Actually labeled as Directors’ Reserve Contour, this is a Bordeaux blend consisting of 76% Cab, 7% each of Merlot, Cab Franc, and Malbec, and 3% Petit Verdot. With an alcohol level at 14.2% and a price point of $25 at the winery, a quite acceptable offering.
The color is a deep black raspberry with legs that go on and on. The nose is full of black fruit, clove-cinnamon, and a touch of leather. Black raspberry and black cherry are evident on the palate along with vanilla, clove, and (again) a touch of leather. Smooth tannins combined with vanilla and coffee linger on a lengthy finish. Enjoy….
May 6th, 2008
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Venturing into yet another corner of Nevada County and the Sierra Foothills, I came across Indian Springs Vineyards. Again, another small producer with unknown (to me) distribution depth. Discovered them on a recent visit to Nevada City, California where they have a tasting room; their winery is a few miles to the west in Penn Valley.
I found this offering to be quite acceptable, showing many of the typical characteristics. The color leans toward a dusky strawberry; I remember reading somewhere that Barbera does brown slightly with age and this is an ‘03. Strawberry, cherry, and currant come thru on the nose and continues to the palate with an additional touch of toast. The medium tannin finish brings lingering plum and slight smokiness. The alcohol is at 14.5% and the price point at the tasting room was $19.
April 23rd, 2008
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Tucked away in the Sierra Foothills between Colfax and Grass Valley California you will discover a real gem, Solune Wine Growers (http://www.solunewinery.com/). There is truth behind the cliche “good things come from small packages”.
If you are a fan of those monster Cabs from Napa, save a few dollars and stop by Solune while this one is still available (going fast, small volume). At $21 this one is worth much more. The color is deep raspberry; the nose bursting with black currant, leather, earth, and a touch of mint. The palate is a wonderful collection of black fruits, leather, slight oak, and the bell pepper common to classic Cab. The finish is long with mild tannins, vanilla, leather, and smoke. As Jacques says, “A votre sante` !”
April 9th, 2008
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Yet another post for a nice product from this winery in the Sierra Foothills. Their Zin is a blend of 84% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 4% Syrah, and 2% Mourvedre. The color is deep blackberry with legs that go on and on (14.7% alcohol). The nose is blackberry, raspberry, black pepper, and a touch of clove. All that continues on to the palate with some medium heat. The finish is medium and decent. Not my most favorite Zin, but for the price point ($16 or so) it is worth a try.
April 7th, 2008
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Actually 97% Temp and 3% Sangiovese, this one was awarded Double Gold and Best of Class at the 2008 New World International Wine Competition. Quite a feather in the cap of this small winery in the Sierra Foothills with limited distribution. The price point is around $19; I picked up a few on a recent visit to their tasting room.
The nose exudes black cherry and tobacco. The dark fruit and tobacco continue on the palate with the addition of leather and earthiness. The finish is medium with the tobacco lasting thru to the end. As with most Temps, this pairs well with meats off the BBQ yet even works well on its own.
April 2nd, 2008
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Where the Cask 204 (posted below) is predominantly Zin, this one is 41% Syrah, 31% Zin, 10% Petite Sirah, 10% Cab Franc, 5% Cab, and 3% Sangiovese. The 205 had a production of 966 cases and stands at 14.5% alcohol. I found this one at the local Trader Joe’s for $10.
The descriptors on this one are similar to the 204, but I got a bit of coffee on the palate and finish. Overall I liked this one a bit more than the 204. Not a great one, but good with pizza and pasta or simply relaxing with a touch of dark chocolate. For the price, it is well worth a return visit but I wouldn’t cellar for an extended time frame. Enjoy….
March 12th, 2008
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My second venture into regional wines from the Sierras, this Sierra Foothills Syrah proved to be quite nice. Blackberry, dark chocolate, and a touch of smoke on the nose leads to a more intense blackberry palate with hints of leather and spice. The smoky notes continue in the finish where the chocolate lingers for awhile with a touch of heat.
The 2004s seem to be getting short in supply with the 2005s soon to hit the store shelves in our area. Nevada City is just a couple hours away, so a visit to the winery and tasting room may be in our near future. I am eager to try more of their offerings; their Tempranillo sounds promising. Stay tuned…
March 8th, 2008
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If you check out October 2006, you will see that Dave posted notes on the 2004 Rockpile. The 2005 can be summarized in much the same way. Deep raspberry in color; black cherry, vanilla, and mocha on the nose, cherry, blackberry, dark chocolate, with a bit of spice and leather on the palate, and the dark fruit and leather on the finish. Dave’s comments then still hold true with this one… a very good Zin but about $10 over priced (I paid $35 for this one).
February 17th, 2008
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A recent transplant to Northern Nevada, I decided to try something from a regional winery. Nevada City is just a ways “over the hill” from here so their wines are plentiful in our area. This one is a blend of 40% Zin, 22% Petite Syrah, 15% Syrah, 10% Cab, 8% Sangiovese, and 5% Cab Franc. The wine is named after one of the early gold towns of the 1850s. Cask 204 appears to be their way of saying 2004. With a lot of 1860 cases, this wine tops at 14.7%.
The color is a deep plum with a slightly clear rim - it is a 2004 afterall. The nose is vibrant with plum, cherry, and clove. On the palate the cherry and plum grow, the spice is joined with a bit of pepper with a hint of red licorice. The finish is nice and spicy with soft tannins.
My first venture into regional wines and I would have to say this one is a winner. At only $12 this one begs for repeat purchase. There is also a Cask 205 (you guessed it, 2005) with a different blend that sounds promising; haven’t located that one yet. When I got this one, I also picked up a Syrah of theirs so stand by for a future post on that one.
February 11th, 2008
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The oldest family owned vineyard in Australia comes thru again. This wine is one of their Hand Picked series and is a winner. A blend of 60% Mourvedre, 22% Grenache, and 18% Shiraz, this Rhone from “Down Under” deserves your attention.
The color is a rich, deep purple. The nose exudes white pepper, black cherry, and a hint of herbs and spice. Dark fruit, leather, creamy milk chocolate, and a hint of coffee combine on the palate. The finish is long with more leather, fruit, and spice.
This definitely deserves repeat purchase. Although quite enjoyable now, 3-5 years in the cellar are not out of the question. Enjoy….
January 31st, 2008
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Just as I was losing faith in screw caps, along comes a wine that makes me hesitate on totally giving up on them…
Actually a blend of 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier, this selection boasts 14.5% alchohol and is a limited production of only 250 cases. Named for and dedicated to the winemaker’s wife, this wine also boasts a 94 rating from Robert Parker.
The color is a deep, dark, inky blue-black. The nose is rich with dark fruits, cassis, graphite, smoke, and a hint of pepper. Those dark fruits (blackberry, plum, currant), smoke, and yes the pepper too, continue thru the palate with a hint of leather. The finish is long; the smoke and leather diminishing as the pepper takes over.
Do I have any regrets at all? Yep, it could have cellared another couple years. To be honest, I just didn’t trust the screw cap… been burned too many times. This is a winner.
September 13th, 2007
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Got this one on a recommendation at a local wine store. After a brief discussion about my preferences (no slander to be given here), he steered me in the direction of a few choice selections; one was this most excellent product from the Santa Ynez Valley. Research shows a rating of 95 from Robert Parker and I totally agree with it.
Complex and full bodied, this wine is dense purple in color with notes of blackberries, blueberries, cassis, licorice, vanilla, oak, and pepper. Gotta love the heat (15.2%) and the finish is long. As memory serves, this one was priced around $35 and well worth a second purchase.
May 10th, 2007
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OK, so this was a pleasant surprise… On the label, this is subtitled a “Father and Son Cuvee” from Messina Hof Cellars in (are you ready for this?) — Texas. Checking their site, I discovered this one is a blend of 90% Cab and 10% Merlot and a limited production of only 2,688 bottles.
Not what I would call a great Cab, definitely not a big, bold, full bodied monster… but not bad at all. On a 20 point scale I would rate this around 15-16. Has an aromatic nose; lots of dark fruit with a hint of vanilla. The fruit follows on thru the pallate with a hint of red apple or tart plum. I got this along with some questionable bottles and honestly didn’t know what to expect; as stated earlier… a pleasant surprise.
January 26th, 2006
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My experience with Cline Cellars has not been on the positive side. So, when we opened this one last evening at a family get together, I really wasn’t expecting a lot. Well, this one was a great surprise!
As the name implies, this one is a blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignane, and Grenache. If you are saying to yourself that it sounds very Rhone-style, you are correct. At a price point of $8, this one will blow you away. All the typical Rhone descriptors are there; dark fruit, leather, tobacco, and vegetables. From nose to finish, this one is amazing…. absolutely worth a re-purchase.
September 5th, 2005
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Was unfamiliar with this one as it was a gift from a relative. Did some research and found it is from Orfila Vineyards in Escondido, California. What intrigued me was the blend: Mourvedre, Carignane, Syrah, Cinsout, Zinfandel, and Sangiovese. According to their Web site, the price point is/was around $16; no mention of the ‘99, but they do say the 2000 is sold out.
Day 1: Not so sure about this one; not much on the nose and weak palate. However, as the glass started to empty, I have to say it started to open a bit. Got some berry and vanilla and a touch of spice on the finish.
Day 2: Have to say this is getting better; opening up well. The nose is a bit more pronounced with berry, plum, and vanilla on both the nose and palate. The finish still comes thru with some spice. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?
August 17th, 2005
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The Barossa Valley comes thru again with another Rhone-style winner. This one is a MSG not a GSM. That’s right, heavier on the Mourvedre and lighter on the Grenache. Does it matter? Absolutely not. If you are into Rhones and Rhone-styles, give this a shot. I know I’m headed back for a repeat.
The first hit is the beautiful raspberry color and a nose that exudes cocoa, leather, cherry, and pepper. Give it a swirl and then give it a taste. More of the same flavors explode on the palate and then finish with a bit of heat and spice. All I can say is WOW !
July 6th, 2005
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This one was a gift from my wife; rumor has it the price is around $28.
As Cabs go, this one is on the weaker side. Medium body, clear light garnet in color with a minty nose maybe a touch of tobacco. The palate is fruity, maybe some cherry and a bit of something spicy (clove?) but not a lot. The mint comes back on the finish as well as that touch of tobacco. It went well with the flank steak and portobello mushroom, but beleive it or not it became a bit sour with dark chocolate. Not what you would expect from a Cab. Remember, I did say it was on the weaker side.
Did I enjoy it? Yeah, but at $28 I don’t think it warrants a return purchase. There are just too many bigger and better Cabs out there.
April 11th, 2005
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So this one was a gift from my daughter… If you are into Zins and tired of those big jammy fruit bombs and think you are ready to work your way into the spicier (”hotter”) ones, at $13 this one qualifies as a decent entry level.
Don’t expect anything like a Lamborn, D-Cubed, or Biale Black Chicken. This one has a clear garnet color with a fairly clear rim (a sign of a young wine?) and decent legs. The nose has raspberry and currant with a touch of pepper and spice. The spice comes out a bit more on the palate with some clove and pepper along with the berry. Not a bad finish either; even a bit of heat — not much, but enough to get you started into the hotter Zins.
Try a bottle or two of this one and then head for the ones that really pack the heat.
March 1st, 2005
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So this is a very nice blend from Spain; 45% Grenache, 35% Cab, and 20% Tempranillo. The label reports that the grapes are from 50 year old hillside vines (or older) — love those hillsides. I cannot remember exactly what we paid for it, but I want to say it was under $10.
A dark ruby color and 13.5% alchohol, this one exudes raspberry, cherry, and rose on the nose with plum, cherry, and a hint of spices and tobacco on the palate. We enjoyed it with roast chicken one evening and London Broil the next. Have gone thru 3-4 bottles and still have one in the cellar. Looking for an inexpensive red blend to go with your next Bar-B-Q meal?? You cannot go wrong with this one.
February 10th, 2005
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This is a GSM (43% Grenache, 39% Shiraz, 18% Mourvedre) from Grant Burge Wines, Barossa Valley Australia. Very much a Rhone-style from “Down Under”. If memory serves, this was around $36.
Have had this in my cellar for a couple years. Think it could have lasted another couple, but was in teh mood for a GSM, so couldn’t wait any longer. Purchased on a recomendation from a friend. To be honest, it is nice but not up to the hype; just not the “great wine” he said it was. I honestly expected a bit more heat and a little less fruit, but all-in-all it is very decent. Rich ruby/garnet color, nice legs, fruity but not a big “bomb”.
I remember tasting the ‘99 and the ‘2K which were very similar to this. Have had better GSMs and a lot better Rhones and Rhone-styles for the same price range (or less).
Would I buy this again?……… probably not.
Sorry I bought this? …………. not really.
January 19th, 2005
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