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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 Domaine Patrick Baudouin.

INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY SELECTION ALERT!

We scour the globe to bring you an exceptional International wine selection – from the finest wineries in the world

Savings Alert!

Clever Operatives will receive FREE Ground Shipping on 6 bottles or more – when they enter this coupon code at checkout: FRENCHSPY (discount will be shown before you complete your order)

Mission Codename: The Devil is in the… wine!

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Our Operatives love great Cabernet Franc. Return to France for the perfect Cabernet Franc and secure an ample quantity for our new International Sunday Selection program

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Anjou Villages – Domaine Patrick Boudouin

Wine Subject: 2003 Cabernet Franc

Winemaker: Patrick Boudouin

Backgrounder:

Cabernet Franc is one of Agent Red’s favorite red varietals. Perhaps this is because its flavors are often rich, layered, complex and elegant. Or, perhaps he loves Cabernet Franc so much because it pairs so exceptionally with many different foods.

One of the most notable things about Cabernet Franc is the fact that finding excellent examples can be very difficult. On a recent extended mission, Agent Red tasted a broad selection of a Cabernet Franc wines. He returned with 5 exceptional Cabernet Francs and subjected them to an extended evaluation. Here he presents his favorite.

We are also very pleased to welcome back Agent K, one of our guest Sommelier reviewers. From time to time, Agent K contributes to our reviews by her lending us her sophisticated palate and love of wine. We extend our special thanks to Agent K, whose comments can be seen below.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep, dark garnet, bordering on purple with thick, medium fast legs that glisten down the glass

Smell – Complex and earthy. Stemmy with mild barnyard, clean compost, mulch and stone

Feel – Initially wet, then dry with medium weight and grippy all-over-mouth tannins

Taste – Deeply layered, mouth coating flavors of dark fruit, moss, truffle, leather and cranberry

Finish – Smooth, with the majority of flavors that fall off quickly, leaving behind a pleasing horsey raspberry and pleasant dryness

Conclusion – One must try an authentic French Cabernet Franc if one is to understand the range, depth and complexity that is possible with this outstanding varietal. This particular Cabernet Franc exudes complexity, character and old-world charm. Not as fruity as its wonderful American counterparts, don’t let some of the descriptions above fool you. This wine is very good, and it has American-palate-pleasing fruit, which carries it along nicely.

Agent K, Sommelier, says:

”Undergrowth and barnyard drive this wine with hints of raspberry and leather. The palate is supple and mouth-coating, balanced and smooth with cranberry and gooseberry, vanilla and mushrooms.”

Mission Brief:

Frances Loire Valley is the region most famous for turning out great Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Franc is particularly suited to the middle region of the Loire Valley where Patrick’s wines come from.

Patrick Bodouin is quite a colorful character and I suspect that the devil that graces his Anjou Villages label is his alter-ego. He grew up in the Layon region of the Loire Valley but left to find his fortune in Paris where he toiled as a laborer and then as a librarian. He eventually gave up that noble profession to return to the Loire and the vineyards of his grandparents. As a winemaker (and as Parker points out), Patrick is passionate about “natural” winemaking. This term for him refers to exhorting the vines to give their best in the vineyard so that intervention in the winery is minimal and the resulting wines “natural.”

This wine is a wonderful example; a Cabernet Franc that some have called the perfect, authentic and quintessential real French Cab Franc. I agree that, if you love Cab Franc, this is certainly one to try. As the only imported Cabernet Franc to make it into my Top 5, it gets my heartiest recommendation.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Loire Valley where this exceptional wine was born can be seen in this satellite photo.

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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 Cima Collina.

SECRET SATURDAY SAVINGS ALERT!: Pssst. You want Free Ground Shipping on today’s superior selection? Just order 6 bottles or more and enter coupon code PINOTSPY at checkout!

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT! We don’t oft do repeats. When we do, you can be assured that its only because it is a wine that we love very much. Today’s wine is a beautifully bright and delicious Pinot Noir from Monterey County.

Mission Codename: The best and the brightest

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Cima Collina to uncover the truth about their 2006 Pinot Noir. Our assets report that the wine is among the best Pinot Noir they have tasted. If true, secure an ample allocation for our Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Cima Collina

Wine Subject: 2006 Monterey County Pinot Noir

Winemakers: Annette Hoff

Backgrounder: The first time we featured a Pinot Noir from Cima Collina, Agent Red had a difficult time infiltrating the winery. It was worth the effort, though, because now Cima Collina is a fully vetted Wine Spies winery and our Operatives can count on being privy to their best releases. Today’s Monterey County Pinot Noir is among the finest we have had the please to taste and we recommend to our Pinot-loving Operatives that they scoop up this limited-availability wine – before we run out.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep and perfect ruby-red with great clarity, a springy bounce and thin, widely-spaced legs that run down the glass at varied speeds

Smell – Richly layered and warm, with deep fruits of cherry, mild forest floor, fresh earthen spices and toasty oak

Feel – Cool, light and round, this wine speeds its was across the front palate and then grips first at the front of the tongue, where a slight warmth and dryness makes its way to the back of the mouth.

Taste – Sweet, fresh, bright and slightly tart with flavors of bing cherry, pomegranate, plum, cedar and mild forest floor

Finish – Long, lush and lingering, the flavors and feelings that this wine leaves behind develop and change over time, making it a wine to sip lovingly while take the time to appreciate its subtle nuances

Conclusion – Pure pleasure, this wine is everything you could wish for in a Monterey Pinot Noir. Attribute its great aromas, feel and flavors to the meticulous labor that went into making this wine. With daily attention to its progress, this wine was tended with care by winemaker Annette Hoff, who virtually lived with the grapes post-harvest to ensure the proper extraction on flavors and color. Annette’s attention to the grapes, coupled with her winemaking ability and her brilliance in selecting and sorting the fruit that went into this wine, all combine to deliver a wine that is exceptionally flavorful, fun to drink and even better to share over a great meal with friends and loved-ones.

Mission Report:

Now that Cima Collina is a fully vetted winery, The Wine Spies are privy to their wines. When intel reports began flooding in about today’s wine, we only needed to ask Cima Collina for a private tasting.

To see how our relationship with Cima Collina began, what follows is our original mission report:

For more than a month, Agent Red had tried and failed to bring us a Cima Collina wine. Wine Spies HQ gave him one final chance to land this exceptional Monterey County Pinot Noir from fabled lady winemaker Annette Hoff. Read the mission report below to see how he finally managed to snare this great wine!

Not every mission goes as smoothly as I would like them to. While this particular mission did not go horribly awry, it did take me an awfully long time to complete.

I first learned of Cima Collina wines from an Asset of mine, a private informant that has alerted me to more than a few great Monterey-area wines. This Asset, we’ll call him ‘_Monte_’, sent me an alert on my SpyComm device and told me to rush to try what he called Cima Collina’s ‘perfect pinot’. Included in the alert was all of the intel he had gathered on the wine, the winemaker, the vineyard and the winery. Everything sounded impressive and I trusted Monte’s judgment, so I headed to their tasting room in the village of Carmel-by-the-sea, a few miles south of Monterey.

While I pride myself on a good sense of direction, Carmel initially proved a difficult place for me. The town uses no street addresses! Instead, people navigate their way around by heading to ‘addresses’ such as: “_The West side of San Carlos, between Ocean and 7th, in the Paseo Courtyard, behind Kocek Jewelers_”, which happens to be the Cima Collina tasting room. Well, after a few mis-turns, I finally found the tasting room, which also houses a lovely gallery where the works of local artist are on display. On tasting the wine, I was immediately impressed and knew that I should procure an allotment for our Operatives. I got the business card of the manager of the winery, and was on my way.

Rather than place the winery under further surveillance, I decided to take a more direct approach and simply ask for the wine. Sounds simple, right? Well, after extended rounds of phone-tag, I decided to visit Cima Collina at a then-upcoming tasting event in downtown Monterey. There were many wineries at this particular event and when I found the Cima Collina table, it was mobbed. After fighting my way to the front, I introduced myself to the Winemaker and explained my plight. She was sympathetic and told me to keep trying. She explained that her wines were very popular and that they had been inundated with purchase requests. So, I kept trying. And kept missing. Then at another wine event, I met the hard-to-pin-down manager himself. Because he was so busy at the event, he asked me to keep trying him.

More of the same ensued and then, finally, just yesterday we actually spoke on the phone – and we simply and jovially arranged to secure some of this fabulous Pinot Noir for our Operatives. Busy wineries don’t get that way without a reason. A busy winery is usually a sign that something special is going on. In the case of Cima Collina, it was all about their fantastic Pinot Noir, and this one is my favorites!

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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.

SUMMER REFRESHER ALERT!

We declare this bright, delicious and fresh Estate Chardonnay to be the perfect summertime refreshment!

Savings Alert!

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)

Mission Codename: Life in the Underground

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.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

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.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Fritz Winry Estate Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

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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.

SUMMER REFRESHER ALERT!

We declare this bright, delicious and fresh Estate Chardonnay to be the perfect summertime refreshment!

Savings Alert!

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)

Mission Codename: Life in the Underground

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.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

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.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Fritz Winry Estate Vineyards, where today’s Cabernet Sauvignon was born and crafted, can be seen in this satellite photo.

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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 Ceja Vineyards.

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!

We spies love this wine SO much that we begged Ceja to allow us to bring you a final secret allocation. They readily agreed. This is the perfect summertime red. Don’t let the low price fool you, this is a killer wine!

SAVINGS ALERT!

Smart Spies stock up on great wines. We’ll help you by offering you Free Ground Shipping when you buy 12 or more bottles today. Just enter coupon code: SPYROJO at checkout.

Mission Codename: Misconceptions… Destroyed

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Locate an incredible Red table wine in time for the holidays and secure a good quantity for our Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Ceja Wine

Wine Subject: 2005 Vino de Casa (Red blend)

Winemakers: Armando Ceja

Backgrounder:

When The Wine Spies learned of an incredible red blend that was made from an original blending of half Pinot Noir and half Syrah, Agent Red was immediately dispatched to investigate. What he found was an very unique wine of amazing balance, flavor and character. Read his mission report below for the full details on this incredible wine.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Perfectly clear ruby red with sparkling pink at the edges with long, tightly-spaced legs

Smell – Beautifully aromatic red fruit, cherry, plum with a Pinot Noir-ish gunpowder note and a pleasant hint of earthy undergrowth

Feel – Wet, cool and smooth in the mouth balanced by big tannins

Taste – UNIQUE TASTE ALERT! This wine presents juicy yet classic flavors of Pinot Noir and Syrah – in almost equal proportion. With layered flavors that compliment each other rather than compete, this wine is an exciting wine to drink. Cherry, candy apple and plum with subtle cocoa and toasted vanilla round out this balanced and flavorful delight

Finish – Long, dry and chalky – a more classic Syrah finish with lingering flavors and a slight pucker that begs you to enjoy your next sip

Conclusion – When I bluster about a wine, know this: I MEAN IT. This is a fantastic wine, regardless of the price. This wine is a deal at the regular retail price of $20 and an outright STEAL at The Wine Spies price of $16. If you are looking for a stock-up-for-the-holidays ‘budget’ wine, swing that mouse pointer to the ORDER THIS WINE NOW button, well, NOW. Sign me up for at least a case.

Guest Sommelier Agent K contributes her thoughts on this wine:

”Earthy notes of wet undergrowth, strawberry and grape with hints of rose petals. The palate brings red cherry, chalk and pepper.”

Mission Report:

between missions I was enjoying some downtime at my favorite Napa wine lounge, when an urgent dispatch came through on my Wine Spy handheld. Central Command had received a flurry urgent inquiries for a GREAT red wine – for less than $20.

“Leave your misconceptions behind”, was the clear directive. “Find us a wine that drinks well above its price, and find it TODAY!”

I had just one problem: I was hungry!

I asked the owner of the lounge where I could pick up great Mexican food. Before he could answer, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning as I reached instinctively for my corkscrew I saw young man with a flashing smile.

“Like Tacos?” he asked.

“Uhh. Yeah. Love ‘em,” I replied.

“And great wine, too?”

“Who doesn’t?” I said.

“Follow me,” he said.

After a short car ride later we turned into the driveway for Ceja Vineyards, a winery that I had heard only great things about.

Stepping out of the car, the aromas hit me. Spices, beans, grilled meat and… red wine.

The young man, who introduced himself as Ariel Ceja, led me into a small outbuilding adjacent to the tasting room. Inside was smiling woman who hugged me as I entered. Ariel introduced me to his grandmother and invited me to sit down. Inside this room, the aromas were intoxicating.

Ariel handed me a glass of red wine, explaining that this was their family’s house wine. A deep sniff, a swirl and a taste was all it took for me to fall in love with their wine. The tacos were incredible as well and we laughed and shared stories until suddenly, remembering my mission, I became sullen.

“What’s the matter?” they asked.

“I forgot,” I replied “I was supposed to find a great red wine.”

“You did!” they said.

“For $20 or less! Do you have any less expensive wines? This one is too good.”

They laughed and laughed. When they stopped laughing, Grandma pulled me close and whispered, to me:

“Our Vino de Casa is a $20 wine!”

More laughter….

Postscript: After filing my report with Central Command, I spent the balance of the day with the Ceja family, eating, drinking, roaming their vineyards. It was hard to leave at the end of the day, but at least I left with a feeling that this day had been among my luckiest – and most rewarding – as a Wine Spy. I got to spend time with great people and enjoy their hospitality. I also learned a valuable lesson that great wines can be found for less than $20!.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Ceja vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

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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.

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!

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…

SECRET SAVINGS ALERT!

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.

Mission Codename: Music to our lips Redux

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.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

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.

Mission Report:

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!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Judd’s Hill winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

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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 Humanitas Wines.

WINE GIVES ALERT!: Today’s wine is presented by Wine Gives and a portion of the proceeds from today’s sale will fight hunger and provide affordable housing for those in need. If you were invited to this wine event by a charitable cause, please be sure to use the special promotional code that they provided to you. Wine Gives takes no fees and 100% of all procceds raised go straight to the charity. Everybody wins – when Wine Gives.

Please tell your friends about today’s sale.

EXCLUSIVE WINE ALERT!: Today’s superb wine is available here before it becomes available anywhere else! Take advantage of this special offer now – before the rest of our operatives snap it all up…

SAVINGS ALERT!: This wine is being offered to you at 20% below the winery’s retail price, smart Operatives that buy six or more bottles today will also receive free ground shipping with coupon code: PINOTSPY (note: If you received another coupon code, please use that to ensure that your charitable contribution will be made.)

Mission Codename: Wine for the Greater Good

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Satisfy our Operatives thirst for great Pinot Noir while also satisfying their urge to support important social causes – and drink charitably

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Humanitas Wines

Wine Subject: 2006 Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Patrick Mahaney

Winemaster: Judd Wallenbrock

Backgrounder: When The Wine Spies was founded more than a year ago, founding Agents White and Red extended their personal commitment to social responsibility to the organization itself. In early 2008 Agent Red and Agent White founded an organization called Wine Gives, which brings together wineries and other wine retailers to support important causes. To date, numerous causes have received financial support from the efforts of all involved in Wine Gives fundraising programs. When Wine Gives got the call from Humanitas Wines owner, Judd Wallenbrock, The Wine Spies were fast to respond. Judd had been a respected icon and a hero of The Wine Spies since learning of his commitment to ”finding solutions to three very primary issues: hunger, affordable housing and illiteracy”. This weekend Humanitas Wines and The Wine Spies are proud to present the perfect pairing: Humanitas’ Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir and YOU.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Ruby red with perfect clarity, to violet at its heart. This wine possesses a super bouncy surface that quickly settles quickly to perfectly still when swirled, leaving behind chubby and tightly-spaced legs that crawl down the glass

Smell – Richly aromatic with a rich nose of smoky blackberry, raspberry, sweet cherry, fresh earthen anise, spice, smoked meats and a beautiful flinty gunpowder that tells us that we’ll love this Pinot Noir

Feel – Silky and very round up-front, the wine is rich, thick and slightly warming with a unique combination of soft creaminess and soft, structured tannins

Taste – Delicious and bright, with layers of soft spice and fruit of deep cherry, smoky raspberry and blueberry with mild sage, mildest flint and soft cedar

Finish – This wine has a great finish that starts big, with a slight tartness and fruit – but then, interestingly, gets bigger, presenting elevating mid-palate smoky flavors – before ending delicate, elegant and slightly dry

Conclusion – Today’s wine makes us feel good – on multiple levels! Humanitas’ Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir is deep and delicious and satisfying to the senses, but also to the soul. Drinking a wine whose purpose it is drive positive social change is an experience that extends beyond the visceral experience of the drinking of the wine. It also happens that the wine itself is fantastic. The Gap’s Crown vineyard in the Petaluma Gap in southern Sonoma County has built fruit that expresses a truely unique character. Certainly this is a high quality California Pinot Noir, but there is something in this wine that is also pleasingly unfamiliar. Perhaps we are so used to this wines great Pinot Cousins from neighboring Carneros and other points in Napa and Sonoma, that this wine stands out as unique. Perhaps this is an expression or an example of what the French call Terrior. Whatever the case, we just love the wine!

Mission Report:

Welcome, Reader. In this space, we usually write a fun-to-read description of how we came to know the winery that we are featuring. Fraught with peril, intrigue, drama and humor, these mission reports are intended to inform, entertain and, always tell you as mush as we can about the wine, the winemaker and the vineyards. Today we simply wanted to share with you this open letter to Judd Wallenbrock, owner of Humanitas Wines.

Hi Judd,

Thanks for putting your wine where your mouth is! Or, for putting it where other peoples mouths are – as a way to help those in need.

You have our admiration and deepest respect for your efforts to make the world a better place and we can’t think of a better way, than through the enjoyment of a fine wine.

Not to toot our own horns overly, but your belief in social responsibility mirrors our own. You do a great job of taking action and effecting change.

We’re proud, today, to be a part of your mission and you have our thanks for allowing us to bring your Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir to our Operatives before it is available anywhere else!

Speaking of your new Pinot, its exceptional, and one that we are certain our Operatives will fall in love with. We appreciate the sense of terrior (the mystical French terms for a wines expression of place) that the wine conveys and think that the Gap’s Crown region produces a very distinctive and very delicious Pinot Noir!

Keep up the great work, Judd, and the great wine. You’ve made fans of The Wine Spies. Both of your wines, and your spirit!

The Wine Spies

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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 Humanitas Wines.

WINE GIVES ALERT!: Today’s wine is presented by Wine Gives and a portion of the proceeds from today’s sale will fight hunger and provide affordable housing for those in need. If you were invited to this wine event by a charitable cause, please be sure to use the special promotional code that they provided to you. Wine Gives takes no fees and 100% of all procceds raised go straight to the charity. Everybody wins – when Wine Gives.

EXCLUSIVE WINE ALERT!: Today’s superb wine is available here before it becomes available anywhere else! Take advantage of this special offer now – before the rest of our operatives snap it all up…

SAVINGS ALERT!: This wine is being offered to you at 20% below the winery’s retail price, smart Operatives that buy six or more bottles today will also receive free ground shipping with coupon code: PINOTSPY (note: If you received another coupon code, please use that to ensure that your charitable contribution will be made.)

Mission Codename: Wine for the Greater Good

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Satisfy our Operatives thirst for great Pinot Noir while also satisfying their urge to support important social causes – and drink charitably

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Humanitas Wines

Wine Subject: 2006 Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Patrick Mahaney

Winemaster: Judd Wallenbrock

Backgrounder: When The Wine Spies was founded more than a year ago, founding Agents White and Red extended their personal commitment to social responsibility to the organization itself. In early 2008 Agent Red and Agent White founded an organization called Wine Gives, which brings together wineries and other wine retailers to support important causes. To date, numerous causes have received financial support from the efforts of all involved in Wine Gives fundraising programs. When Wine Gives got the call from Humanitas Wines owner, Judd Wallenbrock, The Wine Spies were fast to respond. Judd had been a respected icon and a hero of The Wine Spies since learning of his commitment to ”finding solutions to three very primary issues: hunger, affordable housing and illiteracy”. This weekend Humanitas Wines and The Wine Spies are proud to present the perfect pairing: Humanitas’ Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir and YOU.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Ruby red with perfect clarity, to violet at its heart. This wine possesses a super bouncy surface that quickly settles quickly to perfectly still when swirled, leaving behind chubby and tightly-spaced legs that crawl down the glass

Smell – Richly aromatic with a rich nose of smoky blackberry, raspberry, sweet cherry, fresh earthen anise, spice, smoked meats and a beautiful flinty gunpowder that tells us that we’ll love this Pinot Noir

Feel – Silky and very round up-front, the wine is rich, thick and slightly warming with a unique combination of soft creaminess and soft, structured tannins

Taste – Delicious and bright, with layers of soft spice and fruit of deep cherry, smoky raspberry and blueberry with mild sage, mildest flint and soft cedar

Finish – This wine has a great finish that starts big, with a slight tartness and fruit – but then, interestingly, gets bigger, presenting elevating mid-palate smoky flavors – before ending delicate, elegant and slightly dry

Conclusion – Today’s wine makes us feel good – on multiple levels! Humanitas’ Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir is deep and delicious and satisfying to the senses, but also to the soul. Drinking a wine whose purpose it is drive positive social change is an experience that extends beyond the visceral experience of the drinking of the wine. It also happens that the wine itself is fantastic. The Gap’s Crown vineyard in the Petaluma Gap in southern Sonoma County has built fruit that expresses a truely unique character. Certainly this is a high quality California Pinot Noir, but there is something in this wine that is also pleasingly unfamiliar. Perhaps we are so used to this wines great Pinot Cousins from neighboring Carneros and other points in Napa and Sonoma, that this wine stands out as unique. Perhaps this is an expression or an example of what the French call Terrior. Whatever the case, we just love the wine!

Mission Report:

Welcome, Reader. In this space, we usually write a fun-to-read description of how we came to know the winery that we are featuring. Fraught with peril, intrigue, drama and humor, these mission reports are intended to inform, entertain and, always tell you as mush as we can about the wine, the winemaker and the vineyards. Today we simply wanted to share with you this open letter to Judd Wallenbrock, owner of Humanitas Wines.

Hi Judd,

Thanks for putting your wine where your mouth is! Or, for putting it where other peoples mouths are – as a way to help those in need.

You have our admiration and deepest respect for your efforts to make the world a better place and we can’t think of a better way, than through the enjoyment of a fine wine.

Not to toot our own horns overly, but your belief in social responsibility mirrors our own. You do a great job of taking action and effecting change.

We’re proud, today, to be a part of your mission and you have our thanks for allowing us to bring your Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir to our Operatives before it is available anywhere else!

Speaking of your new Pinot, its exceptional, and one that we are certain our Operatives will fall in love with. We appreciate the sense of terrior (the mystical French terms for a wines expression of place) that the wine conveys and think that the Gap’s Crown region produces a very distinctive and very delicious Pinot Noir!

Keep up the great work, Judd, and the great wine. You’ve made fans of The Wine Spies. Both of your wines, and your spirit!

The Wine Spies

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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 Mayo Family Winery.

END OF AVAILABILITY ALERT!: Our new friends at Mayo Family Winery were gracious enough to let us capture their remaining cases of today’s excellent wine. THANK YOU, MAYO!

SAVINGS ALERT!: If you are lucky enough to grab 6 or more bottles of this great wine before we sell out, use coupon code SUPERSONOMA and we’ll give you Free Ground Shipping

EXCEPTIONAL WINE ALERT!: Today’s Petite Sirah is really fantastic. We only wish there was more of it available…

Mission Codename: Make mine with extra Mayo

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Secure a stellar Petite Sirah for our thirsty Operatives, who have been clamoring for the perfect Petite

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Mayo Family Winery

Wine Subject: 2005 Reserve Petite Sirah

Winemaker: Michel Berthoud

Winemaker intel brief: Long-term Wine Spies Operatives know this, but newer Operatives should know that Michel Berthoud was formerly the winemaker for Arrowood Winery. A few months ago we featured an Arrowood wine here.

Backgrounder: Requests for a killer Petite Sirah have been flooding in from all over the Spy-o-sphere so we set Agent Red loose on an urgent mission to find the perfect Sonoma County Petite.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep purple with an inky heart, a tight and glossy surface, concentrated color right out to the wines dark edges and tightly-spaced legs

Smell – Rich and deep with big and beautiful hits of dark stonefruit, blackberry, smoked bacon, casis with fresh pepper and the lightest fresh salad herbs

Feel – Round and cool up front, the wine quickly grips in with balanced tanins that go to work, coating your mouth and drying slightly on the tongue and the roof of the mouth

Taste – Deeply layered and highly concentrated flavors of ripe black plum, jammy roasted blackberry and blueberry, dark cherry and sweetwoods

Finish – Long and flavorful and delicious with tastes that go on and on and on…

Conclusion – Petite Sirah is something of a rarity in California, with less than 3500 acres planted. Getting a great Petite seems like even more of a rarity, so when I had the great fortune to come across this particular Petite, I was very happy. Winemaker Michel Berthoud has crafted a masterpiece with with this rich and delicious wine! This Petite is a ready-to-drink gem that is deep with luscious flavors and naturally fresh aromas. The tannins are fairly solid and strong and I declare it to be a ready-to-drink wine that will give you great pleasure. Cellar it, if you have the patience, to see the wine develop as it matures. I tried this wine right out of the bottle, and again after it was decanted for several hours; what a difference. The decanted wine becomes far softer, sweeter and way more enjoyable. I enjoyed this wine at Mayo Family’s Reserve Room with Creole-Molasses Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine-Blackberry salsa, from Mayo chef Billy Oliver. See my mission report and the promise of the recipe below!

Mission Report:

I love you, Jeffrey Mayo! Thank you for ”tricking” me into into experiencing the wonder and deliciousness of your Mayo Family Reserve Room.

It began like this: On the recommendation, no, the insistence of a few dedicated Wine Spies Operatives, I made an appointment to visit with Jeffrey Mayo, who runs the winery. Appointment secured, I conducted my usual thorough background investigation. What I learned was impressive; The Mayo family, their winemaker and their wines were all very well respected. I looked forward to my meeting with Jeffrey, and the simple tasting that would accompany the meet.

I arrived on time at the winery’s Reserve Room, a unique place where wine lovers can enjoy a flight of Mayo Family Reserve wines along with food pairings created by resident Chef Billy Oliver. I assumed that Jeffrey had me meet him at the Reserve Room because it was convenient to his schedule. Instead, I found that he had planned a subtle subterfuge.

Jeffrey welcomed me when I arrived and immediately asked me if I wanted to experience the wine and food pairing that they were famous for. I politely declined, citing a recent lunch, but then Jeffrey told me that he had a ‘small wine emergency’ to attend to. He was apologetic and he assured me that he would be back after about 30 minutes, the perfect amount of time to enjoy the complete tasting. I accepted, knowing that it would, at the very least, be an interesting experience. Instead of interesting, however, it turned out to be incredible.

Firstly, the Chef Billy Oliver and the rest of the Reserve Rooms staff were all great – and they made me feel right at home.

Glasses lined up, four wines were poured. Then a beautifully presented plate of food samples arrived! I was given ample time to explore each Mayo Family Reserve wine before tasting its accompanying paired food. We tasted through the whites first and then came to today’s 2005 Reserve Petite Sirah, which was paired with a Creole-Molasses Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine-Blackberry Salsa. Firstly, the wine was exquisite! Big and bold and rich and layered with aromas and flavors, I wondered what the pairing would be like. I nearly fell out of my chair as bit into Chef Billy’s concoction! Delicious does not even begin to describe it. This was a pairing to die for.

(Don’t worry, we’ll include the recipe with your order!)

The rest of the pairing exercise was rife with much ‘ooohing’ and ‘ahhing’ and not just from me. A local innkeeper came in to enjoy the pairing as well. She’ll be insisting that her guests pay the Mayo Family Reserve Room a visit when enjoying their stay in her Sonoma County inn.

At the end of the pairing, I was well sated and very happy that I had indulged. Jeffrey returned and I could tell by the smile on his face that his mission was accomplished.

We chatted for a while and, right then and there, he agreed to allow our Operatives the opportunity to purchase all of his remaining 2005 Reserve Petite Sirah, as it was clearly my favorite of the afternoon.

Thanks, Jeff! I’m certain that our Operatives will love the wine, too.

Wine Spies Winery Check:

The Mayo Reserve Room, where Agent Red had his exquisite tasting adventure, can be seen in this satellite photo.

The Mayo Family winery main tasting room can be seen in this satellite photo.

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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 Adobe Road Winery.

SUPER SONOMA WINERY ALERT!: Some of the best wines in the world are made right here in Sonoma County. We frequently feature great Sonoma wines so be sure to check back every Tuesday, when we always feature one great Sonoma County winery.

SAVINGS ALERT!: Today’s wine is 25% off of regualr retail price, but clever Operatives will also enjoy Free Ground Shipping on 6 or more bottles, when they enter Coupon Code: SONOMASPY at checkout

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!: Today’s multi medal winning wine is a superb and delicious Syrah, in the Classic California Style

LIBRARY WINE ALERT!: We were lucky to get our hands on this wine, before the winery runs out completely. Today’s allocation is extremely limited, so please act early.

Mission Codename: Checkered Flag

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Spend another day at the track with wine producer and Porsche racing legend Kevin Buckler to find why his wines, like the cars he races, are legendary

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Adobe Road

Wine Subject: 2003 Syrah, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma

Winemaker: Franc Dusak

Backgrounder: Our regular Operatives will recall the success of our most recent mission to Adobe Road Winery. We loved their wines so much that we sent Agent Red back to secure another allotment of wine. This time he returns with their 2003 Syrah, giving the wine the winning checkered flag!

Below his tasting profile for this wine, read Agent Red’s original mission report, where he has his first fun encounter with Adobe Road wines.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep burgundy in color black plum heart, a tight surface and thin, fat tight-packed legs that slowly make their way down the glass

Smell – Like other Adobe Road wines we have enjoyed, this one has a rich, dark and dusky quality, with aromatic dark fruits of blackberry jam, deep plum, smoky cherry, plus mild white pepper, licorice, leather, mild oak and a hint cigar box

Feel – Really round and weightless at first, the its wetness is replaced as the wines structured tannins take hold toward the rear of the mouth as the wine coats your cheeks and lips

Taste – Deep and robust, with flavors that mimic the aromas of the wine. Here you will find jammy mixed dark berries, dark cherry, and currant with spice and a great earthiness

Finish – Rich and extracted, leaving behind flavors that run from sweet to slightly tart and then back to sweet as flavors taper slowly

Conclusion – This is another great wine from Adobe Road. Its no wonder that Kevin has generated such a loyal wine following. As with his racing career, Kevin strives for perfection in his wines, and this 5 year old Syrah seems near at peak, making it a superb ready-to-drink wine that might also cellar well for a couple more years.

Mission Report:

(republished from Agent Red’s first encounter with Adobe Road Wines)

I love my missions to France. The wine, the climate and the food all seem to agree with me.

On a recent mission to the French village of Anjou in the Loire Valley (the region in France best known for Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc wines), I was tipped off by a local asset that winery owner and racing legend Kevin Buckler was staying in a hotel neighboring my own.

He was in France for his annual appearance at the world famous auto race, 24 Hours of Le Mans. Kevin and his team drive the incredible Porsche GT3. Kevin is a world-class driver, and he and his team have racked up wins at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona (2002) and the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans (2002), an overall win at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona (2003), and the title of Porsche World Cup Champion in 2002.

Kevin’s winery, Adobe Road, had been under light surveillance for a few months already and Central Command was preparing to send an Agent to investigate – but I got my own once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet Kevin in his racing element, and Central Command approved my impromptu mission and I extended my stay in France.

I am enough of a Porsche fan to have my own sights set on a 2008 Cayman S. Since I had the brochure with me on my travels I used it as a prop, taking it with me to the hotel restaurant where Kevin and his team were having dinner. Having made friends with the Maître ‘D earlier (I buttered him up with a bottle of Patrick Bodouin Anjou Villages Cabernet Franc ), I was seated next to their table.

I sat down and positioned the Cayman brochure so that it would be seen by Kevin or his crew. Then I ordered a bottle of great wine and waited. They took the bait and one of the guys at the table leaned over and said to me, “Hey, Buddy. That’s a nice car, but why not spring for a real Porsche and get a GT3?”

Now, I knew that the monster GT3 was their car, but I replied, “I leave that car to the professionals. It’s better suited to the racetrack, if you ask me.”

That opened up a great conversation about Porsches and about wine that went late into the night. Kevin waxed poetic about both and I enjoyed his passion on these two great subjects. As the evening was ending, Kevin’s crew chief invited me to visit pit row for a brief tour of their on-track operations. I jumped at the chance and enjoyed every second of it. At the end of the tour, I asked if I could ride along during a check-ride… and was nearly laughed off the track.

Once the crew chief wiped the tears from his eyes, he became very serious. He quickly escorted me away from the pit row, handed me a few bottles of Adobe Road wine, and pushed me toward the security exit. Oh, well. At least I tried. And, at least I walked away with an arm full of Kevin’s excellent wine.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

A spy photo, taken from the edge of today’s vineyard can be seenhere.

The location the Rolex 24 at Daytona at the Daytona Speedway can be seen in this satellite photo.

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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 Cru Wines.

SHORT QUANTITY ALERT!: Today’s wine is scarce and we got our hands on the last few cases! If we run out today, we’ll put another wine on sale immediately, so please be sure to check back in throughout the day.

SAVINGS ALERT!: If you are lucky enough to grab 6 or more bottles of this great wine before we sell out, use coupon code SPYNOW and we’ll give you Free Ground Shipping

Mission Codename: Runaway Chardonnay

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Seek Out a Monterey County Chardonnay

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Cru Wines

Wine Subject: 2006 Redding Ranch Chardonnay

Winemaker: Michael Levin

Backgrounder:

Widely considered the greatest of all the dry non-aromatic white grape varietals, Chardonnay is widely grown throughout the globe. Chardonnay is perhaps most famous as a primary grape of the sparkling classics from Champagne as well as white Burgundies, Chardonnay is far and wide one of the most popular white varietals in California with over 100,000 acres planted representing nearly half of all the white grapes grown.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Golden straw-yellow in color with pale edges, excellent clarity and a slightly viscous texture when swirled revealing long thin legs.

Smell – This wine exhibits a balanced nose of oak, tart pineapple and citrus and creamy yeast. As this wine opens up, components of honey and toasted nuts also emerges.

Feel – Smooth, creamy and viscous showing its malolactic fermentation along with a distinct glycerin feel.

Taste – This wine exhibits layers of green and tropical fruit, very mild oak components and a hint of spice at the back of the palate. Very subtle nutty and buttery flavor components also emerge as the wine opens up.

Finish – This Chardonnay finishes clean and smooth with a buttery flavors and hints of citrus and other tart fruits.

Conclusion – Cru Wine’s Chardonnay is a very pleasant wine to drink and is not your typical overly oaky or butter-ball Chardonnay. Well balanced bouquet, a lovely mouth feel, layers of fruit, oak and spice with a clean smooth finish.

Mission Report:

It was a beautiful day and I was enjoying my morning espresso. I was sitting in an open air cafe, nestled among
apple trees, and I was just waking up. Suddenly, a loud voice shakes me further awake.

“S’up, yo?! What brings the Secret Agent Man to the S.L.H?!”

I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. One of my newest assets, Codename: “Dawg”, had proven to be very useful at obtaining information for me, but he wasn’t the most subtle informant in the world.

Patiently and as quietly as possible, I said to him, “Good morning, Dawg. Lower your voice and sit.”

The joke was lost on him, but, obediently, he sat.

“Yo, Red, check it. Me and my crew, we just found you a killer new release, yo. Its a Pinot, direct from the S.L.H.. I know how much you dig those, yo. And check this, the name of the winery is CRU. That name is off the hook, yo.”

Usually my patience with Dawg is bolstered by the knowledge that he delivers great intel. Today, I was not in the mood.

“Listen, Dawg…. Duane. You are 42 years old. You are a chemical engineer. You have 2 PhDs, 3 kids, a loving wife and your crew consists of your wine buddies from work. For goodness sake, you drive a minivan, Duane. How about we lay off the schtick for today.”

Visibly dejected, Dawg took off his hip hop sunglasses, removed his faux-diamond encrusted grill and slumped into his chair.

“Awww, geez, red… Why do you have to ruin my cover like that?”

Calmly, I replied, “Sorry, Dawg. Its been a rough week. What do you have for me, something great?”

He perked up.

“Yeah, Red. Listen, I have a friend that works at CRU winery. I trust the guy implicitly and, heck, I am a member of the CRU wine club so I know they make great wine. Anyhow, I managed to get my hands on their newest vintage. You can’t even find this stuff for sale yet. He’s letting us drop the wine on the world early. Heck, we might even be the first to have it.”

Dawg then fell back into his character soon after, but at least he told me which dead-drop to find the wine samples at. I thanked him, tried to do some crazy handshake with him, bade him farewell and rushed to retrieve the wine.

Once back in my safehouse, I let the wine settle for a few days before opening it.

Monterey County, continues to impress and amaze me. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from this region are fantastic and today’s Chard from CRU illustrates this point in perfect detail. Its simply delicious.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Cru Wines (Mariposa Wine Company) tasting room can be seen in this satellite photo.

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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 Ceja Vineyards.

LIBRARY RAID ALERT!: Our good friends at Ceja love our Operatives. For this sale, they dug deep into their personal library, making available the last 10 cases in the world of today’s wine. THANK YOU, CEJA! We are honored!

SAVINGS ALERT!: If you are lucky enough to grab 6 or more bottles of this great wine before we sell out, use coupon code SUPERSONOMA and we’ll give you Free Ground Shipping

EXCEPTIONAL WINE ALERT!: Ceja Wines are among our favorite California wines. Today’s wine is fantastic. We only wish there was more of it available…

Mission Codename: The Final Syrah

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Respond to Top Secret communication from Ceja Vineyards, stating that their final ten cases have been made available, exclusively for our Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Ceja Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2004 Sonoma Coast Syrah

Winemakers: Armando Ceja

Backgrounder: Agent Red and our field Operatives fell in love with Ceja Vineyards Vino de Casa, a Red Blend featured here recently. What made such a big impression on Agent Red was what he described as “a perfect 50/50 flavor profile that, remarkably, evenly layers Pinot Noir and Syrah to give the wine 2 distinctly different flavors – an even balance of the two grape varietals made to create a remarkable red blend”. For todays mission, Agent Red returns to Ceja to taste their Syrah and to determine if this wine, this Sonoma Valley Syrah, is among the best he has tasted in California. Read the full mission briefing below for full details.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Ruby red to burgundy in color with perfect clarity with a deep and darkening heart of garnet, a bouncy surface, concentrated color to the edges fat, tightly-spaced legs

Smell – Dark, rich, juicy and and earthy with beautiful hit of fruit of dark stonefruit, blackberry, cherry, mild raspberry and mild smoked bacon

Feel – Round and slightly cooling at first, then slightly grippy with soft tannins that dry the lips, cheeks and tongue

Taste – This wine presents delicious and juicy Syrah flavors, but with a slight brightness that makes it unique. Here you will find balanced savory and fresh flavors of dark cherry, plum, smoky blackberry, white pepper, leather, rhubarb and cedar

Finish – Long, dry and slightly tart, this delicious leaves behind lingering and mouth watering flavors

Conclusion – Ceja wines always impress me with their drinkability, their spirit and their quality. Today’s wine is no exception. The only negative is that we could only get our hands on ten cases! I can’t complain, though, we are really honored that our friends at Ceja would give us their last ten cases. This exceptional wine is an easy drinker, but it has its sincere side, with deep flavors and rich aromatics. Enjoy now, and if you have the patience, cellar a few bottles for up to seven more years for a different experience.

Mission Report:

Ceja wines are SO good that this is the fourth time we have featured them here. Presented here, for your knowledge, is a re-telling of our first mission to Ceja Winery:

Between missions I was enjoying some downtime at my favorite Napa wine lounge, when an urgent dispatch came through on my Wine Spy handheld. Central Command had received a flurry urgent inquiries for a GREAT red wine – for less than $20.

“Leave your misconceptions behind”, was the clear directive. “Find us a wine that drinks well above its price, and find it TODAY!”

I had just one problem: I was hungry!

I asked the owner of the lounge where I could pick up great Mexican food. Before he could answer, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning as I reached instinctively for my corkscrew I saw young man with a flashing smile.

“Like Tacos?” he asked.

“Uhh. Yeah. Love ‘em,” I replied.

“And great wine, too?”

“Who doesn’t?” I said.

“Follow me,” he said.

After a short car ride later we turned into the driveway for Ceja Vineyards, a winery that I had heard only great things about.

Stepping out of the car, the aromas hit me. Spices, beans, grilled meat and… red wine.

The young man, who introduced himself as Ariel Ceja, led me into a small outbuilding adjacent to the tasting room. Inside was smiling woman who hugged me as I entered. Ariel introduced me to his grandmother and invited me to sit down. Inside this room, the aromas were intoxicating.

Ariel handed me a glass of red wine, explaining that this was their family’s favorite wine. A deep sniff, a swirl and a taste was all it took for me to fall in love with their wine. The tacos were incredible as well and we laughed and shared stories. And more wine.

Postscript: After filing my report with Central Command, I spent the balance of the day with the Ceja family, eating, drinking, roaming their vineyards. It was hard to leave at the end of the day, but at least I left with a feeling that this day had been among my luckiest – and most rewarding – as a Wine Spy. I got to spend time with great people and enjoy their hospitality. And their great wine.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of Ceja’s Adobe Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

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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 Broman Cellars.

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!: Today’s Napa Valley Syrah is among the most unique, deeply robust and delicious examples that we have come across

ALLOCATION ALERT!: With fewer than 300 cases produced, we were only able to get our hands on a small quantity. Be sure to take advantage of this offer – before we run out

SAVINGS ALERT!: Enjoy FREE Ground Shipping with your purchase of 6 or more bottles when you use coupon code: NAPASPY at checkout

Mission Codename: Wine is Life

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Operatives have been clamoring for a great California Syrah, particularly one with good bottle age. In order to keep our Operatives happy, send Agent Red to the Napa Valley to retrieve an excellent Syrah

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Broman Cellars

Wine Subject: 2001 Syrah

Winemaker: Robert Broman

Backgrounder: Robert Broman has been ‘in wine’ for more than 30 years. As winemaker for some of the most prestigious wineries in the world, Robert Broman has perfected his skills, making some of the most precious wines. Today he brings his depth of skill and accomplishment to bear in making his own wines under the aptly named Broman Cellars, where he makes wines of remarkable distinction. Read about Agent Red’s accidental discover of today’s great wine, and his tasting notes and mission report below to and see what makes this Syrah so unique

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep garnet to burgundy with a deep and inky dark heart. The wine also has a pronounced spring to its tight surface and it leaves behind supremely thin and slow-moving legs that crawl slowly down the glass

Smell – Beautifully aromatic with a layers of rich blueberry, blackberry, black currant, dusky earth, leather and smoky meats

Feel – Supple and wet and big up front, then mouth-coating with great soft to medium all-over-mouth tannins that grip the entire tongue, cheeks and roof of the mouth

Taste – Delicious layers of giant flavors, including dark and jammy mixed berry, black cherry, and dark plum with subtle dusted bakers chocolate and soft spice

Finish – Hugely Juicy and rich, mouth-coating, delicious and supple, with soft tannins and flavors that go on and on forever

Conclusion – This delicious, remarkable and intensely flavorful Syrah is unlike any other Napa Syrah we have tasted. This wine imparts intense dark flavors and a richness usually reserved for the almighty Napa Cab, making it a standout wine, even among other brilliant Syrahs. This robust Syrah reminds this spy that the masterful winemaker infuses his or her wines with their own personality. In the case of today’s Robert Broman is written all over it; The wine is big, serious, genuine, hearty, bold and sincere. If you are a lover of great Syrah, and you particularly love BIG Syrah, this is certainly a wine for you. Enjoy!

Mission Report:

Holy WOW, did I score with today’s amazing Syrah. Finding it was an accidental act of possible intuition.

While perusing my local bottle shop (in disguise, of course) I spotted a bottle that practically leapt off the shelf. While I had received intel briefings about Broman Cellars, I had not yet had the occasion to taste their wines. Luckily, the label yelled out to me to take the bottle off of the shelf.

To the eye, the labels on all Broman wines stand out with a distinct dimensionality that no other label possesses. The feel of the label is also unique; The paper used is deeply thick with a soft cloth-like feel. The printing reminds me of the finest engraved printing that one would find on a classy invitation. All combined, these attributes were my personal invitation to purchase the wine – and take it back to the Safe House for tasting and analysis.

I chose the Broman 2001 Syrah as I love wines with some bottle age.

When I opened the wine, a rush of boldly beautiful aromas nearly floored me. I love rich and big-nosed wines. A quick sip told me that this was a wine that needed time in the air to stretch out, so I spent the better part of an hours swirling, sniffing and admiring the wine. When it came time to finally sip, the wine had become more balanced and way more flavorful.

As you know, all of the wines that we bring you are great – but when we come across one that is very special, we issue alerts. It was obvious that I would be issuing a superior Wine Alert for this wine.

I conducted a thorough tasting of the wine and then left it open for a few hours. On my return to the wine for another taste, I was rewarded by even more goodness! Further harmony had found its way into the wine and the fruit really emerged, mellowing out some of the oak that was present at first.

By anyones estimation, Bob Broman is a masterful winemaker. From his careful selection of fruit to his care during crush, fermentation and in the cellar is easily apparent in his wines.

Bob only uses the best Syrah fruit and if a particular year produces fruit that is below his standards for quality, there will be no Broman Syrah for that vintage. Case in point: There was no 2002 Broman Syrah! Thank goodness for this superb 2001.

If you are a lover of GREAT Syrah, this is a sure-win wine!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the legendary Page Nord (where much of the fruit for today’s wine was grown) can be seen in this satellite photo.

Read Full Post »

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 Broman Cellars.

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!: Today’s Napa Valley Syrah is among the most unique, deeply robust and delicious examples that we have come across

ALLOCATION ALERT!: With fewer than 300 cases produced, we were only able to get our hands on a small quantity. Be sure to take advantage of this offer – before we run out

SAVINGS ALERT!: Enjoy FREE Ground Shipping with your purchase of 6 or more bottles when you use coupon code: NAPASPY at checkout

Mission Codename: Wine is Life

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Operatives have been clamoring for a great California Syrah, particularly one with good bottle age. In order to keep our Operatives happy, send Agent Red to the Napa Valley to retrieve an excellent Syrah

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Broman Cellars

Wine Subject: 2001 Syrah

Winemaker: Robert Broman

Backgrounder: Robert Broman has been ‘in wine’ for more than 30 years. As winemaker for some of the most prestigious wineries in the world, Robert Broman has perfected his skills, making some of the most precious wines. Today he brings his depth of skill and accomplishment to bear in making his own wines under the aptly named Broman Cellars, where he makes wines of remarkable distinction. Read about Agent Red’s accidental discover of today’s great wine, and his tasting notes and mission report below to and see what makes this Syrah so unique

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep garnet to burgundy with a deep and inky dark heart. The wine also has a pronounced spring to its tight surface and it leaves behind supremely thin and slow-moving legs that crawl slowly down the glass

Smell – Beautifully aromatic with a layers of rich blueberry, blackberry, black currant, dusky earth, leather and smoky meats

Feel – Supple and wet and big up front, then mouth-coating with great soft to medium all-over-mouth tannins that grip the entire tongue, cheeks and roof of the mouth

Taste – Delicious layers of giant flavors, including dark and jammy mixed berry, black cherry, and dark plum with subtle dusted bakers chocolate and soft spice

Finish – Hugely Juicy and rich, mouth-coating, delicious and supple, with soft tannins and flavors that go on and on forever

Conclusion – This delicious, remarkable and intensely flavorful Syrah is unlike any other Napa Syrah we have tasted. This wine imparts intense dark flavors and a richness usually reserved for the almighty Napa Cab, making it a standout wine, even among other brilliant Syrahs. This robust Syrah reminds this spy that the masterful winemaker infuses his or her wines with their own personality. In the case of today’s Robert Broman is written all over it; The wine is big, serious, genuine, hearty, bold and sincere. If you are a lover of great Syrah, and you particularly love BIG Syrah, this is certainly a wine for you. Enjoy!

Mission Report:

Holy WOW, did I score with today’s amazing Syrah. Finding it was an accidental act of possible intuition.

While perusing my local bottle shop (in disguise, of course) I spotted a bottle that practically leapt off the shelf. While I had received intel briefings about Broman Cellars, I had not yet had the occasion to taste their wines. Luckily, the label yelled out to me to take the bottle off of the shelf.

To the eye, the labels on all Broman wines stand out with a distinct dimensionality that no other label possesses. The feel of the label is also unique; The paper used is deeply thick with a soft cloth-like feel. The printing reminds me of the finest engraved printing that one would find on a classy invitation. All combined, these attributes were my personal invitation to purchase the wine – and take it back to the Safe House for tasting and analysis.

I chose the Broman 2001 Syrah as I love wines with some bottle age.

When I opened the wine, a rush of boldly beautiful aromas nearly floored me. I love rich and big-nosed wines. A quick sip told me that this was a wine that needed time in the air to stretch out, so I spent the better part of an hours swirling, sniffing and admiring the wine. When it came time to finally sip, the wine had become more balanced and way more flavorful.

As you know, all of the wines that we bring you are great – but when we come across one that is very special, we issue alerts. It was obvious that I would be issuing a superior Wine Alert for this wine.

I conducted a thorough tasting of the wine and then left it open for a few hours. On my return to the wine for another taste, I was rewarded by even more goodness! Further harmony had found its way into the wine and the fruit really emerged, mellowing out some of the oak that was present at first.

By anyones estimation, Bob Broman is a masterful winemaker. From his careful selection of fruit to his care during crush, fermentation and in the cellar is easily apparent in his wines.

Bob only uses the best Syrah fruit and if a particular year produces fruit that is below his standards for quality, there will be no Broman Syrah for that vintage. Case in point: There was no 2002 Broman Syrah! Thank goodness for this superb 2001.

If you are a lover of GREAT Syrah, this is a sure-win wine!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the legendary Page Nord (where much of the fruit for today’s wine was grown) can be seen in this satellite photo.

Read Full Post »

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 Schweiger Vineyards.

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!: Today’s Napa Valley Chardonnay is ultra-unique and ultra-delicious. This 100% barrel aged, zero malolactic Chard is a stunner. NO BORING CHARDONNAY here!

ALLOCATION ALERT!: We were only able to get our hands on a small quantity of today’s wine, so please be sure to take advantage – before we run out

SAVINGS ALERT!: Enjoy FREE Ground Shipping with your purchase of 6 or more bottles when you use coupon code: NAPASPY at checkout

Mission Codename: The Bold and the Beautiful

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Send Agent Red, Wine Spies resident red wine expert, on a mission to taste Schweiger’s Chardonnay of legend. If the wine proves superior, and Agent Red is blown away, Agent Red is ordered to procure a secret cache for our Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Schweiger Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2006 Chardonnay

Winemaker: Andrew Schweiger

Backgrounder: Wine Spies Agents are category experts. Agent White investigates white wines, Agent Red, the reds. In order to give our agents a well-rounded view of the wine world, they regularly undergo total immersion cross-training – in which an Agent may review a wine outside of their normal realm. Today we send Agent Red in search of the best Chardonnay that he can find. After exhaustive searching and rigorous tasting, Agent Red finds the perfect Chardonnay. Read his tasting notes and mission report below for full details on this superior wine.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Golden and almost glowing with brilliant highlights, perfect glittering clarity with a bouncy surface and medium legs that march steadily down the glass at widely varying speeds

Smell – Gigantic and powerful with a wonderful, fruity and deeply aromatic nose of pineapple, kiwi, pear, and acacia with tropical tones, wet slate (minerals) and subtle oaky vanilla

Feel – Right at the tip of the tongue, the wine is round and velvety – then something interesting happens which is quite unique: the wine grip at the mid-tongue but then become soft as velvet again at the real palate. Around the edges of the tongue and extending to the cheeks and the roof of the mouth, the wine is slightly dry and grippy. This original blend of feels is really fun and quite pleasing and interesting

Taste – Delicious layers of flavor, with prominent green apple, kiwi, mineral and pineapple, the wine also delivers mild oak, citrus and pear with sweet white flowers

Finish – long, lingering with flavors and soft tannins that fall off gradually, moving from sweet to tart and back to sweet again

Conclusion – This is no ordinary Chardonnay. Rather, what you get in this wine is an extraordinarily big and flavorful Chard that won’t bore you with typical bland and butter-laden fare that you may be used to. Winemaker Andrew Schweiger leverages the powerful fruit from his family’s 2000-foot elevation winery and his own special winemaking techniques to create a distinctive wine that expresses powerful flavors – but is never overpowering. If you are bored with Chardonnay or think that Chardonnay is too lighthearted to drink, you’ll be delighted by this wine.

Mission Report:

I was thrilled to be sent on this mission. It had been a while since I had tasted a really exciting white wine and it was time to stretch out the palate.

I got into the Spy Car and headed to Napa Valley, from where Control (our H.Q. for you newer recruits) had been receiving a small number of reports of some really fantastic Chardonnay wines.

It was a gorgeous day in Napa, a time when almost all of the vines are in bloom. This is a magical time, but also one in which growers pray that there will be no rain. This, in order to protect the flowers, their precious pollens and the bees they need in order to spread the love.

Along the days journey, I stopped into a handful of great wineries. My cover was Tourist from Chicago. With my Cubs hat on and my midwestern twang in full effect, like a bee buzzing from vineyard to vineyard, I flitted through the tasting rooms.

While I tasted some really interesting Chards, none blew me away. That is, until my travels took me to what was to be my final stop of the day, Schweiger Vineyards!

At Schweiger Vineyards, fine wine runs through the veins of the Schweiger family, with the second and third generations tending vines and making wines. In 1960, the first generations of Schweigers planted the vineyards on their beautiful estate. Today, 100% of the fruit grown on their estate is used in their wines.

Fred Schweiger, the family patriarch, is as sincere and dedicated a man as I have come across. He is fiercely dedicated to his land, his vines, his wines – and even the people that buy them. Fred affirms that those that buy his wines have an expectation of superior quality, both in terms of wine quality, but also in terms of the care that his winery has for its clients.

While Fred is responsible for the vineyards and, along with his wife, Sally, for customer happiness, the next generation of Schweigers take on different roles. In 1999, Andrew took on the role of winemaker and Diana Schweiger Isdhal manages sales and marketing.

I have found that generational wineries often produce some of the finest wines. In Europe, where winemaking lineage can go back 10 or more generations, this is more the norm. In America, it is more special.

Okay, about the wine…

I won’t mince words about this Chardonnay; It is incredible!

Here are some of the key points to consider:

1. No malolactic fermentation
2. 100% barrel aging, without the wine suffering at all from over-oaking as some wines do
3. Unique 2000 foot elevation vineyards make for great and unique fruit character
4. Chardonnay yields from Schweiger Estate vineyards vary widely, with yields from 60 cases to 1000 or more. 800 were produced in this vintage
5. Schweiger is 1 of only 4 Spring Mt. producers of Chardonnay

This wine is deeply aromatic, with big and bold notes. The mouth feel is terrific, with velvety beginnings and a soft and integrated ending. Flavors are off the charts delicious, but not at all overpowering.

Chardonnay, when its done right, I love it.

Major Spy Kudos to the Schweiger family. This Chardonnay has renewed my faith in white wine!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the exquisite Schweiger Estate Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

Read Full Post »

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 Burgess Vineyard.

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!: We declare today’s wine to be the brightest and tastiest of all the 2004 Napa Cabs we have tasted to date, making this wine a stellar choice.

ALLOCATION ALERT!: Today’s wine is our fastest-selling wine ever. Be sure to take advantage of this offer – before we run out!

SAVINGS ALERT!: Enjoy FREE Ground Shipping with your purchase of 6 or more bottles when you use coupon code: CABSPY at checkout

Mission Codename: The Western Slopes

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: React to the flood of reports that Burgess Vineyard has a standout Napa Valley Syrah. If valid, secure an ample supply for our Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Burgess Vineyard

Wine Subject: 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Bill Sorenson

Backgrounder: Our Operatives just can’t seem to get enough 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Napa Cabs have become a favorite and its no surprise. If the 2004 vintage was a banner year for California Cab, then Napa take it to a whole new level, delivering wines of remarkable distinction and beauty. Today, we are honored to bring you a superb 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from Burgess Vineyard. Read Agent Reds tasting notes and mission report below, and be sure to take advantage of our Free Ground Shipping offer. We’ll ship the wine to you for free, with your purchase of 6 or more bottles. Enjoy!

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep garnet to ruby at the edges, with great clarity through its deep, dark heart. The wine also has a pronounced spring to its surface and it leaves behind slow-moving legs that crawl slowly down the glass

Smell – Beautifully aromatic with layers of rich and bright mountain fruit. Present in refined abundance are blueberry, spicy blackberry, black currant and smoky plum with a fresh spice component

Feel – Supple and wet and big, mouth-coating with great soft to medium all-over-mouth tannins

Taste – Delicious layers of flavors, including dark mixed berry, cherry, spice, plum and

Finish – Hugely Juicy and rich, mouth-coating, delicious and supple, with soft tannins and flavors that go on and on forever. This delicious wine makes your mouth water and begs that you drink more of it!

Conclusion – Of all of the ‘04s we have had the great fortune to taste of late, this remarkable gem from Burgess absolutely exudes brightness, fun and boldly delicious flavors. This is no overbearing Napa Cab as some tend to be. Instead, what you get with this wine is a brilliantly balanced wine with just the right amount of gusto, and fruit that jumps right out of the glass, enlivening your senses and reminding you of just how great a great wine can be.

Mission Report:

In which Agent Red has enjoyed a few glasses of today’s 2004 Burgess Cabernet Sauvignon – and finds himself waxing poetic. Or does he?

An Ode to Burgess and their fanTAStic 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

Millenial
Generational
Dedication
Preservation

Your wines appeal
they make us feel
a connection
to the Mountain Howell

Maceration
Vinification
Fermentation
Mere words
The true soul of your wine shines
in the tall pours that I desire

Succulent
Juicy
Delicious
Bright fruit
Deep roots
Your ‘04 Cab is beyond compare

In which Agent Cuvee, sensing that Agent Red is not the Pablo Neruda of wine, steps in and stops Agent Red from writing any more _poetry.

Okay, Red, put down the pen and go get some rest. I got this one.

Greeting Dear Operatives. Agent Red had to, umm, leave. I’m taking over this briefing.

All of us here at Wine Spies Central Command agree: Bill Sorenson is a winemaker of remarkable talent. All of his wines shine with a uniqueness and distinctiveness and all of his wines taste great. The fantastic Howelll Mountain fruit grown on the Burgess estate doesn’t hurt, either.

We recently had the great fortune to taste through all of his current release red wines and it was his Cab that really stood out as our favorite. With bright fruit, a tender mouth feel and a rich finish, this wine is not a massive monster Cab that bullies your senses. This is a refined wine that is real pleasure to spend quality time with.

During our tasting, we found ourselves discussing this wine at length. It was really interesting to pull apart and describe in detail all of the aromas and flavors that the wine conveys. With its bright acidity, we suspect that the wine would pair nicely with most anything. We were hoping to enjoy it with the meal we had planned for later that evening, but Agent Red seemed to have enjoyed most of the remaining bottle, leaving none for our dinner. Alas. At least it led to some poetry that we can tease him about – once he returns from his latest mission!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the lush Howell Mountain, in Napa, can be seen in this