Waugh Cellars – 2005 Zinfandel
March 30, 2009
The Facts:
The 2005 Waugh Cellars Zinfandel was sourced from a single vineyard. This wine is 100% Zinfandel. Waugh Cellars is located in Napa, but sources fruit for each varietal they make in what they perceive as the best environment for the particular grape. No surprise to us at Drink Dry Creek that they get their Zinfandel in Dry Creek Valley. This wine was aged in French oak for 18 months; 10% of it was new, the balance neutral. Alcohol is a Zinfully modest 14.5%. 450 cases of this 2005 Zin was produced and the suggested retail price is $38.
Gabe’s Take:
One of our goals is to cover not only the wines produced by Dry Creek Wineries, but also those of Vintners with the vision to source fruit there. This Zinfandel from Waugh Cellars is an example of that. The nose of this wine is big, loaded with berry jam characteristics, and underpinned with a touch of eucalyptus. Throughout the bright palate there is an immense amount of dark berry fruit, prominent vanilla and continued echoes of eucalyptus. Towards the end of the mid-palate, but before getting to the finish, a nice wallop of white pepper kicks in, followed by subtle black tea notes. All of this leads to a lengthy finish full of continuing berry as well as spice and earth characteristics. All the big, bold fruit is actually held in check by firm acidity. You might do better than pairing this wine with a pulled pork sandwich, but don’t count on it. The Waugh Cellars Zinfandel has BBQ written all over it.
What impressed me most about this wine is the fact that it deftly balances big, somewhat brawny fruit, with restraint and a touch of finesse. I went back to this wine after it had been open for a full 24 hours, and it improved from night one, always a good sign. Don’t rush to drink this one, it’ll age well in your cellar, but man oh man, it’s really delicious right now.
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Dutcher Crossing – 2007 Bernier-Sibary Zinfandel
March 29, 2009
The Facts:
The 2007 Dutcher Crossing Bernier-Sibary Vineyard Zinfandel is a single vineyard field blend. This wine is composed of Zinfandel (76%), Petite Sirah (10%), Carignane (10%) and Mataro (4%). In true Field Blend style the grapes were harvested together and co-fermented. This wine was aged in French oak for 10 months; 32% of the barrels were new. Just fewer than 200 cases of this wine were produced and the suggested retail price is $39. This wine is one of two vineyard designated Zinfandels that Dutcher Crossing has used to launch their new look label and focus on small lot, vineyard designated wines.
Gabe’s Take:
Dark berries, cloves, violets, and hints of star anise are all present in the nose of this Single Vineyard Zinfandel. Throughout the palate, big, ripe fruit is plentiful. While that fruit is up front and loaded with some jam notes, it’s also in check, balanced, and layered. Mineral characteristics emerge in the mid-palate and continue on through the finish which is impressively long and loaded with dark chocolate, chicory and touches of toasty oak. This Zinfandel, which is pretty bold is also framed by good structure and firm acidity. I paired it with pan roasted Filet Mignon, kissed with a touch of truffle oil, and thought it was a near perfect match.
There are several things that impress me about this Zinfandel. First and foremost is that it’s loaded with an array of complex layers and flavors. Secondly it’s got a very impressive finish that stays, and stays, begging you to take another sip. Third, this is in the small class of Zins that will age well for quite awhile; This wine can be laid down for a decade without hesitation. Last and certainly not least, this wine has all the essential hallmarks of classic, big time Dry Creek Zinfandel. Every sip of this wine was a reminder of why I fell in love with Dry Creek to begin with. This is an excellent effort by the folks at by Dutcher Crossing.
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Fritz Winery – 2006 Dry Creek Valley Syrah
March 28, 2009
The Facts:
2009 marks 30 years since Jay & Barbabra Fritz built their underground Winery in the hills of Dry Creek Valley. Their current overall case production is approximately 12,000 per year. That number is actually signicantly lower than what they were producing thorough the mid 90’s. At that time they dedicated themselves to higher quality throughout the winery. 178 cases of the 2006 Dry Creek Syrah were produced. The suggested retail price for this wine is $28.
Gabe’s take:
The nose of this 2006 Syrah is filled with a combination of red and black raspberry notes, as well as subtle but present leather. Throughout the palate dark fruit is prominent and accompanied by black and white pepper spice. The finish is very smooth, featuring a ton of mineral, earth and spice notes. Chewey tannins and good acidity are the hallmark of this young Syrah’s structure. This wine is built to match food. Red meats, game or other equally full flavored items are my recommendation.
What I like best about this Syrah from Fritz is that it’s enjoyable now, but will surely improve with time in the bottle. If you are going to drink it in the next year or so, I recommend decanting it for about an hour to get the best you can out of it. This is a reasonably priced Syrah, made in small quantities, best to jump all over it now if you want it as it’s not likely to last long. This is a lovely expression of Syrah that’s true to the grapes ancestral home, and its Dry Creek upbringing.
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Montemaggiore – 2005 Syrah
March 27, 2009
The Facts:
The 2005 Montemaggiore Syrah is made from Estate fruit. All the grapes (100% Syrah) were sourced at Paolo’s Vineyard. This wine was aged, for 20 months, in a combination of French (86%) and American (16%) oak; 38% of the barrels were new. 725 cases of this Dry Creek Valley Syrah were produced and the suggested retail price is $35.
Gabe’s Take:
Back in October I visited Montemaggiore. I had the opportunity to walk the vineyards and taste the wines with Winemaker Lise Ciolino. Along with her husband, she founded the winery in 2001. Syrah is their passion, and the focus of their winery, which utilizes organic and biodynamic practices. The property and vineyards are breathtaking and I recalled really enjoying the wines, so the opportunity to revisit this Syrah, several months later, was certainly a welcome one.
The nose of this Syrah is effusive, with plum, cherry, leather and smoked meat notes the most prominent. Throughout the palate the fruit and leather notes continue and are joined by black pepper. The impressively lengthy finish is loaded with earth and mineral notes that are underpinned by continuing echoes of smoked meats. This wine is very well balanced and has terrific acidity. At just over 3 years old this wine is a baby. If you’re going to drink it now, decant it for a couple of hours if you can. Those with the patience to lay it down for 7-8 years will be rewarded with ever emerging earthiness.
What I like best about this Syrah is that it displays old world style Syrah charm, while also being quite reflective of its Dry Creek home. If you love well made Syrah, Montemaggiore is a name to keep in mind, and seek out.
Dave’s Take:
I almost felt like a dirty old man drinking this wine. It is old enough, “barely legal”… but old enough. Yet her true colors will not show for at least a few more years. That being said, sometimes the excitement of something young and vibrant such as this can bring so much to a tired palate. There is really nice cherry and blackberry fruit, a little spice, definitely meaty (a smoker for sure) and an especially great and lengthy finish – dirty … just the way I like it. If you want to know what I mean by dirt in my glass, this is exactly what I mean, and love. I agree with Gabe that this is definitely more in an old world style, yet maintains the character that makes Dry Creek famous.
I am hoping that many of you will give this wine a try – even to the extent of buying half of a case, it is deserving of aging and would make a great bottle to try once a year and make notes. I think that many of you would be surprised at the ever changing life inside this bottle. Today she is young and exciting; tomorrow she will be even more interesting, and well rounded. In either case, she is still seductive. So whether you like’em young, or hold it for something more mature – try this one. Either way the neighbors will be jealous.
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Gadget Review # 2: The Respirer Wine Aerator
March 22, 2009
The Claims:
1) Fits easily over a glass
2) In moments a $20 bottle will resemble a $40 bottle
3) Fits in the wine bottle after you are done to conserve every drop
Once again I have the privilege of reviewing a wine aerator which is fast becoming my favorite type of wine accessory. Why my favorite? Because as with my previous review this one works! So now let’s take a closer look.
The Respirer is pronounced Res-pea-air (French for breathe). All of these devices appear to be invented in the USA, made in China, and named by a Frenchman. Nothing against Frenchmen, but the USA has enough trouble asking for cabbernuts and peanut noy-er….do we need to do this to our own citizens? That being said, I liked this product.
This device, as the Soiree, lives up to the promise of allowing the wine to breathe in this crack’n'pour society. I had a criticism of the Soiree which is it seemed a bit fragile and should come with a case so that you could bring it to a restaurant. Thank you Respirer for answering that call. This device is both more durable (made out of a thick plastic instead of glass) and comes with a case. This is definitely a device I would bring to a restaurant. Let me rephrase, this is a device I WILL bring to a restaurant. Thank you.
But as much as this is great news, there are a couple of small issues. This device makes some noise, and a strange one at that. It is a kind of sucking gurgling sound that is hard to emulate. I will use this at a restaurant, but if it is very quiet I will probably look around to see who was listening. Also, compared to the Soiree, this item is a bit kludgy (for lack of a better term). The Soiree nicely fit in the bottle without falling out and from there it was a one handed operation. This device requires you to hold it over a wine glass and pour with the other hand. You can then put the Respirer in a little holder or on top of your wine bottle, but it does not fit snugly on the bottle top so this could fall out rather easily.
The Results:
1) Fits easily over a glass
Yes, this product will fit easily over a glass. The wine comes out of a spout approximately the size of the stem of a wine glass. If you can’t make this work, PUT THE WINE DOWN.
2) In moments a $20 bottle will resemble a $40 bottle
Yes this is true if you only use this on the $20 bottle – in reality this will help most bottles taste better when time is at a premium. As with the Soiree, be careful with older, more fragile bottles that may be damaged by these devices.
3) Fits in the wine bottle after you are done to conserve every drop.
Ok – as I said, it fits, but not snugly. This may be helpful when you have limited table space, such as at a restaurant but otherwise I’m not sure why I would bother.
In conclusion, this gadget works well, it suits a purpose, and it is affordable at $39.95. I don’t think that I would replace my Soiree with it, but I would probably add it to my collection. There are times that I would prefer to use this one….if for no other reason than to hear that blessed noise.
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Collier Falls Vineyards – 2005 Petite Sirah
March 22, 2009
The Facts:
Collier Falls Vineyards is a Family owned property. The Collier family bought the vineyard in 1997. Their focus is on Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Primitivo and Petite Sirah. Their portfolio includes a couple of dessert wines. The 2005 Hillside Estate Petite Sirah is 100% varietal. This wine was aged in a combination of French and American oak for 20 months; 33% of it was new. A mere 93 cases of this wine were produced and the suggested retail price is $36.
Gabe’s Take:
While my taste in wine is broad and varied, there are certain varietals that tend to get me excited just thinking about them. Petite Sirah is such a grape. A sure sign for my unabashed love of Petite Sirah is the fact that I never turn down the opportunity to taste one. If I’m at a friends house, a public tasting or in a Winery tasting room, if someone offers Petite Sirah, my response is always, “yes please.” So suffice it to say having loved their Zinfandel previously, I was excited to try the Collier Falls Petite Sirah.
Dark berry fruit in the form of black plum and blueberry fill the nose of this wine. Throughout the palate this offering is both full flavored and somewhat gentle for a Petite Sirah. It coats the senses with layers of flavors, but never overwhelms or batters your taste buds. I’m sure that’s due in part to the modest 13.9% alcohol. That also lends itself to the impeccable balance, and tremendous acidity this wine displays. As the wine opens up, there are a ton of earth notes that become more prominent in the lengthy finish. The final notes are a touch of tart fruit and a tingle of black pepper.
I’m once again duly impressed by a Collier Falls offering. I paired this wine with a meatloaf sandwich and was incredibly satisfied by that match. This Petite Sirah is going to work well with a number of foods, including a classic Italian Sunday dinner that features pasta in red sauce as well as other Southern Italian standards. While this wine is drinking incredibly right now, I wouldn’t hesitate to lay it down for a decade. That time in the bottle should increase the earthiness dramatically. However, if you don’t have the patience, I can’t blame you, this wine is tremendous, and tempting.
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Dry Creek Vineyard – 2005 The Mariner Meritage
March 22, 2009
The Facts:
This is a Meritage (rhymes with heritage) blend. A red Meritage is made from a blend of two or more of the following grape varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, St. Macaire Gros Verdot, and Carmenere. No single varietal can make up more than 90 percent of the blend. For more information on this go to The Meritage Association.
The blend of The Mariner is as follows: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec, and 3% Cabernet Franc. 100% of this fruit comes from Dry Creek Valley. It spent 25 months in French oak. Alcohol is 13.9%, Total Acidity 0.57, pH 3.74, Drinkable now, aging potential is 8-12 years. The suggested retail price for this wine is $40.
Dave’s Take:
With such a vast sea of wine choices available at your local wine shop, Dry Creek Vineyard’s “The Mariner” Meritage shines like a beacon. A well made Meritage generally has a lot going on, and this one definitely did not disappoint.
The nose of this wine carried a distinct floral component along with black cherry.On the mid-palate a decadent combination of chocolate and cherry combines with plum and cassis. Add to this a nice long oaky – vanilla finish that complements the continuing fruit and WOW – this is exactly what I was hoping for.
This is the second vintage for this Meritage blend. It only took two dates for me to fall in love with this bottle, another date and I may have to have a talk with the winemaker. Who knows, after that we may have to get some 375s….I like the idea of having little ones running around.
This is a full bodied, rich wine that deserves a good cut of meat, however, I like wines like this even on their own. Either way just give me another glass.
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Collier Falls Vineyard – 2006 Primitivo
March 16, 2009
The Facts:
This vintage is 100% Primitivo. Alcohol is 16.5%, Aged for 15 months in oak – 33% new American oak and the balance in used French and American. 275 cases were produced and the suggested retail price is $32.00. Collier Falls Vineyard is a 100-acre hillside property, located in the northwest corner of Dry Creek Valley. A sixty-foot waterfall on the property gives this winery its name.
Dave’s Take:
Wine?! 60 foot waterfall?!! Ever since I read the description of this winery I find myself daydreaming of this idyllic spot…Collier Falls- it sounds to me like the perfect setting (and name) for a prime-time soap opera. Are you listening LA?
First off I will say that the 2006 Primitivo is delicious out of the bottle, but resist the temptation and let it open up for an hour. This bottle packs blackberry / blueberry on the nose combined with dark plum to really lure me in. As the wine warmed over my palate, black pepper and cloves became immediately evident. The finish revealed notes of chocolate, leather, and tobacco. This wine had just the right acidity and huge amounts of soft tannins. These tannins carried a finish that went on for days. My only complaint is that the alcohol seemed a tad high, but is this a complaint, really? Let’s face it, half of you are now more likely to give this one a shot.
I was fortunate enough to share this bottle with my father (also a wine connoisseur). He was speechless, just sitting back and savoring the wine. Do you know how long I’ve tried to make this man speechless instead of rattling on about me? All of this blissful silence for a mere $32. Well worth the price of admission.
So LA…I wish that I could give you some plot ideas, but there is no controversy here. This winery is terrific and one to watch. This wine is a great deal. If it was sourced from Napa it would sell for significantly more and be worth every penny.
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Kelley Creek – 2006 Tributary
March 16, 2009
The Facts:
Kelley Creek Wines are made by Scott Lindstrom-Dake, who also makes the Thumbprint Cellars offerings. The 2006 Tributary is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (62%), Merlot (29%) and Cabernet Franc (9%). This offering is composed of 100% Dry Creek Valley Fruit. To date, 2006 is the only vintage of this particular wine that Scott produced. The suggested retail price for this wine is $15.
Gabe’s Take:
The nose of the Tributary is filled with red raspberry and plum notes. Throughout the palate these characteristics continue and are joined by kirsch liqueur, cedar, mushroom and a touch of licorice. The lengthy finish is filled with sour cherry, earth, bramble and a host of spice notes. This wine has approachable tannins and good acidity.
Several things appealed to me about Tributary. For one it’s got a lot going on, for a very attractive price. Secondly the fruit is a little brighter than the typical Bordeaux style blends and thus it stands out as unique in that way. The combination of complexity, and easy drinkability, makes Tributary a wine that is likely to have broad appeal.
Dave’s Take:
Everything about the 2006 Kelley Creek Tributary is extremely easy: easy to drink, easy to enjoy, and easy on the wallet. I should be mad at the winemaker for giving us the “raspberry”, but I have to say this is one time I can’t complain. I agree with Gabe, the bright raspberry fruit that gives way to a more earthy finish should have wide appeal and is a relative bargain. I don’t recall in recent history a wine that has had as much going on for this price point. Finally a wine I truly enjoy and am not afraid to crack open whether I’m drinking alone or with a crowd.
Where has Scott Lindstrom-Dake been and why haven’t I noticed? If he continues to produce quality well priced wines such as these I think that we will be hearing a lot more about him in the future. Right now his wines are a bargain, I’d grab them while they are. I have to admit that this one has already become somewhat of a “go to” for me.
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Carol Shelton – 2005 Rocky Reserve Zinfandel
March 10, 2009
The Facts:
Carol Shelton the winemaker and co-owner of Carol Shelton Wines spent 20 years at Windsor Vineyards making well regarded, award wining wines. In 2000 she decided to focus on her own wines. Not surprisingly she decided to focus on her long time passion for Zinfandel. The 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve Zinfandel is 100% varietal. The fruit was sourced at the Florence Vineyard in Rockpile, Dry Creek Valley. The wine was aged for 13 months in French, American and Hungarian oak barrels of varying ages. 698 cases of this Zinfandel were produced and the suggested retail price is $33.
Gabe’s Take:
The Rocky Reserve needs some time in the decanter to really shine. Once it opens up, blueberry, blackberry and subtle strawberry notes emerge in the nose, underscored by vanilla. The palate is filled with dark fruit flavors accompanied by black pepper and pie crust spices. The finish has emerging bakers chocolate notes, interspersed with white pepper, and hints of dusty earth. Solid structure and good acidity are even more pronounced in the Rocky Reserve Zinfandel than the others. This wine is n excellent match for a double cut pork chop, or other grilled meats.
The hallmarks of this Carol Shelton Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel are quality and distinction. It’s well made, and indicative of the fruit being sourced in Dry Creek Valley. While Rocky Reserve is enjoyable to drink now, it’s sure to improve for a couple of years, and drink well for several more after that. Without question, this is a Zinfandel to make a special effort to seek out.
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