Selections of the most interesting Online Fine Wine Auctions.
Posted in Wine For Sale on Oct 31st, 2008
Domaine Jacques-Frederic MUGNIER is installed at the Castle of Chambolle-Musigny in the town éponyme.Il develop a range of first growths and Grands Crus that dream: Musigny, Bonnes-Mares, Chambolle-Musigny 1st cru "The Fuées" "The Lovers." Quality is extremely high, inversely to yields that are kept very low. The wines are characterized by a character, respectful of [...]
Posted in Wine For Sale on Oct 26th, 2008
54,00 EUR (8 Bids) End Date: Sunday nov.-02-2008 18:51:52 CETBid now | Add to watch list
2000 Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac red wine-5th Grand Grand Cru Classé-Note Robert Parker 95 + / 100. Note The Wine Spectator 96/100 and René Gabriel 19/20. Product Details: QUALITY SUPERIEURS'annonçant by a dense purple, it is full of fat and [...]
Posted in Wine For Sale on Oct 24th, 2008
59,80 EUR (6 Bids) End Date: Monday oct.-27-2008 17:35:17 CETBid now | Add to watch list
1 BOTTLE OF ENDING THE PAPE 2005 BEST RED WINE OF MONDEBONNES AUCTIONS TO ALL SALES TO MINORS PROHIBITED
Posted in Wine News on Jul 8th, 2008
Many years ago, a Navy friend brought us a bottle of German wine as a hostess gift. Brian was elated because he’d found this wine in the U.S. I was surprised to discover that the gift was German red wine from a region I’d never heard of, the Ahr. No surprise, Brian told us – the Ahr is a very small wine region that produces mostly red wines, so it’s very hard to find Ahr wines outside of Germany.
Posted in Wine News on Jul 8th, 2008
I’m sorry about that headline. I couldn’t help myself. Everyone else is doing it.
When I first started writing about wine several years ago, I thought one of the things I might do is help my readers keep up with the health news surrounding wine, so I started posting little tidbits every time I saw a news item about the health benefits of wine. After about three weeks it was clear that unless I was planning on writing the wine health blog, there was just no way I could possibly cover it all.
I’ve speculated before about why the health benefits of wine seems to be such a popular topic with researchers and the only reason I could come up with was that the researchers just need the merest shred of an excuse to spend their grant monies on booze.
But don’t take that as demeaning the quality of or the need for such research. I’m just a bit bemused as to how much of it seems to be pouring out of the halls of academia around the world, proclaiming that yes, red wine will cure just about anything.
The latest bit of research purportedly shows that drinking red wine while eating cooked meat is better for you than eating the same meat while sipping a Diet Coke, for instance.
Of course, we’ve known since ancient times that drinking wine with food was good for you — in the old days it was the water that got you sick (and occasionally the food too) so consuming massive quantities of wine was not only fun, but good for staving off dysentery and other nasties. Red wine with your tomatoes, anyone?
This most recent research focuses on wine’s antioxidant properties, which seem to reduce the toxins that are a byproduct of our guts trying to break down the fats in the meat. Eating steak apparently shortens your life, but drinking red wine while you do it makes everything OK! (in addition to curing Leprosy, of course).
Like all such studies, we must take these results with a grain of salt, but they certainly are encouraging, nonetheless. Not like you needed an excuse to pop the cork on a nice bottle with your steak dinner….
Thanks to Jack at Fork & Bottle for sending me the link.
Posted in Wine News on Jul 8th, 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 Trechini Cellars.
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Sleuth out an exceptional Sonoma County Merlot for our thirsty Operatives
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Trechini Cellars
Wine Subject: 2006 Merlot
Winemaker: Dan Barwick
Backgrounder: Any true fan or red wine knows that, worldwide, Merlot is a serious and well-respected wine varietal. It is the most widely grown grape in the Bordeaux region of France and, in America, Merlot soared to popularity in the 1990s. And for good reason; Merlot, when done correctly, can be incredible. Such is the case with today’s serious offering from Trecini Cellars. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report immediately following to learn more about this wine – and why Merlot still rocks!
Look – Inky garnet to ruby with a dark heart of deep garnet, this wine has a bouncy surface with concentrated color out to its edges. When swirled the wine shows thick and thin legs that run down the glass at different speeds
Smell – Really lavish aromas! Lush and deeply layered with earthy rich smells of plum, dark cherry, cedar, dusky blackberry, mild dried herbs and soft-smoked meats
Feel – Cool and light up front, deliciously slick (not oily) with an initial wetness that is fast replaced by medium tannins and an all-over-mouth coating effect that I love
Taste – A delicious unveiling of great flavors, with dark ripe stonefruit, dark cherry, dark mixed berries, mild cigar box and fresh & mild mixed salad herbs
Finish – Cool and fresh, then slightly drying and airy with big flavors that taper off very gradually
Conclusion – It is no wonder that Trecini keeps winning so many gold medals; This wine is superb, conveying a real sense of place, of passion and of personality. This is a wine that connects you to the winemaker, the vineyards and the fruit. Its also no wonder that we Wine Spies keep returning to Trecini Cellars; We are diehard fans and they make wines that impress us over and over again. If you love Merlot, you will LOVE this one. If you don’t care for Merlot, you MUST try this one, for it will please you with its delicious flavors, great aromas, bright acidity and great feel.
Mission Report:
It was a cold and rainy day in Sonoma County. Just the sort of day I have come to expect in mid-January in this mostly-beautiful and usually delightful California wine growing region… but with a difference; The rain was relentless and the downpour particularly strong.
I had set a secret rendezvous with winery owner, Cathy Vicini, but was beginning to wonder whether I would make it to her or not. Roads were feet-deep with water in places, traffic seemed unmoving and I felt as though I would have done better in a rowboat than my Spy car.
The last time we featured a Trecini wine, I was not the agent on the case. Therefor, I had not had the pleasure to meet with anyone from the winery until today. Although, with this weather, I was beginning to wonder if I would even have the chance.
The spot where we had set for out meeting was nearby the winery’s HQ, but somewhat more interesting; we planned to meet in the center of a private sculpture garden where a few dozen sculptures were spread out over nearly a 1/2 mile stretch. I looked forward to seeing them, if I could just make it there.
By some great miracle, or perhaps just good luck, the weather cleared, the sun shone through the parting clouds and traffic began to move again. I made it with a few minutes to spare and thanked the wine gods as I climbed the hills toward the sculpture garden.
The sculptures here ranged in size from tiny to massive and were either stunning in their beauty – or downright bizarre. If you guessed that my tastes leaned toward the more bizarre ones, you may be right. My favorite was a 15-foot long creation that looked to be made of gnarled wood and welded metal that looked like a robotic, steam-propelled, flying baby whale, called “SirBent”, by Bryan Tendrick.
After a period of standing in awe before this creation, Cathy rolled up in her SUV, a quizzical look on her face. We exchanged prearranged authentication phrases and we both smiled warmly. Cathy had a case of wine for our careful assessment and, in true prohibition-era style, I transfered it from the back of her truck, to the trunk of my car.
Because Cathy had another meeting to make, we spoke for just a few minutes, then thanked each other, and were on our way again quickly.
That’s when the rain started up again. I made for our Sonoma safehouse and arrived there before the worst of the weather hit. Just.
Once safely inside, I built a fire in the fireplace, decanted a bottle of Trecini wine and made myself a modest meal of comfort food. On sipping the wine I was struck by its character and the feeling that the wine imbued. Where some wines are obvious party wines and still others are great elegant dining wines, I realized that this wine – with its rich but still soft feel, flavors and aromas – was the perfect comfort wine.
The rest of my evening was spent listening to the rain and reflecting on how some wines impart a visceral feeling, a sense of place, and a sense of the winemaker, when you drink them. Maybe it was being safe from the rain, maybe it was the great wine, but this Trecini wine delivered all of these, and a tangible impression that all is right with the World.
The location of our secret meeting, the sculpture gardens, and surrounding vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.wonderful mouthfeel.
Mission Report:
The location of the Vicini Vinyard can be seen in this satellite photo.
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 Jun 26th, 2008
It’s hard to believe that in the early 1990’s less than 100 acres of vineyards were planted in Chile’s Casablanca valley. In little more than two decades, this region of Chile has surged in growth and popularity, and is currently producing excellent wines that generally represent fantastic values on the world market. The region is currently home to more than 10,000 acres of vineyards.
Back when the grape acreage was still in the triple digits Agustin Huneeus decided that the Casablanca valley was one of Chile’s most promising wine regions, and that he needed to start making wine there. Not surprisingly, the world took notice. Huneeus was not just any aspiring winemaker. Indeed, by 1990 Huneeus could lay claim to being one of Chile’s first great modern wine pioneers.
In 1960 Agustin Huneeus entered the Chilean wine scene by becoming CEO and majority owner of Concha y Toro, the wine brand that would eventually put Chile on the wine map for the rest of the world. In 1971 the political climate in Chile became unstable and Huneeus left for the United States, where he took over the helm of the beverage giant Seagrams Worldwide for a time, as well as Franciscan winery in Napa. He went on to purchase the Quintessa winery in 1989.
The early 1990’s were calmer times in Chile, and Huneeus was afforded the opportunity to spend more time in his home country exploring the continually expanding wine regions, including the Casablanca Valley. These explorations turned serious rather quickly, and before long Huneeus was the proprietor of a brand new Chilean winery called Veramonte.
Veramonte, by now, is a well established producer of quality Chilean wines, and a recognizable brand for anyone who strays into the global section of their wine shops, as well as those who have a thirst for reasonably priced Sauvignon Blanc, of which Veramonte makes a seemingly never-ending supply.
Veramonte makes primarily single varietal wines with a sole exception: this wine called Primus. The story of this Bordeaux blend goes all the way back to Bordeaux in the 1800s, when a wave of French immigrants were setting off to the new world to try and make their fortunes. Being French, they weren’t going anywhere without their wine, and knowing that they were headed to an unknown world, the only way to ensure that there would be wine there was to bring the vines to grow it themselves. So off they went to Chile with vines representing the best of Bordeaux packed in wet sawdust and paper. Only a couple of decades later these few samples and others like them would be some of the only vines that were not utterly destroyed by the Phylloxera epidemic that ravaged Europe’s vineyards.
When Bordeaux got to replanting their vineyards, they did so carefully and methodically, but for some reason, they pretty much ignored one of the grape varieties that was originally common in their vineyards: a grape called Carmenere. To be fair, they also gave Malbec short shrift as well, and now Bordeaux is mostly Cabernet, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, while Chile has been trying desperately to turn Carmenere into its signature grape.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, Carmenere isn’t that special of a grape, and the single-varietal Carmeneres I’ve tasted haven’t impressed me greatly. What Huneeus knew, however, and Chilean wineries are increasingly discovering, was that Carmenere is an excellent blending grape, and as part of blends that resemble the ancient wines of Bordeaux, it is beautifully expressive.
And that is why Veramonte’s top wine is a blend of Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The best grapes from the top vineyard parcels are carefully sorted, destemmed, and fermented separately before blending and aging for 2 years in French Oak barrels, about 50% of which are new each year. The wine spends an additional year in bottle before release.
With the level of care, aging time, and the designation as the winery’s top wine, not to mention a snazzy, heavy bottle, it’s easy to imagine this wine as one of the more expensive Chilean wines around. Hell, it even tastes expensive. But I’m happy to say instead that it undeniably represents one of the best values in the wine world today.
Full disclosure: I received this wine as a press sample.
Tasting Notes:
Medium to dark ruby in the glass, this wine has a nose that would make even the most distracted wine taster immediately pay attention: perfumes of chocolate, cherry cordials, and vanilla waft from the glass. In the mouth the wine is beautifully balanced, with a polished feel on the tongue, and the flavors seem to burst in the mouth. Cherries, chocolate, and old wood paneling swirl in a storm of fine grained, dusty tannins and velvet texture. The wine’s finish is long and has beautiful aromas of cocoa powder and confectioners sugar. Surprising, unique, and totally delicious.
Food Pairing:
This is a rich wine, though not one slaked in oak, so despite its brawn, it is quite food friendly. I’d love to drink it with some lightly spiced slow-cooked pork on crunchy bread.
Overall Score: around 9.5
How Much?: $19
This wine is available for purchase on the Internet.
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 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 16th, 2008
If you want this by July 4th, place your order by
Wednesday. Which shouldn’t be hard, since that’s when this sale will
end. Look for another deal Thursday.
Hey,
remember that weird wave of Francophobia that swept the stupider
corners of our nation a few years ago? We can barely recall what it was
all about – something about Saddam Hussein headbutting the Dixie Chicks
and taking their French fries, maybe. What we do remember is a lot of
grandstanding blowhards huffing and puffing about changing the names of
various items on the menu at the Congressional cafeteria. Ha! Take
that, France! We’ll accept your surrender now – in English!
Anyway,
that mental illness has mercifully passed. It’s OK again to be friends
with the French. Don’t we all have the same colors in our flag? Didn’t
we both hate the British a couple of centuries ago?
And there’s no better way to salute our reunion with nos amis de grenouille-consommation
than with a fluteful of French-styled sparkling wine from Mumm Napa.
OK, maybe actual French champagne would be a little more appropriate.
But have you seen the exchange rates lately? Besides, Mumm Napa was
founded by French winemaker Guy Devaux in 1983. He brought that
nation’s traditional methods and techniques to the exceptional fruit of
the Napa Valley, the same way his forebears gave us the Statue of
Liberty, croissants, and Audrey Tautou. They’re a generous people.
Red-staters
and Godless Reds alike will rally round the Mumm Napa Cuvée M Red, a
rare true-red sparkling wine. The grapes were initially handled as if
they were going to be part of a rich red wine. Imagine their surprise
when they were whisked away to join yeasts and sugar for sparklization
(note: “sparklization” is not an official wine term). The result is a
sparkling wine of a different color, a deep dark ruby with a red-wine
nose and a bubbly palate. Serve it with anything from hors d’oeuvres to le canard BBQ.
Wave
the white flag and surrender to the exquisite charms of the Mumm Napa
Reserve Brut. Summing up 25 years of superior Mumm Napa wines in one
limited-production masterpiece, this well-structured Brut seems to cram
all of Napa Valley into one little bottle. Its rounded flavors of
toast, spice, biscuit, and mocha will have you looking forward to
breakfast. Not many grapes have what it takes to reach this echelon of
greatness – only the very best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are allowed to
wear the Reserve Brut label. It’s the must-see feel-good blockbuster
wine of the summer. Miss it at your peril.
Now, the only
thing blue about the Mumm Napa Cuvée M Blue is the label. And you, if
you miss the chance to experience the superlative sparkle of its
quintessential Napa Valley flavors: ripe peach, creamy vanilla, and
rich white chocolate. Fruit from more than 50 vineyards hereby come
together to form a more perfect union, a united state of ecstasy. The
careful, traditional handcrafting of the Mumm Napa Cuvée M Blue is so
authentic you can practically feel the fingertips on your tongue. The
result is as rich and complex as this country of ours.
So
raise a toast to the Marquis de Lafayette on July 4th – without him,
we’d all have awful teeth and call trucks “lorries”. And let Mumm Napa
handle the sparklers. These three bottles will be as dazzling as any
Roman candle, but they won’t leave the acrid odor of sulfur in your
nostrils. And they might blow your mind, but they won’t blow your
fingers off.
Mumm Napa Reserve Brut
Winemaker: Ludovic Dervin
Appellation: Napa Valley
Composition: 60% Pinot Noir 40% Chardonnay
Alcohol: 12.5%
T.A.: 9.7 g/L
pH: 3.00
Dosage: 1.1% (Brut)
Mumm Napa Cuvee M
Winemaker: Ludovic Dervin
Appellation: Napa Valley
Composition: 48% Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir, 6% Pinot Gris, 3% Pinot Meunier
Alcohol: 12.5%
T.A.: 9.1 g/L
Dosage Sec: (3.1% RS)
Mumm Napa Cuvee M Red
Winemaker: Ludovic Dervin
Appellation: Napa Valley
Composition: 96% Pinot Noir, 4% Syrah
Alcohol: 12.5%
T.A.: 0.67 g/L
pH: 3.42
Dosage: 3.0%—Sec
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 11th, 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 CRU Monterey.
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Return to Monterey’s Santa Lucia Highlands, a region famous for producing what are arguably the finest Pinot Noir in California, and return with a fantastic Pinot for our Operatives
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: CRU Monterey
Wine Subject: 2006 Pinot Noir Chular Canyon
Winemaker: Michael Levin
Backgrounder: Our Operatives know, but other folks are often surprised that Monterey County produces some of the finest Pinot Noir in California. The Wine Spies have featured Monterey County Pinot in prior missions and today we send Agent Red to CRU Monterey, where their Pinot Noir is among the best he has tasted from the region. With Summer now in full swing in California’s wine Country, Agent Red brings you a perfect springtime red wine. Read his tasting notes and mission report below for full details on this fantastic wine
Look – Perfect clarity with burgundy to red colors that maintain tight color concentration right to the edges of the wine, a bouncy surface, and wide-spaced legs that run down the glass at a rapid pace
Smell – A big bright nose of Pannetone (Italian Christmas cake) with fresh cherry, pomegranate and strawberry, plus the characteristic aromas of gunpowder and salt. The wine also displays subtle French characteristics with Earthy forest floor and dried herbs.
Feel – Soft and round up front, then big and bright with a slight tightening on the mid-palate and a grippiness on the lips
Taste – Delicious and bright with great fruits of cherry, raspberry and strawberry with the slightest earthen herbaceous quality
Finish – This wine continues long after its swallowed, with flavors and feelings that last a long time – to be replaced by the wines gentle tannins that dry the mouth slightly
Conclusion – What a wonderful surprise this wine was! On the recommendation of the winery, I had been sitting on the samples that I had procured from the winery for more than a month now. They kept insisting that I wait a little while longer to allow this wine to mature just a tad more. When I finally got the call from the winery, I immediately popped a bottle and then spent two days evaluating it for you. Day one the wine was perfect. It had balance and brightness and aromas that sang out. After a day in a re-corked bottle the wine was even better, exhibiting more roundness, gentler fruit and a more supple mouth-feel. We Wine Spies are very fond of wines from Monterey County’s, particularly Pinot Noir from the region.
The location of the VINEYARD can be seen in this satellite photo.
Posted in Wine News on Jun 6th, 2008
Apulia (also called Puglia) is the region that makes up the southeast corner of Italy including the heel of the boot of Italy. Historically, Apulia has been a very large producer of wine often leading Italy in terms of quantity of wine produced. The wines produced there were rugged, rough and deeply colored, and not of high quality. Much of the production went into cheaper jug wines or was blended into generic wines. Often, the wines were scandalously blended into wines from the more premier wines of the north giving those wines deeper color and a bit of texture. Nevertheless, the locals liked their local wines. These wines, however, were rarely tasted outside their homeland as a serious individual bottle of wine.
Posted in Wine News on Jun 6th, 2008
Summer is just a couple of weeks away and many of us are thinking about entertaining outdoors close to the barbeque grill. What better way to accent succulent steamed fish, caramelized fruit, or grilled veggies than a chilled white wine. On a hot day, even a red wine can take a little cooling down, especially when temperatures hit the 90s or higher. But how do you keep the wine flowing if your wine storage unit is in your kitchen or even in your cellar?
Posted in Wine News on Jun 6th, 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 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
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.
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.
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:
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!
The location of the exquisite Schweiger Estate Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.
Posted in Wine News on Jun 4th, 2008
I make it my business to keep my eye on new California wineries, especially in Napa and Sonoma, as much as I can given the fact that I do a lot of other things besides write about wine. Whenever possible, I like to taste the first releases from these wineries. They are not always fantastic - some are good, some show potential, and some simply need to be written off as first efforts and retried again later. That’s the thing about wines, just because they’re not good now, that doesn’t mean they won’t be later, and, of course, vice versa.
It’s quite rare, however, for the very first vintage of a wine to knock my socks off. But when I got my first taste of Blackbird Vineyards out of the barrel a couple of years ago, I quite literally couldn’t bring myself to spit it out. I was immediately in love. And how delightful and against all odds that the best Napa wine I had tasted in many months was a Merlot.
Blackbird proprietor Michael Polenske is used to beating the odds unexpectedly. By all accounts he never should have gotten into wine in the first place. Spending one’s teens and early twenties in a fraternity at Chico State generally favors the the cultivation of a strong affinity for beer and bikinis rather than fine wine. But in between his finance classes, thanks in part to a roommate who turned him on to wine, he dabbled in the wine curriculum and spent weekends exploring Napa Valley visiting what were becoming his favorite wineries.
When he graduated from college, Polenske again took an unexpected turn, getting into the pragmatic financial planning industry just as everyone in that industry was moving towards more active money management. Polenske had the bright idea that he could do financial planning for people in the wine business, and so managed to find a firm in the Midwest that was willing to give him Napa and Sonoma as a territory. In addition to the territory of his choice, they also asked him if he’d be willing to cover the zip code 94025 as well.
It turned out that there wasn’t much interest in wine country, but Polenske found quite a lot of both interest and money in that other little zip code, which happened to be Atherton, California, and for which he found himself the sole representative in his company. Through a lot of trial and error, a ton of cold calling, and a significant amount of elbow grease, Polenske spent 10 years building a sizeable book of business in Silicon Valley, learning more about and continuing to fall deeper in love with wine in the process.
And then one day, relatively out of the blue, JP Morgan called and offered him a job as a private banker. Like a small town kid picked up out of high school by the Major Leagues, Polenske walked starry eyed into his first day at work, sat down next to his colleagues with their Wharton, Kellog, Harvard, and GSB diplomas on their desks, and when no one showed up to tell him how to do his job, he just did what he knew how to do. He started making calls.
At the time, the average JP Morgan banker brought on between seven and nine new clients per year. At the end of his first year Polenske had 35, a figure so shocking at the time, that executives at the highest levels of the company told his manager to get him on a global conference call so they could demand an explanation. Based on that call JP Morgan changed its approach to new client acquisition, and it wasn’t long before Polenske was in charge of the San Francisco office, and beginning to dabble in his other interests, including antiques (he would eventually go on to own Patina Atelier Antiques in San Francisco).
As Polenske’s star continued to rise in the financial services world, he kept his eye on Napa, thinking that someday it might be nice to build a lifestyle business. But each time he nearly got to the point of buying some land, another job opportunity would come along, and he’d be swept up into running a new company, division, or fund.
After years of almost buying vineyards, Polenske eventually decided to scrap the idea, and instead simply settle for a house on a hill in Napa with a pool. He ended up with a couple of houses on the flats, and a 10 acre vineyard. These things happen.
Napa has a way of turning people into winemakers overnight simply because they stumble on the right piece of property. Polenske’s acquisition, as you might expect, was a little more strategic than that. Call it a compulsion to seek out the undervalued parts of the market, or just call it instinct, but Polenske found himself staring at a Merlot vineyard that was selling fruit to prominent buyers who were making 90 point wines from it, yet the prices they were paying for the fruit were below market rates. Never mind that Merlot was on the down and out. Polenske saw the raw ingredients for the perfect boutique wine brand, and his idle fantasies about building a lifestyle business instead of another hedge fund began to crystallize. The vineyard was named Blackbird, and when Polenske found out that in French Patois Merlot means “little blackbird” the key turned in the lock and everything fell into place.
Today, with the help of winemaker Sarah Gott and winegrower Aaron Pott, Polenske farms the 10 acre estate vineyard to produce 1120 cases of a wine he has decided to call a Proprietary Red, though the wine will likely always be 90+ percent Merlot. Though it technically could be labeled Merlot, Polenske is keeping his options open to adjust the blend in the future, and doing a little bit of marketing by aligning the name with some of the big guns like Harlan Estate and Rudd who also produce wines with the same designation.
In 2005 the wine contained 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon from the estate’s 11 year old vines in Napa’s Oak Knoll District. After meticulous sorting and careful crushing and fermentation, the wine ages for 20 months in French oak barrels of which 70% are new and 30% are older. The wine is bottled completely unfined and unfiltered.
In addition to this wine, in 2005 the estate has begun producing a rosé called Arriviste and a 50/50 Cabernet blend called Paramour.
Tasting Notes:
Dark ruby in color, this wine has an expressive nose of aromas of espresso and mocha, black cherries and chocolate. In the mouth the wine is nothing sort of gorgeous. At once explosively juicy and simultaneously rich and layered, beautiful, near-perfect acidity allows bright cherry fruit and spices to float above a deep resonant base of tobacco and earth flavors that all somehow meld and flex until they’re a vibrating chord through a stellar finish. This wine practically defines “delicious” and cellared well, will likely do so for 10 to 15 years.
Food Pairing:
Extremely food friendly because of its bright acidity, this wine will pair well with a lot of foods. I’d enjoy it with beef short ribs and horseradish potatoes.
Overall Score: 9.5
How Much?: $80
This wine is available for purchase on the internet.
Posted in Wine News on Jun 3rd, 2008
Two weekends ago I had the good fortune to be part of an epic blind tasting of around 50 bottles of all kinds of great wines from around the world. The occasion? My friend Morgan over at Bedrock Wine Co. was doing some last minute cramming before the practical portion of his Masters of Wine [...]
Posted in Wine News on Jun 1st, 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 Hill Family Estate.
UNIQUE WINE ALERT!: Today’s wine is an exceptional red blend with original flavors and deep aromas. Delicious, too!
SAVINGS ALERT!: Enjoy Free Ground Shipping when you buy 6 or more bottles, with coupon code: NAPASPY
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Sleuth out a superior red blend for our Operatives
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Hill Family Estate
Wine Subject: 2004 Origin
Winemaker: Alison Green Doran
Backgrounder: Red blends can be among the most drinkable, delicious and even fun wines to drink. Blends allow us to put aside preconceived notions of what characteristics a single-varietal wine should have – and let you focus on the flavors, smells and the simpler pleasures of drinking wine. Blends allow the winemaker to craft interesting wines. Today’s wine from Hill Family Vineyard goes beyond interesting and ventures into newer territory, by delivering a wine that is ultra unique, but also tenderly delicious. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and Mission Brief below for the full story on today’s great red blend
Look – Deep garnet to burgundy with great clarity and a concentrated heart, this wine has a very tight surface appearance and some of the skinniest legs we have seen on a red blend
Smell – Very compelling and super aromatic with varied fruit then spice than fruit again as waves of cherry, warm baking spices, blackberry, clove and smoky plum wash over you. This is a wine that is hard to keep your nose out of long enough to taste!
Feel – Soft and round and very light at first, then the wine grips gently at the outer edges of your tongue with its smooth but balanced tannins, and delicate yet also serious texture
Taste – This wine is deeply layered and wonderfully concentrated as it delivers powerful – but not overpowering – bright flavors of cherry, raspberry and cassis with darker follow-on flavors of blueberry cobbler, light toasted oak and mild spice
Finish – A super long finish in the mouth, as flavors change from sweet and fruity to more lightly-tart, leaving behind a final whisp of soft spice and edible flowers
Conclusion – What a great wine this is… We Wine Spies have it rough, I know, with so many wines to taste each day. A key indicator of a wines greatness is apparent when we finish an entire bottle of a particular wine. Our sample bottle went fast, with each spy present at the tasting going back for seconds or thirds. While you know of my personal fondness for single varietal wines, my senses really do appreciate a really skillful red blend like this fabulous wine from Hill Family Estate!
The Hill Family could not be more qualified to make great wines. Since common wisdom holds that great wines are made in the vineyard, Doug Hill seems uniquely qualified, for his 25+ year wine odyssey started with him tending vineyards in the Napa Valley.
As vineyard manager for more than a thousand acres vineyards, Doug was responsible for the meticulous care of grapes for the finest wineries in the Napa Valley. His stewardship of the vines, it could be said, led to the creation of the finest of wines.
It was only natural that Doug should one day create his own wines, from his own vineyards – and that those wines should, of course, begin life in the vineyards themselves.
Today, the wines that the Hill Family Estate produces are grown in fields tended by Doug himself. Each of Hill Family’s wines show the care of the man and the character unique to each vineyard.
The Hill Family Estate Origin wine is a unique and very outstanding red blend that benefits not only from Doug’s care for his grapes, but also from the careful selection of grapes from some of the seven vineyards where Doug grows his fruit.
Today’s wine is lush, layered and deeply aromatic with a richness of taste, flavor and feel that are unique and very pleasing. This is a wine that conveys what commitment, beautiful vineyards, great fruit, tender care – and what the magical combination of these things taste like.
Posted in Wine News on May 31st, 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 Hill Family Estate.
UNIQUE WINE ALERT!: Today’s wine is an exceptional red blend with original flavors and deep aromas. Delicious, too!
SAVINGS ALERT!: Enjoy Free Ground Shipping when you buy 6 or more bottles, with coupon code: NAPASPY
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Sleuth out a superior red blend for our Operatives
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Hill Family Estate
Wine Subject: 2004 Origin
Winemaker: Alison Green Doran
Backgrounder: Red blends can be among the most drinkable, delicious and even fun wines to drink. Blends allow us to put aside preconceived notions of what characteristics a single-varietal wine should have – and let you focus on the flavors, smells and the simpler pleasures of drinking wine. Blends allow the winemaker to craft interesting wines. Today’s wine from Hill Family Vineyard goes beyond interesting and ventures into newer territory, by delivering a wine that is ultra unique, but also tenderly delicious. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and Mission Brief below for the full story on today’s great red blend
Look – Deep garnet to burgundy with great clarity and a concentrated heart, this wine has a very tight surface appearance and some of the skinniest legs we have seen on a red blend
Smell – Very compelling and super aromatic with varied fruit then spice than fruit again as waves of cherry, warm baking spices, blackberry, clove and smoky plum wash over you. This is a wine that is hard to keep your nose out of long enough to taste!
Feel – Soft and round and very light at first, then the wine grips gently at the outer edges of your tongue with its smooth but balanced tannins, and delicate yet also serious texture
Taste – This wine is deeply layered and wonderfully concentrated as it delivers powerful – but not overpowering – bright flavors of cherry, raspberry and cassis with darker follow-on flavors of blueberry cobbler, light toasted oak and mild spice
Finish – A super long finish in the mouth, as flavors change from sweet and fruity to more lightly-tart, leaving behind a final whisp of soft spice and edible flowers
Conclusion – What a great wine this is… We Wine Spies have it rough, I know, with so many wines to taste each day. A key indicator of a wines greatness is apparent when we finish an entire bottle of a particular wine. Our sample bottle went fast, with each spy present at the tasting going back for seconds or thirds. While you know of my personal fondness for single varietal wines, my senses really do appreciate a really skillful red blend like this fabulous wine from Hill Family Estate!
The Hill Family could not be more qualified to make great wines. Since common wisdom holds that great wines are made in the vineyard, Doug Hill seems uniquely qualified, for his 25+ year wine odyssey started with him tending vineyards in the Napa Valley.
As vineyard manager for more than a thousand acres vineyards, Doug was responsible for the meticulous care of grapes for the finest wineries in the Napa Valley. His stewardship of the vines, it could be said, led to the creation of the finest of wines.
It was only natural that Doug should one day create his own wines, from his own vineyards – and that those wines should, of course, begin life in the vineyards themselves.
Today, the wines that the Hill Family Estate produces are grown in fields tended by Doug himself. Each of Hill Family’s wines show the care of the man and the character unique to each vineyard.
The Hill Family Estate Origin wine is a unique and very outstanding red blend that benefits not only from Doug’s care for his grapes, but also from the careful selection of grapes from some of the seven vineyards where Doug grows his fruit.
Today’s wine is lush, layered and deeply aromatic with a richness of taste, flavor and feel that are unique and very pleasing. This is a wine that conveys what commitment, beautiful vineyards, great fruit, tender care and the magical combination of these things taste like.
Posted in Wine News on May 6th, 2008
The first prominent red wine properties have begun to release their prices for Bordeaux 2007s days after Robert Parker released his scores for the vintage.
Posted in Wine News on May 5th, 2008
A rustic red wine made for carnivores, well suited to burgers, steaks or rare roast beef.
Posted in Wine News on May 4th, 2008
 Ottawa Citizen |
R is for Red Wine
Ottawa Citizen, Canada - 2 hours ago Wouldn’t it be nice to have your health taken care of for you? A chef to cook nutritious, gourmet dinners; an assistant to schedule massage and doctor’s … |
Posted in Wine News on May 1st, 2008
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Red wine may help fight diabetes
Economic Times, India - 7 hours ago WASHINGTON: Here’s another reason for you to indulge in that glass of red wine - resveratrol, a chemical commonly found in it has the ability to lower blood … |
Posted in Wine News on Apr 29th, 2008
Wine has been a popular drink to serve with meals for centuries but many people get confused as to which wine goes best with what type of meal. To make matters worse, there’s more to wine than just red and white, there are many …
Posted in Wine News on Apr 29th, 2008
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With sancerre red, it’s time to wine and dine
Boston Herald, United States - 4 hours ago By Sonia Turek / In Your Glass Ah, sancerre; the perfect wine with salmon, chicken, a nice roast duck, maybe even a perfectly done, medium-rare burger on … |
Posted in Wine News on Apr 29th, 2008
So is GlaxoSmithKline, and the pharmaceutical company is betting that it has found it — in red wine no less. Researchers have found a compound in red wine that slows the aging process, possibly prolonging life. …
Posted in Wine News on Apr 29th, 2008
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Conde Nast awards are so sweet on Heston Blumenthal’s chocolate wine
Times Online, UK - 7 hours ago The velvety, frothy drink is made by whisking a £48 red dessert wine with sugar and chocolate. A spokeswoman at the Condé Nast Traveller Innovation and … |
Posted in Wine News on Apr 10th, 2008
It’s hard to believe that I have never said anything about this wine, which usually sells at our local independent grocers for about $10. A paradigm of ten buck wines, it’s a rich, bold, clean, well -made wine that stands up to a variety of dishes and tastes as good the second or [...]
Posted in Wine News on Mar 24th, 2008
You don’t think of Oregon for Bordeaux varietals, but the Southern part of the state is much warmer of than the famed Willamette Valley and the rest of Oregon’s Pinot Noir country in the north. Today’s wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from the Rougue Valley near Medford. [...]
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SUPERBE 1 BOUTEILLE DE PETRUS 1990 EUR 101,00 |
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CHATEAU DYQUEM 1999 LUR SALUCES EUR 76,00 |
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CHATEAU MARGAUX 1996 MILLESIME RARE 99 100 PARKER EUR 151,00 |
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CHATEAU LATOUR 1987 EUR 51,00 |
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2 x CHATEAU CHEVAL BLANC 1983 EUR 76,00 |
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CHEVAL BLANC 2004 EUR 76,00 |
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1 BOUTEILLE PETRUS 1 9 8 6 EUR 202,00 |
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Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne 1999 Jeroboam EUR 1.510,00 |
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CHATEAU SOCIANDO MALLET 2005 LOT DE 3 EUR 61,00 |
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Château dYquem 1998 EUR 96,00 |
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Introuvable Sauternes Chateau CLIMENS 1961 Barsac EUR 60,00 |
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1 BOUTEILLE PETRUS 1 9 9 0 EUR 227,00 |
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1 BOUTEILLE PETRUS 1 9 8 9 EUR 226,00 |
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1 BOUTEILLE PETRUS 1 9 8 2 EUR 560,00 |
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Chateau Latour 1997 Premier Grand Cru EUR 77,00 |