTSPY
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Respond immediately to reports that Wine Spies Operative favorite, Hans Fahden, has released a one-time Merlot. If the wine is great, secure as much as possible – before they run out – forever!
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Hans Fahden Winery
Wine Subject: 2004 Mountain Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker: Israel Montanez
Backgrounder: The 2003 Hans Fahden Cabernet Sauvignon was one of the most popular Cabs we featured in 2007. In 2008, we offered their incredible 2004. Again, a smash success and a fast sell-out. When we learned that they were producing a limited release Merlot, we sped to the winery to taste the wine. When we fell in love, we secured an exclusive on the wine and are offering you what could be you only chance to try the wine. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes below, followed by his original Mission Report, in which Red first becomes acquainted with this wonderful winery.
Look – Deep ruby red in color with a heart of dark plum. Swirl the glass and thick legs appear slowly before they march slowly down the glass
Smell – A wonderful blast of concentrated aromas of earthen cherry, ripe blackberry, soft pine tar and mild fresh mixed salad herbs
Feel – Initially velvet soft and then the wine shows lush medium tannins as it coats and then drys the tongue and the roof of the mouth
Taste – Big and rich flavors of dark stonefruit, dark cherry, dark smoky blueberry, blackberry and plum, with a slight herbaceous or vegital quality that gives the wine a hearty flavor that follows its initial fruity brightness
Finish – Super long-lasting, with smokey fruit then more vegital all over mouth flavors that taper off slowly as the wine coats and the drys your mouth
Conclusion – Once again, Hans Fahden winery has us scratching our heads at the high-quality/low-price of their wines. We declared their Cabernet Sauvignon to be an underpriced mastepiece and we say the same of this fantastic, youthful Merlot. The only ‘bad’ thing we could say about this wine is that once it is gone, it’s gone. Okay, to be fair, all wines are like this, but when we asked the winery if there would be a future vintage, they (sniff) said ‘nope’! So, dear Operative, stock up, buy us out, grab an ample allocation for this is likey your only chance to try this great wine – from a great winery!
Mission Report:
What follows is our original mission report, in which Agent Red first discovers Hans Fahden’s exquisite wine:
: : San Francisco, California : : Fort Mason : : Family Winemakers of California Tasting event : :
With more than 400 wineries and only two days to taste, I needed to employ my best strategic planning skills. There was simply no way I would be able to taste everything available to me.
Central Command had compiled a list of High Priority Target wineries, and I was tasting wines of all varietals and in all price ranges. Most of them good to great, and only a few real stinkers.
During the latter half of my second day, I initiated the final phase of my tasting which had me tasting only the highest end wines available. This was a phase I was looking forward to and after giving my palate a much needed rest, I reentered the pavilion like a man on a mission. Oh, yeah, I really was on a mission!
After tasting 2 or 3 really superb wines (you’ll enjoy learning of these in a future report), I spotted on of my newest assets, Codename ”Shank”, chatting at one of the winery tasting tables.
Shank, so named for his passion for golf, is a wine industry insider. He works for a leading wine industry technology provider and hails from a winemaking family.
I walked over to the table and Shank introduced me to Karen Fahden of Hans Fahden Vineyards. Karen immediately poured me a glass and I took it for a swirl. I was instantly wowed and I explained that I had been seeking out $50+ wines. I thought that this one would fit right in and I asked Karen if the was $50 – or more. I was shocked by her answer. Karen explained that she gets that reaction a lot.
Right there at the table, I negotiated a nice quantity of bottles for our Agents. Any wine that drinks like a $50 bottle but costs less than half that deserves our best attention.
Winery Backgrounder:
The Fahden vineyards and winery consists of 100 acres. It is located at 1200 feet, in a range of the Mayacamus Mountains, on a ridge above Calistoga, California. The property features panoramic views of Mt. St. Helena.
Hans and Marie Fahden, natives of Hamburg, Germany, purchased the property in 1912. They farmed the land growing grapes until the Prohibition was enacted in 1920. After destroying the vines that they had worked so hard to plant and tender, the family planted prunes.
Sixty years and two generations later, Antone and Lyall Fahden decided they liked Cabernet Sauvignon better than prunes and a new journey began to restore the land and make it productive. From 1982 to 1984, the family went to work, planting three vineyard areas. Separated by volcanic outcroppings and forests of Douglas Fir, these vineyards are now interspersed by picturesque ponds and a beautiful wine cave, which was tunneled into a formation of four million year old volcanic ash.
The Hans Fahden Winery became bonded in 1986. The first bottle of wine, which was produced from the 1987 vintage, was sold in 1992. The Hans Fahden Winery became licensed to conduct public tastings in 1996. Today, the Winery produces incredible award-winning wines that please the pallet and the pocketbook.
The location of the Dry Creek Valley can be seen in this satellite photo
Posted in Wine News on Jul 7th, 2008
My father was partial to scotch, rather than the restrained subtleties of cabernet sauvignon or grenache. But I am not my father. In the Sierra Foothills, specifically the Shenandoah Valley near Plymouth, CA, generations of farmers have planted grapes for wine since the gold rush times.
Posted in Wine News on Jul 7th, 2008
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes greater than great, as is the case with today’s wine from Salvestrin Vineyard and Winery.
SAVINGS ALERT! Smart spies stock up on great wines. When they buy 6 or more bottles of today’s SuperCaliTuscan, they will be rewarded with Free Ground Shipping, but only if they enter secret savings code NAPASPY at checkout.
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Uncover a Super Tuscan-style wine, born in California. If the wine is superb, procure an ample supply for our Operatives to enjoy
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Salvestrin Vineyard and Winery
Wine Subject: 2005 Retaggio Red Wine
Winemakers: Kent Barthman and Rich Salvestrin
Backgrounder:
In just the last decade, Super Tuscans became the latest rage in Italian wine in the United States, however, their story goes back to the late 1940s when the famed Sassicaia wine was reportedly made by Incisa della Rochetta using Cabernet Sauvignon vines from Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, or so the legend goes. Now California Super Tuscan-inspired blends are presenting as great wines of remarkable quality, providing a unique expression of this Italian heritage blend.
Look – Dark purple with a dark inky heart of deep garnet, with tightly-packed, slow thick legs that start slow and then streak down the glass, providing insight into the wines mouthfeel
Smell – Intense wild blackberries, blackberry and raspberry with currant, blueberry, licorice and spices. This wine also presnts secondary aromas of black pepper and earth
Feel – Round and soft at very first, then bright and bold, dry and warm on the tongue, this full-bodied wine has medium tannins and a mouth-coating and chewy quality. As this wine opens up it becomes more velvety
Taste – Extremely well balanced fruit, with notable dusky blackberry, currant, blueberry and soft spice, with touches of oak, black pepper and an earthy quality. Present here is that classic subtle orange zest spiciness that you only find in exceptional Italian wines
Finish – This wine finishes beautifully long and dry with big fruit and a slight herbaceous quality
Conclusion – This is a big, juicy, delicious and fun wine to drink! A really interesting wine as well, with a definite between California-fresh and Super Tuscan heritage. For those Cali wine fans familiar with Super Tuscan wines from Italy, this wine delivers a great synergy of the two. Bright and aromatic with balanced acidity and a great mouthfeel, this wine is a great solo sipper or perfect with most food combinations. Auguri! to Salvestrin for building this wonderful wonderful wine! If you are a fan of Super Tuscans, you won’t be disappointed!
Three generations of Salvestrins have made wine in America. Today, Rich Salvestrin makes wine on the family’s estate, a practice which began with Rich’s grandfather, John, and was continued by his son, Ed. By American standards, three generations is about as old as a winemaking family can be.
When Central Command issued a Priority Alert for a great California Super Tuscan, our Assets flooded us with intel on various wineries. On feeding all of the data into the W.I.N.E. (Wine Internet Nexus Engine) system, I was presented with three recommendations. At the top of the list was Silvestrin.
Immediately I set out to the winery. Nestled between a residential neighborhood and Crane Park near downtown St. Helena, the 26-acre property is expansive and lush with grape-laden vines. There, on a beautiful late-June day I had the great pleasure to meet with Shannon Salvestrin, Rich’s wife and partner in day to day operation of the winery.
With myself posing as a wine writer (the perfect cover, as I really do write for Imbibe Magazine and Color and Aroma Magazine), we tasted through the range of their wines. We lingered especially long on the Retaggio, today’s wine.
Retaggio is Italian for Legacy, a fitting name for this Tuscan Style wine, from this particular winemaking family, for this wine is the wine embodiment (em_bottlement_?) of the family’s fine heritage and wine-crafting experience.
Made from grapes of Napa Valley Sangiovese and Estate grown Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the Salvestrins have captured the essence of fine Italian Super Tuscan, but in a rich, sleek and somehow more modern California style that does not sacrifice its old-world roots.
At the end of the tasting, I quietly reveled my true intent, asking Shannon for several cases of the wine for our worthy Operatives to enjoy. She readily agreed, allowing us to procure a small cache – but with the suggestion that we counsel our Operatives to ”… stock up and also keep a few bottles in the cellar to enjoy later.” This Wine Spy has taken her advice to heart. I only hope that I can be patient, for this wine is ready to drink right now!.
The location of the Salvestrin Estate vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.
Posted in Wine News on Jul 4th, 2008
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes greater than great, as is the case with today’s wine from Fritz Winery.
We declare this bright, delicious and fresh Estate Chardonnay to be the perfect summertime refreshment!
Clever Operatives will receive FREE Ground Shipping on 6 bottles or more – when they enter this coupon code at checkout: SPYSONOMA (discount will be shown before you complete your order)
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Return to Operative favorite, Fritz Winery – this time to retrieve their fantastic 2006 Ruxton Chardonnay
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Fritz Winery
Wine Subject: 2006 Fritz Ruxton Chardonnay – Russian River Valley
Winemaker: Christina Pällmann
Backgrounder: When The Wine Spies first infiltrated Fritz Winery, we were blown away by the quality of their wines. The Fritz Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon that we showed here recently were among the most popular wines we have featured here. Today, Agent White gets a chance to visit Fritz – and he returns, victorious, with a limited quantity of their wonderfully refreshing Ruxton Chardonnay! Read his tasting notes and mission report below for the full scoop on this great wine.
Look – Golden straw yellow – like a Champagne without bubbles, with perfect clarity, glittering edges, a fast and bouncy surface that, when swirled, leaves behind skinny legs that streak down the glass
Smell – Sweet an inviting, with instant tropical notes that are followed by more subtle apricot, butterscotch, acacia flowers, peach and pineapple
Feel – Round and light at first, then slightly creamy with a hint of acidity. The wine is fast across the tongue, then soft tannins grip the edges of the tongue and the roof of the mouth
Taste – Delicious and juicy, with tropical, peach and apricot flavors that echo the nose, but also present here are wonderful hints of soft coconut and banana, with the softest lemon curd
Finish – Begins sweet and light and fruity, then is followed by a mineral softness as flavors tail off slowly while a supple dryness gradually takes over
Conclusion – Our previously stated opinion that ”There is a special something about Fritz wines”, is reinforced by today’s terrific offering. The perfect summertime sipper, this wine is one to be enjoyed as easily on its own as with more interesting and even challenging pairings. We enjoyed ours with a gourmet bevvy of fine cheeses, crackers and crispbreads. Delicious through and through. Of note: We stuck a sealed bottle in our cave overnight and tasted it again in the morning. The flavors, while more pronounced, became more balanced and exciting as well. We recommend decanting this wine for best enjoyment.
Longer-term Operatives know that we have placed Fritz Underground Winery under surveillance in the past. You also know that once we recruit a winery into the Wine Spies Nexus, well, that winery is happily in for life.
When our mole at the winery fed us some intel on their new 2006 Ruxton Chardonnay, I immediately flew (in our Spy Plane, of course) to the winery to secure samples.
My counterpart, Agent Red, was the first Wine Spies agent to review wines from Fritz, but since this was a special white wine, I got my chance. Thank goodness, too, for today’s wine turned out to be great.
Once I had my samples in hand, I conducted a detailed analysis. The wine not only passed with flying colors, it refreshed and left me feeling happy to have tasted a Chardonnay, a varietal that is sometimes difficult for me to enjoy.
Chardonnay, especially those from California, can tend to be overly bland and buttery, like a slice of Wonderbread slathered with soft butter. Usually, yuck!, but this wine is wonderfully fresh, flavorful and even refined.
This wine is rife with juicy flavors and aromas that seems perfectly natural. If you enjoy fresh, bright and very tasty white wines – even if Chardonnay is not your favorite – this wine is likely to please you. It pleased even me.
The location of the Fritz Winry Estate Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.
Posted in Wine News on Jul 3rd, 2008
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes greater than great, as is the case with today’s wine from Fritz Winery.
We declare this bright, delicious and fresh Estate Chardonnay to be the perfect summertime refreshment!
Clever Operatives will receive FREE Ground Shipping on 6 bottles or more – when they enter this coupon code at checkout: SPYSONOMA (discount will be shown before you complete your order)
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Return to Operative favorite, Fritz Winery – this time to retrieve their fantastic 2006 Ruxton Chardonnay
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Fritz Winery
Wine Subject: 2006 Fritz Ruxton Chardonnay – Russian River Valley
Winemaker: Christina Pällmann
Backgrounder: When The Wine Spies first infiltrated Fritz Winery, we were blown away by the quality of their wines. The Fritz Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon that we showed here recently were among the most popular wines we have featured here. Today, Agent White gets a chance to visit Fritz – and he returns, victorious, with a limited quantity of their wonderfully refreshing Ruxton Chardonnay! Read his tasting notes and mission report below for the full scoop on this great wine.
Look – Golden straw yellow – like a Champagne without bubbles, with perfect clarity, glittering edges, a fast and bouncy surface that, when swirled, leaves behind skinny legs that streak down the glass
Smell – Sweet an inviting, with instant tropical notes that are followed by more subtle apricot, butterscotch, acacia flowers, peach and pineapple
Feel – Round and light at first, then slightly creamy with a hint of acidity. The wine is fast across the tongue, then soft tannins grip the edges of the tongue and the roof of the mouth
Taste – Delicious and juicy, with tropical, peach and apricot flavors that echo the nose, but also present here are wonderful hints of soft coconut and banana, with the softest lemon curd
Finish – Begins sweet and light and fruity, then is followed by a mineral softness as flavors tail off slowly while a supple dryness gradually takes over
Conclusion – Our previously stated opinion that ”There is a special something about Fritz wines”, is reinforced by today’s terrific offering. The perfect summertime sipper, this wine is one to be enjoyed as easily on its own as with more interesting and even challenging pairings. We enjoyed ours with a gourmet bevvy of fine cheeses, crackers and crispbreads. Delicious through and through. Of note: We stuck a sealed bottle in our cave overnight and tasted it again in the morning. The flavors, while more pronounced, became more balanced and exciting as well. We recommend decanting this wine for best enjoyment.
Mission Report:
Longer-term Operatives know that we have placed Fritz Underground Winery under surveillance in the past. You also know that once we recruit a winery into the Wine Spies Nexus, well, that winery is happily in for life.
When our mole at the winery fed us some intel on their new 2006 Ruxton Chardonnay, I immediately flew (in our Spy Plane, of course) to the winery to secure samples.
My counterpart, Agent Red, was the first Wine Spies agent to review wines from Fritz, but since this was a special white wine, I got my chance. Thank goodness, too, for today’s wine turned out to be great.
Once I had my samples in hand, I conducted a detailed analysis. The wine not only passed with flying colors, it refreshed and left me feeling happy to have tasted a Chardonnay, a varietal that is sometimes difficult for me to enjoy.
Chardonnay, especially those from California, can tend to be overly bland and buttery, like a slice of Wonderbread slathered with soft butter. Usually, yuck!, but this wine is wonderfully fresh, flavorful and even refined.
This wine is rife with juicy flavors and aromas that seems perfectly natural. If you enjoy fresh, bright and very tasty white wines – even if Chardonnay is not your favorite – this wine is likely to please you. It pleased even me.
The location of the Fritz Winry Estate Vineyards, where today’s Cabernet Sauvignon was born and crafted, can be seen in this satellite photo.
Posted in Wine News on Jul 2nd, 2008
By W. Blake Gray
How much does the type of rice matter in sake? “Not much,” most experts say. But I disagree, and one of my favorite breweries, Dewazakura from Yamagata prefecture, has made it possible to taste for yourself.
Wine lovers may take it as a given that rice “varietals” matter. We all believe we can tell a Pinot Noir from a Cabernet Sauvignon without difficulty. So why wouldn’t we be able to taste the difference between Yamada Nishiki and Gohyakumangoku?
With sake, though, the brewing process has always been considered more important than the type of rice. The best example is the most expensive category. Daiginjos — for which at least 50 percent of the outer portion of the rice has been polished away — generally taste like other daiginjos, no matter where they’re from or what rice is used.
Polish a little less, though, and you start noticing regional variation. At the non-ginjo junmai level — for which at least 30 percent of the rice has been polished away — sakes start to exhibit regional characteristics. Niigata sakes tend to taste crisp and clean, for example, while Hiroshima sakes are soft and on the sweet side.
However, sake experts generally attribute regional differences to water. This makes sense. Few breweries own their own rice paddies, and many buy rice from distant prefectures. Water, however, is always local, and is the largest component of sake. (Incidentally, I have had Japanese brewing experts tell me the best sake water in the United States is in Arkansas, in case anybody there wants to start a brewery.)
Yet even while denying that rice matters much, breweries implicitly show that it matters a great deal. Yamada nishiki rice, originally from the Kobe area, is generally considered the best for sake. It has been planted in many other areas of Japan and is also purchased by breweries in many prefectures.
Personally I think everything matters in making premium sake, just as it does with wine. I can’t claim to be enough of an expert to detect the difference made by different strains of yeast, but winemakers and sake brewers can, and I believe them. So why do so many sake experts spend so much time claiming rice is immaterial?
At this point I should acknowledge that the owner of this blog, proud new poppa Alder Yarrow, is in the rice-doesn’t-matter camp. I told him I think I have an affinity for sakes made from gohyakumangoku rice, and he told me I couldn’t possibly know that for sure. So I have hijacked his blog for 24 hours to deliver this dissenting opinion. Alder, I think your daughter needs you …
Anyway, back to Dewazakura. These guys are technological innovators who also happen to make some great sake. Their “Dewasansan” brew, named after the strain of rice specifically developed for their prefectural climate conditions, is one of my go-to choices in restaurants around town because it’s both delicious and widely available.
However, the Dewasansan brew is not a pure test of the taste qualities of the rice itself. One important factor is that Dewasansan uses a different yeast than the company’s other main premium brew, nicknamed “Oka.” Its alcohol percentage is a little higher than Oka’s, and it’s not quite as dry.
Enter the beverage geek’s sake: Dewazakura Oka Yamadanishiki. This small-production version of the Oka sake has the same yeast and fermentation regimen as the everyday Oka; the only major difference is the rice.
I opened them side-by-side to see if I could taste the difference. They have similarities, the result of a master brewer’s attempt to create a consistent style from year to year. Both are creamy with notes of peach.
But to me they are more different than alike. The Yamadanishiki version is stronger on the nose, with more pronounced peach notes and a funky clay-earth like note that I like. The regular version, made from Miyamanishiki rice, smells more straightforwardly creamy, with a chalky note.
On the palate, it’s the same: the Yamadanishiki version is fruitier, fuller and has a longer finish. But that’s not to say some people won’t prefer the regular version, which has a smoother mouthfeel and an appealing white chocolate note.
The great thing about Dewazakura’s two versions of “Oka” is that you don’t have to listen to some wine writer talk about how he tasted tank samples and he really grasped the difference the rice strain makes. These are commercial products available for sale, and neither is particularly expensive. You can just go out and buy a bottle of each and prove to yourself that the strain of rice matters.
Dewazakura “Oka,” Yamagata Prefecture. $25 Where to buy?
Dewazakura “Oka Yamadanishiki,” Yamagata Prefecture. $25 Where to buy?
I now return you to this blog’s regular programming.
After drinking sake made from it, W. Blake Gray enjoys trying to say “gohyakumangoku” 10 times fast. He lives in San Francisco.
Posted in Wine News on Jun 30th, 2008
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes greater than great, as is the case with today’s wine from Peters Family Winery.
SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!: We always hand pick the best wines we can find for you, but when we feature a really great wine, we point it out by issuing special alerts. Today’s wine is excellent!
SAVINGS ALERT!: Today’s superb wine is available, today only, at 25% off the regular retail price. Save even more by enjoying Free Ground Shipping when you buy six or more bottles. Just enter savings code CABSPY at checkout.
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Return to Peters Family Winery to retrieve their Sierra Foothills Cabernet Sauvignon
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Peters Family Winery
Wine Subject: 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker: Douglas Peters
Backgrounder: 2004 was the killer year for Cabernet Sauvignon. In the right hands, ‘04 Cali Cabs can be spun into pure purple gold in a glass. We have featured two other Peter’s Family wines in the past and today we are pleased to bring you the finest of the bunch. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report for the full skinny on today’s fantastic wine.
Look – A deep and dark garnet with a ruby red heart, great clarity and concentration of color right out to the edges, with a bouncy surface and legs that take forever to begin, but then streak down the glass
Smell – Rich and deep with layers of dark fruit of dusky cherry, raspberry, blackberry, cherry, light vanilla, and smoky plum, with follow-on aromas of earth and smokey dry cured bacon
Feel – Wet and round at first, then mouth-coating with gorgeous, lush tannins that grip the edges of your tongue and the roof of your mouth
Taste – Layers of lush flavors that almost exactly mirror the aromatic qualities of the wine, bursting with delicious, juice-filled flavors
Finish – This wine surprises, with delightfully soft and lush flavors, soft tannins and mouth-watering and fruity flavors that tail of very gradually and very cleanly
Conclusion – This is another great wine from our good friend, Douglas Peters. While most of the 2004’s we have enjoyed recently need tons of time to stretch out and be best enjoyed, this wine is great right on opening. This is a wine that would be great with the finest cuisine or a great slab of steak. We enjoyed a bottle last night with pepperoni and anise sausage pizza, a delicious pairing!
Douglas Peters is one of our favorite winemaker friends, always making his great wines available to you, our Operatives. What follows is our original mission report, in which Agent Red hunts harder than usual for a great wine:
One of my most valued Assets, Codename: Valley Girl, alerted me to Peters Family Winery recently. After an undercover visit to the winery tasting room, I needed no convincing that this wine was a wonderful treat that our Operatives needed to be brought up to speed on.
Not to boast, too much here, but you know that when I have my sights set on a wine, procuring it is not usually a problem. Our reputation often proceeds us and wineries make their wonderful wines immediately available to us.
The mission to procure this wine, however, was somewhat more difficult; Peters Family winemaker and head honcho, Douglas Peters was secreted away in an undisclosed location – but I was determined to track him down so that we could negotiate a small procurement for our Operatives.
A flurry of email and telephonic subterfuge ensued and I tracked Doug to his secret lair south of the border. Because his wines are that good, I spared no expense and called on our resident pilot, Agent White, to fuel up the Wine Spies Spy Plane. Reluctant to spend the money for a long flight like this one, Agent White did take a bit of persuasion but, in the end, complied with my request; He was easily convinced after one small taste of this wine.
While I didn’t have an exact location on Doug, I did have the name of the village. After a harrowing landing on a small dirt strip in high crosswinds (an Agent White favorite!), we were able to convince the local constabulary to help us locate Doug. It only too a few cases of wine to do the trick.
We found Doug on the beach, recognizing him from his photo on his website. A glass of wine in hand, Doug seems to be enjoying the sunset.
Wasting no time with subterfuge, I got right to the point.
“I’m sorry to bother you on your vacation, Mr. Peters. I’m Agent Red, Wine Spy, and I am here to ask you for a your wine.”
“Sorry, I don’t link to share glasses with strangers. You know, germs”
Then a smile spreads across his face and he claps me on the shoulder (a feat that, at a head and a half taller than me, requires that Doug stoop slightly to reach me). “I’m just having fun with you,” He says. “Come on, have a seat, I’ll pour you a glass of my wine.”
I explained that is was because of this same wine that I made this expedition.
“It’s gooooood, isn’t it?” he asks.
My turn to smile.
We enjoyed the rest of the bottle, chatting about his wines and his approach to winemaking. Doug creates wines that are certainly of California, but also in a more Burgundian style, giving the wines a great balance between old world and new. This, in my opinion, is a great way to approach winemaking as it delivers the best qualities of these two winemaking styles – without being at odds with each other.
After some deft negotiations, I had secured a small allotment for you, Operative, and then Doug excused himself.
“Here’s another bottle for you,” he offered. I’m off to watch the lunar eclipse tonight. It’ll be 3 years until we see another one. See you back in the States!”
With that, he left me there to further ponder his wine. Doug’s love for his craft shines through in this wine, which exhibits balance, brilliance and a depth of character that I find uncommon.
Bravo, Doug!
Posted in Wine News on Jun 26th, 2008
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes even better than that, as is the case with today’s wine from Judd’s Hill.
We always feature great wines, but today’s wine is a wonderfully delicious and perfectly aged Red Blend with incredible color for a ‘99 and flavors that go and go…
Ground Shipping Included when you buy 6 bottles or more. Enter this coupon code at checkout (discount will be shown before you complete your order): SPYSHIP. Be sure to sign up for our Daily Dispatch email to get valuable promotion codes for additional discounts and other free shipping options.
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Infiltrate Judd’s Hill winery, penetrate deep into their archives and return with the last of their fabled 1999 Estate Blend
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Judd’s Hill
Wine Subject: 1999 Estate Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc)
Winemaker: Art Finkelstein
Backgrounder: Our Operatives we so enamored with the Judd’s Hill wine we featured here a little while back, that they have been demanding that we send an Agent to retrieve another wine. Our new friends at Judd’s Hill readily opened up their private vault to us and, together, we selected their beautiful 1999 Cab blend, a perfect and ready-to-drink blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Read Agent Red’s complete tasting profile below, followed by his original mission report.
Look – Great color on this ‘older’ vintage wine. Where we have seen 1999’s that show as brown or slightly orange, indicating poor aging, this wine is deep burgundy to garnet, with a deep concentration of purple-burgundy at its heart, concentrated color to its edges, and a very bouncy surface that takes ages to settle when swirled as it leaves behind chunky that make their way slowly down the glass
Smell – Dark and deeply layered with concentrated fruit of dark plum, mixed dark berries, ripe raspberry, dark and smoky blueberry with spice, licorice, older oak and a wonderful and subtle shot of Bazooka Joe Bubble Gum!
Feel – Soft, then mouth-coating, rich and round, this wine has a wonderful feel that is at first wet, but then soft to medium tannins grip in coating the mouth and lips with a slightly dryness
Taste – Rich, deep concentrations of dark stonefruit, with obvious red cherry, smoked acerola cherry, blackberry preserves, subtle cigar box, spice, licorice and green sweetwoods
Finish – Big, dark, sweet, tasty, flavorful and delicious, with flavors that go on and on, with supple tannins that add a hint of tart dryness
Conclusion – Sha-BANG! Another mouthwatering masterpiece from Art Finklestein, master winemaker at Judd’s Hill. It must be so gratifying to blend a great wine and then to pop open a bottle nearly 10 years after making it, only to discover that it has evolved and aged so beautifully. Winemaking is an art and a science that we are always in awe of, particularly when experiencing a wine like today’s amazing blend. As great as this wine is today, we can’t wait to try a bottle every few years. Be sure to pick up enough to enjoy a bottle now, and then again after a bit more aging.
What follows is our original mission report, in which Agent Red first comes to meet Judd’s Hill Winery
It was the end of a very long day – and I was dog tired. I had been on a mission in Napa Valley that took way longer that I had anticipated and I still had to drive to Monterey County for an early morning surveillance.
I decided to stop in San Francisco for dinner and parked near my favorite Thai restaurant, only to find that it had closed for remodeling. Just great.
It was dark, I was feeling glum and I had no idea where to eat. I moped back toward my car and, as I was getting in, heard the thin sound of music coming from a nearby alley. Even though I could not quite make it out over the sounds of the street, it had a lively feel to it and I found myself drawn toward it.
As I neared the building that the sweet sounds emanated from , the music became clearer. It was Hawaiian music. Hapa haole Hawaiian music, actually. A great vintage sound, with ukulele and steel guitar and happy vocals. My spirits lifted. That is, until a wall of a man blocked me from entering the building. I looked up… and up… and up some more. A very serious looking Polynesian stared down at me.
“Private party, sir, sorry”, he siad in the deepest voice I had ever heard.
Before I could answer, a voice from behind me in the alleyway called out, “Its okay, Pea, he’s with me.”
(”Pea”?)
I turned to see a cardboard box being thrust into my arms. Obviously a case of wine, I went along with this young stranger and followed him inside. He motioned me to set the case down among several other cases of wine. Each box was labeled with “Judd’s Hill”.
I set the box down and the smiling stranger extended his hand and said, “Hi, I’m Judd.”
Judd’s Hill. Judd.
He saw me looking from the wine to him and said, “Yup, my family’s winery! You like wine?”
Needless to say, the rest of the evening was filled with frivolity, great wine, cool music, fantastic food and great people.
After watching Judd (grape grower, winemaker, musician, performer and artist) and his group, The Maikai Gents Featuring The Mysterious Miss Mauna Loa, perform, Judd told me all about his winemaking family and their artisanal ways.
The evening was just what the Spy Doctor ordered and the wine struck me as one of the best I had tasted all year. Right there at the party, Judd agreed to devoting an allocation to our Operatives. My bad-day-turned-great-evening is your reward, dear Operative. Today’s wine is sweet music to your lips!
The location of the Judd’s Hill winery can be seen in this satellite photo.
Posted in Wine News on Jun 25th, 2008
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes greater than great, as is the case with today’s wine from Pengwine Winery.
UNIQUE WINE ALERT!: Today’s wine is the most uniquely delicious and original red wine blend we have come across!
SAVINGS ALERT!: Smart Operative will enjoy Free Ground Shipping on orders of 6 or more bottles today. Got the intel? Enter SPYPENG at checkout…
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Return to Operative favorite, Chilean producer Pengwine, and retreive their besat and most popular wine for our Operatives
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Pengwine
Wine Subject: 2005 Royal Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker: Chris Millikan and Max Eyzaguirre
Backgrounder: Operatives who have been with us this last year will recognize today’s target. Pengwine Winery of Maipo Valley in Chile was a big hit when we first featured them here. Central Command has been keeping close tabs on Pengwine and after a careful extended surveillance, sent Agent Red to retrieve today’s unique and oh, so delicious, Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. Read Agent Reds tasting notes and corresponding Mission Report, below.
Look – Black cherry juice and garnet in color, with perfect clarity through its concentrated darker center. On swirling the surface of the wine appears bouncy and it takes some time to fully settle, leaving behind fat and skinny legs that move slowly down the glass
Smell – The aromas of this wine leap out of this glass, even on first pouring. Swirl the wine and bigger aromas waft out, hitting you on the nose before your nose is anywhere near the glass. Some would call this a profound nose, but I call it big and bold but not cloying. Now, about the flavors: Big aromatic of fresh flowers, giant currant, cherry, roasted blackberry, ancient suede and parchment, tobacco and a slight vegital quality that I can’t quite identify
Feel – Initially cool and wet, then mouth-coating and a little grippy as medium tannins appear and grab the middle and sides of the roof of the mouth
Taste – Big red currant, sweet cranberry, raisin and blackberry with a touch of bergamot (found in Earl Grey tea) and hints of cocoa powder, tomato vine and flinty earth
Finish – Delicious, big, long and fruity with a medium dryness and flavors that go from slightly tart to sweet, then tapering off as your watering mouth begs for another sip
Conclusion – This is a singular wine of remarkable distinction! This rich and chewy wine has layers of gigantic flavors and aromas but, oddly, I did not feel bowled over by it. We are so pleased to see Pengwine continuing to evolve as a winery, producing better and better wines with each new vintage. Chris has been a great friend to The Wine Spies and we are proud of his success. He and Max are making great wines that are original in their style and grand in their appeal. While some may shy away from Chilean wines, this is one to rush to. This wine is big, yes, but it also has balance and restraint. A big thanks to Chris, for letting us be the first retailer in America to have this superb wine!
Agent Sparkle adds: ”Whatever is going on in this wine, its thoroughly drinkable – even on its own. I usually prefer to drink wines with food, but found myself sipping away at this wine all on its own.”
Mission Report:
US/Chilean Pengwine Wines was conducting a winetasting at the bottom of the world, and I tagged along. It turned out to be an adventure.
Posing as a wine writer for a prestigious wine magazine, I was able to secure my cargo plane seat on this first-ever Antarctic wine event.
As I sat in the plane, I watched out the window as the airport workers clumsily loaded luggage and wine crates onto the planes loading ramp. After I saw my own luggage spill off the cart and onto the tarmac, I had visions of the wine crates suffering the same fate. Shortly thereafter, they did. Spilled wine made dark circles on the black pavement.
I dashed out of the plane with the winemaker and ran to save the wine. Many of the bottles were broken, but we managed to repack the remaining wine and load it safely onto the plane. After the winemaker conducted a few harried-sounding calls, he decided that he had enough wine for the expedition and that the trip was still on.
Two bumpy flights and a refueling stop later, we were out over some of the clearest water I had ever seen. The day was crystal clear and I could feel the excitement of the expedition members mounting.
The landing was flawless and the wine survived the trip intact.
We were greeted by airfield personnel (a single person) who accompanied us on our quest to find the natives. With wine bottles secured inside of parkas, we simply picked a direction and started walking. A short while later, a few dozen natives in sight, we stopped, opened bottles, poured and raised our glasses in a salute – to the penguins… Those on the glacier and those on the labels!
To learn more about this expedition, book a National Geographic cruise through the Antarctic – where Pengwine is an official selection aboard the ship.
The bottom of the world, where this winetasting actually, honestly, truly, really did take place, can be seen in this satellite photo.
Posted in Wine News on Jun 23rd, 2008
There are those in the wine world who seek out (and often pay for) the best possible advice they can get. Winemaking and winegrowing are sciences as much as they are arts, and these days, there are plenty of experts to be had in both arenas. And then there are those in the wine world that no matter what the scientists, experts, and even their friends say, choose to follow their instincts. Call them pig-headed, call them eccentric, call them iconoclasts, there are certain people that will always walk their own paths when it comes to wine.
Jim Dierberg seems to be one of those people. He’s a man that puts a lot of stock in his intuition. He proposed to his wife on their first date, and the first time he set eyes on a piece of property near Santa Ynez Valley he knew it was where he needed to live and to make wine. And not just any wine. Jim decided that this little plot of land was where he was going to make the Cabernet that he had dreamed of making for years.
Never mind that the idea of making Cabernet Sauvignon in the chilly, fog-influenced Santa Ynez Valley (known, for good reason, for it’s cooler climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) was pretty much the most insane idea anyone had heard of for some time. Jim spent nearly ten years fending off his friends and neighbors, all of whom confirmed the insanity oh his plans. In those ten years he methodically planted his vineyards and experimented with rootstocks, built a winery, and (perhaps just to prove that he wasn’t totally bonkers) bought some land in the neighboring Santa Rita Hills and started making excellent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay under the Dierberg Estate and Three Saints labels.
Jim’s faith in his own vision wasn’t easy to shake, perhaps because Jim lived on the property that came to be known as Star Lane Vineyards for those ten years. And he needed little more than a good set of eyes and a thermometer to prove to himself that the tiny little North-South valley where his vineyards climbed up the steep valley walls was a climatological anomaly. At the start of his driveway, several miles away, the mid-summer fog would be thick and the air a chilly sixty degrees Fahrenheit, but out his front door it would be sunny and between 80 and 100 degrees.
Indeed, the Happy Valley, as this little crease in the San Rafael Mountains is named, happens to be both the highest and the hottest place in the entire appellation. Daytime temperatures routinely climb above 100 degrees and nighttime temperatures often fall well below fifty degrees. This wide range of temperature, known as the diurnal shift, is coveted by winemakers for its ability to coax complexity and richness out of grapes of many varieties.
Now, after ten years of work, Jim and his winemaking crew, which includes winemaker Nick DeLuca and consultant David Ramey, are releasing the first vintage from Star Lane, including this wine, which is a special selection from three specific blocks of the vineyard. The vineyards are planted almost exclusively to Bordeaux varietals, with the exception of a little Syrah that is mixed in amongst the Cabernet Sauvignon, and are so steep in places that there is only one guy on Jim’s staff that is willing to drive the tractor between the rows (he apparently keeps asking for a raise on this account).
The vineyard management crew, all of whom are full-time employees rather than hired contractors, pick the grapes in the dead of night to escape the day-time heat, and load them in small batches into the winery (which has been built with two distinct sections, one dedicated to the Dierberg Estate Burgundy-style wines, and the other dedicated to the Star Lane project). The grapes ferment slowly with native yeasts, and are then aged in 100% new French oak barrels for 20 months before bottle aging another 14 months before release. The wines are never filtered and are fined lightly with egg whites before bottling.
Star Lane makes about 1900 cases of this special Cabernet Sauvignon, and about 9000 cases of their estate Cabernet (which is also fantastic).
Santa Ynez Valley, barring some serious effects of Global Warming, will never be known as a place that’s ideal for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, but if Star Lane Vineyards continues to produce blockbuster wines like this one, Santa Ynez Valley may well become known for at least one Cabernet.
Tasting Notes:
Inky garnet in color, this wine bursts out of the glass with a rich nose of earth, tobacco, and dark fruit aromas that had me salivating immediately. In the mouth it is rich, heavy, and pure liquid silk on the tongue, with powerful flavors of black cherry, vanilla, and chocolate mixed with an undertone of dirt. The wine has just the slightest touch of sweetness to it that I eventually decided was a hint of residual sugar, but couldn’t possibly hold against this wine in all its lusciousness. Perhaps it’s best to think of this wine as a monster Napa Cab, that isn’t from Napa. A wine for those times when you’d prefer that your wine not show a little restraint.
Food Pairing:
This is a wine that while perfect for grilled meat, I would simply prefer to drink on its own. It’s big enough to demand all of your attention.
Overall Score: between 9 and 9.5
How Much?: $100
This wine is available for purchase on the internet.
Posted in Wine News on Jun 23rd, 2008
Red is the most passionate of all colors. The color of love. The
color of sin. The color of lobster. And the color of these three Donati
wines. Well, really, if you saw these wines in a box of crayons, they
wouldn’t be called “red”. They’d probably be something more like
“red-violet” or “carmine” or “deep ruby”. But they’re in the red family
– the passionate, loving, sinful, lobster-hued red family.
Take
the Donati 2004 Merlot. But don’t take it all, because we want some,
too. This isn’t the blah Merlot that we all heard about in that movie
we’re all sick of hearing about. This is grown in ideal conditions in
the Paicines Hills, barreled immediately after pressing, and raised
with all the advantages that you and I never had. It’s matured into a
richly expressive, deeply fruity, robust wine that honors its Bordeaux
heritage, both by its faithful Merlot character and by dressing up in
traditional costume and performing folk dances during Bordeaux Heritage
Days out at the county fairgrounds.
n00b tip: don’t try to
get all continental and pronounce Claret “clair-ay”. Everybody will
immediately know you’re a poseur, and may even try to sell you elevator
passes. The word should rhyme with “ferret”. Yeah, it looks French, but
it’s a made-up British word. Fortunately, nothing else about the Donati
2005 Claret is even remotely British. This blend of Merlot, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot was put
together with emphasis on fresh, forward fruit – these grapes will
whistle and howl at any attractive woman who passes by. (Get it?
“Fresh” and “forward”? Hey, they can’t all be gutbusters.) Those rich
estate-grown fruits are run through a regimen of classic winemaking
techniques and barrel-aged to full-term. Unfined, unfiltered,
unfettered by any narrow definition of what a red should be, this
drink-it-now red promises substantial rewards for early withdrawal.
Vineyard
Manager Matt Donati’s three daughters are the nominal inspiration for
the Donati 2004 Sorelle Per Sempre (“sisters forever” in Italian). It’s
a similar blend to the Claret, but with a couple of fewer wines and a
bigger share of Cabernet Sauvignon. Its lush berry fruit flavors and
hints of toasted oak on the nose make it an ideal pair for hearty cibo d’Italia. Buy it now before some soulless ATF agent decides it’s illegal because the guy named it after his kids.
Scarlet
letters, red badges of courage, capes waved in front of angry bulls:
such is red’s power. These three Donati reds share the fiery passion
and passionate fire of red. Or of red-violet, at least.
2004 Merlot:
2004 Sorelle Per Sempre
2005 Claret
Rules and restrictions:
Thanks to stick-in-the-mud buzzkilling state legislators, wine may only be delivered to the following states:
If your state’s not on the list, you’re out of luck… for now. Keep up with the ever-changing laws over at ShipCompliantBlog.com, and/or sound the alarms with your state assembly person through FreeTheGrapes.org. Meanwhile, all Federal, state and local laws are complied with in providing this wine.
Posted in Wine News on Jun 20th, 2008
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes even better than that, as is the case with today’s wine from Levendi Estates.
OPERATIVE WINE REQUEST ALERT: Today’s wine comes to you thanks to our Operatives, who demanded that we return to Levendi for their Symphonia Cab!
FREE SHIPPING ALERT: Enjoy Free Ground Shipping on six or more bottles, with promotional code CABSPY
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Our Operatives loved the previous Levendi Cabernet Sauvignon that we featured here. Send Agent Red to Napa Valley to investigate claims that Levendi Estates has crafted an ‘04 Cab that beats wines at twice the price. If verified, procure a suitable quantity for our Operatives to enjoy
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Levendi Estates
Wine Subject: 2005 Symphonia Cabernet Sauvignon – Napa Valley
Winemakers: Alison Doran
Backgrounder: The Wine Spies have had the great fortune to bring you some of the finest wines available anywhere. Of particular note are the handful of stellar 2004 California Cabernet Sauvignons featured here in recent months. If 2004 was a great year for Cali Cabs, then 2004 was an especially great year for those born in California’s Napa Valley. Today we send Agent Red, this agency’s red wine expert, to Levendi Estates, where he discovers today’s remarkable Cab. Read his tasting notes and mission report below for a complete profile of today’s wine.
Look – Hearty concentration of color that goes garnet to burgundy at the wines heart. The wine maintains great concentration of color right out to the edge of the glass. On swirling, the wine maintains its depth, but reveals a deep and juicy clarity with no murk. The wines bouncy surface and skinny legs contribute to the wines distinctive good looks
Smell – Bright and deeply aromatic on opening, with aromas of sweet cherry, mild spice, unique roasted tangerine peel, rose petals and red Swedish fish candy. After a little time in the air, the wine brightens as fresh fruits emerge, compelling you to inhale deeply, again and again. Eventually, the aromas become so enticing that you are reminded to actually taste the wine!
Feel – Round and full, the wine initially hovers across the front palate before it becomes full-on mouth-coating with structured medium tannins
Taste – Big and delicious, with balanced fruit and smoky cherry, blueberry, vanilla, sweet oak and dark plum with a hint of dusted dark chocolate
Finish – Begins dusky, then finishes sweet and fruity, with delicious sweetness, tartness and flavors that tail off slowly with a slight dryness
Conclusion – After we first feature Levendi here, our Operatives flooded us with requests for today’s Levendi wine. They loved the previous wine, but were very eager to taste today’s 2005 Symphonia Cabernet Sauvignon. Having just spent a few hours with the wine, I now know why! This wine is beautiful and bright, with a depth and sincerity that makes it a delicios on-its-own wine that is the sort that is fun to discuss as you enjoy it. I paired mine with a spicy penne pasta with arugola – which is a challenging pairing for any wine to stand up to. The spice and the tartness might tend to overpower other wines, but this Cab, with its bright acidity and solid flavors not only hold up, it compliments. If you tried our previous Levendi Cab, this is a sure-win. If you love most Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, you must try this fantastic win from our friends at Levendi.
Pairing Update – Later in the evening I called my asset at the winery to ask her if she had any desert pairing recommendations for the Symphonia. She recommended dark chocolate or chocolate cheesecake. I thanked her and instantly called Agent Sparkle, who was due to return from a mission. Sparkle returned to the safehouse with a fresh chocolate cheesecake. The pairing was remarkable. Perfect and delicious!
Mission Report:
For your enjoyment, what follows is a retelling of our original mission report:
“Awake, Mortal!”, the voice thundered.
I shot up from my slumber – and promptly banged my head… on the ceiling? I looked around. Outside a window the countryside streaked past.
I remembered that I was on a train, traveling from Montenegro where I had taken some R & R time – to Greece, where I would be doing some deep background research on the origins of wine.
Looking at my watch I realized that I still had a few hours before I reached my destination. As I lay my head back down on my pillow, a voice bellowed, “You dare to sleep in my presence, Mortal?!”
My eye snapped open and, to my horror, I found that I was no longer on the train. Instead, I seemed to be in a huge atrium that was surrounded by pillars. In the center, a large figure sat atop what appeared to be a throne.
A deep laugh thundered from the man and then, “Fetch me a fresh amphora and come here, Mortal, my thirst is strong this day! Ariadne is in her chambers pining for Naxos, and Ikarios is busy tending the vines and arguing with shepherds again, leaving me unattended!”
From my research into ancient Greece and Greek mythology, this thundering figure could only be Dionysos, the Greek God of wine and fertility. How did I get here? Was I dreaming?
Playing along, I grabbed up a amphora of wine. He smiled warmly at me and took the amphora in one mighty hand. He lowered his nose into the mouth of the amphora and inhaled deeply. Smiling, he said, “Mortal, I have taught you well! You even put poor Ikarios to shame with your toil. Your wine making skills are nearly perfected. Perhaps I will grant you immortality after all.”
With this, he raised the amphora to me and shouted the word, “LEVENDI!”
Back in my train cabin, I blink the sleep away as the word echos in my mind. Levendi, Levendi. The word is familiar somehow… I quickly pullout my spy communicator and speak the word into its tiny microphone. An instant later, after completing its satellite connection to our W.I.N.E. (Wine Internet Nexux Engine) databases at Central Command, I am presented with these results:
1) A traditional Greek toast, “Levendi” acknowledges a hard day’s labor and achievement
2) A fine winery in California’s Napa Valley
Of course! Increasingly I had been receiving intel on Levendi Winery from my informants. Then and there, I decided to cut my trip short – and rush to taste Levendi’s wines!
See my tasting notes above…
The location of one of the vineyards, where today’s Cabernet Sauvignon was grown, can be seen in this satellite photo.
Posted in Wine News on Jun 15th, 2008
In this episode of IntoWineTV, host Lisa Kolenda and wine experts Bartholomew Broadbent and Pamela Busch convene at San Francisco’s CAV Wine Bar and Kitchen for a blind tasting and discussion o
Posted in Wine News on Jun 9th, 2008
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes even better than that, as is the case with today’s wine from Sol Rouge Vineyard and Winery.
Due to the extremely limited allocation of this wine, we are limited orders to a maximum of two cases per operative. Be sure to place your order early as we are sure to sell out!
Operative: Agent White & Agent Blush
Objective: Acquire an allocation of the SUPER EXCLUSIVE New Sol Rouge Cabernet Sauvignon.
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Sol Rouge Vineyard and Winery
Wine Subject: 2006 Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker: Bryan Kane
Backgrounder:
The 2006 Sol Rouge Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon is made exclusively from mountain Cabernet Sauvignon fruit from the northern part of the Mayacamas mountain range (in Lake County, just east of Mendocino and north of Sonoma which is exploding as wine growing region) home of several of California’s cult Cabernet Sauvignons like those of Peter Michael, Pride, Diamond Creek, and, of course, Mayacamas Vineyards.
Look – Dark purple and almost black in color with inky clarity and garnet and purple highlighted edges. When swirled, this wine has slow moving and thick legs.
Smell – Bold, but balanced bouquet with aromas of blackberries, both tart and ripe cherries, toasted oak and spice. As this wine opens up a distinct herbaceous component of green peppers also emerges.
Feel – Dry, rich and smooth but with firm tannic structure that reaches the far corners of the palate with a spicy tingle that lingers on the tip of the tongue.
Taste – Concentrated black and red fruits lead off with layers of toasted oak, spicy black pepper and a hint of licorice.
Finish – This wine finishes long and lingers with balanced flavors of fruit, spice and oak.
Conclusion – Once again, Bryan Kane has produced an exceptional wine. This Cabernet is bold, but not overpowering and true to its varietal characteristics. Give this wine some time to breathe and you will be handsomely rewarded with an exceptional wine drinking experience. Try this wine with grilled beef or game meats.
Our flight plan listed our destination as 1O2 – Lampson Field Airport, at the south end of Lake County. We weren’t interested in landing, however. The purpose here was to do some low level reconnaissance of the vineyards at the north end of the Mayacamas mountain range.
Tree-top flying is at its best in the cool early mornings (hopefully not waking the neighbors as we blow the fruit right off the vine). The problem here was dropping out of radar contact from NorCal Approach, particularly since we were so close to the Maxwell Military Operation Area (MOA).
Starting at the highest point of the mountain, about 4760 feet MSL, we carefully followed the ridgelines working our way down. Blush, with chart in hand indicated the direction the vineyard of interest. As we approached our target, the terrain was between about 1800 and 2600 feet in elevation.
”Put her in a slip, I need to get a close-up look”.
Applying left rudder and right aileron, the plane banked about 20 degrees providing her with a great view…
”Can’t you fly any lower?,” she asked, “No, we’re already only 5-700 feet AGL”., I responded, keeping track of the terrain and the winds.
”Now I know, why Bryan’s wines are so good”, she said, ”Look at that Mountain Terroir…, It’s perfect!”
As a matter of fact, the Mayacamas are known for austere, coarse and complex rocky volcanic soil. The climate is also ideal for growing great Cabernet Sauvignon. Longer, more balanced growing days with the morning sun and a lack of fog that usually blankets the valley floor and cool afternoon breezes moderate the hot afternoon sun. That combined with extremely low yields result in smaller berries and more balanced, complex and concentrated fruit.
The Terroir and climate is why some of the most loved cult wines come from the Mayacamas.
Let’s head back as she flashed me an evil grin…
”Too bad your flying White, I guess that means more wine for me!”
The location of the Sol Rouge Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.
Mission Postscript: Agent White is a trained mountain search and rescue pilot. Always fly safely and within the limits of yours and your aircraft’s abilities and according to the appropriate FAA regulations.
Posted in Wine News on Jun 3rd, 2008
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes even better than that, as is the case with today’s wine from Deerfield Ranch Winery.
LOOKING FOR BURGESS CABERNET SAUVIGNON? Please check back after midnight for this superb wine!
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Revisit Deerfield Ranch Winery and secure a great white for summer.
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Deerfield Ranch Winery
Wine Subject: 2006 Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaker: Robert Rex & Michael Browne
Backgrounder:
Sauvignon Blanc, grown all over the world, is most notably known for its great wines from Sancerre in the Loire Valley, France and Marlborough in New Zealand. California premium Sauvignon Blanc has, as a result of better wine making and using only the best harvested fruit, has improved dramatically from many of the lackluster wines that are mass-produced and mass retail marketed. Spend the time to find the better Sauvignon Blancs and you won’t be disappointed.
This wine sports a brand new type of cork called a ZORK. The Zork is removed by pulling and unwinding the plastic capsule revealing a synthetic cork that can be reused as a stopper. The unique Zork help to preserve this delicious wine in between pours.
Look – Clear and pale straw yellow in color with thick legs that hint at this wine’s viscosity. This wine shows a springy surface that catches the light and reflects brighyly.
Smell – Medium intensity tropical fruit, citrus and lychee flavors with a hint of flinty minerality (a required component in this spy’s opinion).
Feel – Cool and wet with a unique flinty mineral quality, medium acidity that adds to the crispness as well as a creaminess that pleases the palate.
Taste – Flavors of tropical fruit, grapefruit, citrus and Granny Smith apples. A small oak component.
Finish – Medium long with with nice flavor complexity that lingers with its tart fruit flavors.
Conclusion – A delicious and easy to drink Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is crisp making it ideal for warm summer nights and lends itself to spicy food, fresh or slightly aged cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milk cheeses and grilled fish. Overall a very nice wine!
Those who know me, know that among my most favorite white wines, are those from Sancerre (and Marlborough, New Zealand) is very close behind. Unfortunately, too often I end up tasting a Sauvignon Blanc that is, well for lack of a better word, ordinary. And most lack the most critical of flavor components for me, the minerality that emerges as a flinty and wet rock flavor indicative of the Terroir.
So, when Agent Red sent me to taste yet another Sauvignon Blanc, I was indeed skeptical. But perhaps this time would be different. It was a visit to Sonoma’s Deerfield Ranch Winery (Sonoma County Vintner member). We have featured a couple of their wines and all were very nice. This would be their first white for their dossier.
Well I am happy to report that this wine stands up to its billing! The 2006 Sauvignon Blanc is bright and crisp with good acidity, tart tropical fruit and, indeed, the mineral component, that I just love. While its not a Sancerre or Marlborough, its a delicious Sauvignon Blanc with a unique California flair.
This wine lends itself perfectly to the upcoming summer barbeque season and also sports the latest in cork technology. The Zork (see details above) make bringing this wine on a picnic or to the beach easy. And, just in case you have any left over (I’m betting you wont), you can easily recork the Zork.
The location of Deerfield Ranch Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.
Posted in Wine News on Jun 2nd, 2008
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes greater than great, as is the case with today’s wine from Hans Fahden Winery.
This is an exceptional wine and we are astounded that it sells for so little. We featured this wine as an exclusive pre-release and now we’ve been able to secure an additional allocation. For EXTRA SAVINGS, be sure to use the promotion code SPYHANS for free ground shipping on orders of six or more.
Operative: Agent Cuvée (under the watchful eye of Agent Red)
Objective: Send rookie Wine Spy, Agent Cuvée, into friendly territory, on his inaugural mission to return with the new vintage of Hans Fahdens great Cabernet Sauvignon – before the winery even releases the wine
Mission Status: Accomplished! (way to go Agent Cuvée!)
Current Winery: Hans Fahden Winery
Wine Subject: 2004 Mountain Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker: Israel Montanez
Backgrounder: The 2003 Hans Fahden Cabernet Sauvignon was one of the most popular Cabs we featured in 2007. When featured here, the wine was a smash hit and sold out very quickly. Today we are proud to bring you their newest vintage. Read Agent Cuvée’s tasting notes and mission report below to see how this vintage compares to the 2003
Look – Deep burgundy color with a dark black-plum heart and chubby legs that are slow to form – then quick to streak down the glass (unique!)
Smell – A big blast of concentrated aromatics of cherry, ripe blackberry, oak, smoke, soft leather and mild spice
Feel – Initially soft and then the wine expresses medium to big tannins as it coats and then drys the mouth
Taste – This vintage is as delicious as the last, with juicy flavors of dark smoky blueberry, blackberry and plum, with earthen mushroom, mild leather and oak
Finish – Long-lasting, all over mouth flavors that taper off beautifully as the wine dry and coats your mouth
Conclusion – Here is what Agent Red said about the 2003 vintage:
If you love great Cabernet Sauvignon wine that possess balance, character, flavor and great aromatics, this is a great wine for you. I believe that this wine drinks like a $50 or higher-priced cab and have told this to the folks at the winery. Their answer is simple: “People keep telling us to raise our prices. This is the perfect reason to keep them low. We want everyone to be able to enjoy our wines and we will continue to create great wines at a fair price”. The Wine Spies look forward to their next vintage!
Here’s what I say about this 2004 vintage:
This wine has many of the same qualities, but is even better!
For your best experience with this wine, decant for a few hours as it will soften and its aromatic qualities and deep flavors open up. This wine is certainly ready to drink now, but I have to think that it will only approve with a little bottle aging. When you purchase some today, be sure to get bottles to enjoy now, but also cellar some. You’ll thank me both times!
Agent Cuvée here, reporting on my first ever solo-mission. Today I am a full-fledged Wine Spy!
Agent Red recruited me six months ago, at my place of work at one of Monterey’s best wine establishments. I can’t blow my own cover by telling you where I work, but Agent Red calls me a “Big Wheel” in the Monterey wine scene.
Its because I am so well known in Monterey that Wine Spies Central Command sent me on this particular mission. I need to keep my legend in tact so mission to other regions will be my de rigueur.
For this mission, I had to infiltrate Hans Fahden – and return with their new Cabernet Sauvignon. “Easy,” you say? Under normal circumstances, maybe, but I had to grab the wine before the wine was even released to the public!
The Wine Spies featured Hans Fahden’s superb 2003 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon and our Operatives loved it (see Agent Red’s previous mission report, below). It was a great wine and Wine Spies Operatives snapped it up and we sold out quickly.
On visiting the beautiful winery in Sonoma County’s Mayacamas Mountains, overlooking the town of Calistoga, I am taken by the serene beauty of the place. On meeting its people, I understand why the wine has the sweet flavor of Amour; the third generation winemaking family that grows the grapes here pour their hearts into their craft.
It turns out that I didn’t have to resort to any sort of clever tactics to procure a pre-release quantity of this wine. Agent Red had called ahead to the winery to tell them to expect me. I was given a tour and a tasting and, within minutes, the winery had graciously offered us a handful of cases to share with our Operatives.
And so, dear Operative, my first mission, while not all that intriguing, ends with great success. I am very pleased to be able to bring you this fine wine today and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Cuvée, Out.
For those operatives that are interested, what follows is our original mission report, in which Agent Red first discovers Hans Fahden’s exquisite wine:
: : San Francisco, California : : Fort Mason : : Family Winemakers of California Tasting event : :
With more than 400 wineries and only two days to taste, I needed to employ my best strategic planning skills. There was simply no way I would be able to taste everything available to me.
Central Command had compiled a list of High Priority Target wineries, and I was tasting wines of all varietals and in all price ranges. Most of them good to great, and only a few real stinkers.
During the latter half of my second day, I initiated the final phase of my tasting which had me tasting only the highest end wines available. This was a phase I was looking forward to and after giving my palate a much needed rest, I reentered the pavilion like a man on a mission. Oh, yeah, I really was on a mission!
After tasting 2 or 3 really superb wines (you’ll enjoy learning of these in a future report), I spotted on of my newest assets, Codename ”Shank”, chatting at one of the winery tasting tables.
Shank, so named for his passion for golf, is a wine industry insider. He works for a leading wine industry technology provider and hails from a winemaking family.
I walked over to the table and Shank introduced me to Karen Fahden of Hans Fahden Vineyards. Karen immediately poured me a glass and I took it for a swirl. I was instantly wowed and I explained that I had been seeking out $50+ wines. I thought that this one would fit right in and I asked Karen if the was $50 – or more. I was shocked by her answer. Karen explained that she gets that reaction a lot.
Right there at the table, I negotiated a nice quantity of bottles for our Agents. Any wine that drinks like a $50 bottle but costs less than half that deserves our best attention.
The location of the Dry Creek Valley can be seen in this satellite photo
Posted in Wine News on May 29th, 2008
In this episode of IntoWineTV, host Lisa Kolenda and wine experts Bartholomew Broadbent and Pamela Busch convene at San Francisco’s CAV Wine Bar and Kitchen for a blind tasting and discussion o
Posted in Wine News on May 29th, 2008
Here’s that other Dry Creek deal we promised this week.
Now that you’ve seen what Dry Creek Vineyard can do with their signature whites,
it’s time to turn to the dark side. If you think Dry Creek’s expertise
is limited to Fumé Blanc, these two reds have a bone to pick with you.
And believe us, you do not want to make enemies out of them.
Let’s
meet these red rebels, with chips on their shoulders and 100% Dry Creek
Valley pedigrees. As dark and brooding as its name suggests, the Dry
Creek Valley 2003 Mood Hill Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine with secrets.
It may take a while to get to know it. But if you can persuade it to
let its guard down, to lower its mask of sullen indifference, you’ll
find a luscious, juicy heart of black cherry and plum.
Like
a boy named Sue, being called “petite” has only made the Dry Creek
Valley 2003 Petite Sirah even tougher. There’s nothing petite about its
rich, dense, muscular dark fruit flavors and rigidly structured
tannins. This is one two-fisted, bare-knuckled, rip-snorting roadhouse
brawler of a wine from the mean streets of the DCV9 Estate
Vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley. It’s crying out for red meat. Let its
black cherry and pepper flavors linger on the finish just as long it
pleases…we sure wouldn’t tell it to leave.
And if you’re one of those Zinfandel fans wondering where this AVA’s
flagship red is, well, Dry Creek Vineyard often uses this selfsame
Petite Sirah as a blending ingredient in Zinfandel. It isn’t every
vintage that’s good enough to warrant bottling on its own. This one was.
Are
you intrigued by this glimpse of Dry Creek’s dark side? Excited? Even a
little scared? Of course you are. But if you can handle it, the
forbidden thrills and esoteric pleasures of the dark side will take you
to new heights of wine ecstasy. So take that nice Fumé Blanc home to
meet mom – but have a little fun with these wild, untamed reds first.
We won’t tell if you don’t.
2003 Mood Hill Cabernet Sauvignon
Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: 100% Dry Creek Valley
Production: 426 cases
Harvest: September 23 – October 9, 2003
Fermentation: Fermented 21 days at 85º F
Barrel Aging: 20 months in French and American oak
Alcohol: 14.5%
Total Acidity: 0.64
pH: 3.76
Residual Sugar: Dry
2003 Petite Sirah
Grapes: 100% Petite Sirah
Appellation: Dry Creek Valley
Production: 429 cases
Harvest: October 2, 2003
Fermentation: Fermented 18 days at 85º F
Barrel Aging: 30 months in American oak, 45% new oak
Alcohol: 13.3%
Total Acidity: 0.46
pH 3.70
Residual Sugar: Dry
Rules and restrictions:
Thanks to stick-in-the-mud buzzkilling state legislators, wine may only be delivered to the following states:
If your state’s not on the list, you’re out of luck… for now. Keep up with the ever-changing laws over at ShipCompliantBlog.com, and/or sound the alarms with your state assembly person through FreeTheGrapes.org. Meanwhile, all Federal, state and local laws are complied with in providing this wine.
Posted in Wine News on May 26th, 2008
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes even better than that, as is the case with today’s wine from Raymond Burr Vineyards .
Today’s wine is the best Raymond Burr wine we have ever featured – and an excellent and delicious Cabernet Sauvignon
Ground Shipping Included when you buy 6 bottles. Enter this coupon code at checkout (discount will be shown before you complete your order): SPYSONOMA
Ground Shipping Included plus an additional 5% off, when you buy 12 bottles or more, with coupon code: IRONSPY
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Send Agent Red back to Raymond Burr winery, to retrieve their stellar Cabernet Sauvignon – before it goes on lock-down!
Mission Status: Accomplished
Current Winery: Raymond Burr Vineyards
Wine Subject: 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker: John Quinones
Backgrounder: Our Operatives know that we are huge fans of Raymond Burr wines. We have featured two of their wines previously, but today’s is the best of the bunch! This 2004 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, a multi-medal winner (it just took GOLD at the 2008 San Diego International Wine Competition), is fragrant, balanced, big and richly delicious. When our friends at Raymond Burr offered our Operatives a chance to pick up this gem of a wine, we were thrilled. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and click the big blue button to grab some of this special wine – before we run out
Look – Deep ruby to burgundy in color with great clarity and concentrated color to the edge of the glass, the wine has a fast-moving surface and thinny-thin closely-space legs that move slowly down the glass
Smell – Bright and juicy aromatics with big cherry, black cherry, currant, dried edible flowers, toasty oak, blackberry and a hints of dark chocolate and espresso
Feel – Smooth, cool and wet up-front, then the wine gets bright on the palate with an explosion of tender flavors and delicate tannins
Taste – Incredibly delicious and bright with flavors of sweet cherry, currant, blackberry, oak and gourmet fruit jam
Finish – Long and lingering with flavors that change and move after you swallow, leaving behind a very slight dryness and mouth-watering flavors and soft tannins
Conclusion – Like all of the Raymond Burr I have tried so far, this wine shows the care and expertise and stellar fruit that make Burr wines so wonderful. Their 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon is taking awards and getting a great deal of attention and its no wonder; This wine is perfectly balanced with layered flavors, deep aromas, a bright mouth-feel and a finish that makes to keep sipping! Drink now or hold for a couple of years. Heck, do both!
Now that we are great friends with the folks at Raymond Burr Vineyards, additional surveillance or infiltration is not necessary. Now that they have been recruited into The Wine Spies Network, they contact us through back-channels when they have a special allocation of our Operatives..
No new mission report today, so please read below for a recap of our initial mission to Raymond Burr Vineyards.
Please note that we enjoyed today’s featured Cabernet Sauvignon even more than the Cabernet Franc that we featured previously
Prior Mission Recap:
Ask anyone to describe Raymond Burr in a single word and, resoundingly, you will likely hear, Classy.
The veteran actor, for whom today’s winery was honorarily named, was also a cultivator of orchids, a war hero, a philanthropist and more. Most of all, he was cherished and loved by his close friends, who say that his warmth, humor and compassion made him a remarkable man.
When I was given the mission – finally – to seek out a new Cabernet Franc, I riffled through my mental Rolodex and recalled hearing great things about a Cab Franc from Raymond Burr Winery. In fact, it was in the most unusual way that I had come to hear of the wine in the first place.
On returning from a mission to Latin America, our flight got in to Miami too late to make our connecting flight back to California. the airline put us up in a swanky hotel and the next morning we found ourselves in a shuttle back to the Airport. I struck up a conversation with