David Coffaro – 2006 Escuro
December 28, 2009
The Facts:
David Coffaro Estate Vineyard has been making wine commercially since the 1994 Vintage. Starting in 1979 until that first commercial vintage they sold off most of their fruit to other producers. Current production varies from 5,000 to 7,000 cases per year. 75% of their wines are sold through a futures program.
The David Coffaro 2006 Escuro is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (36%), Tannat (30%), Petite Sirah (20%), and Petite Verdot 14%). Fruit for this offering was sourced in Sonoma County. 460 cases of this selection were bottled and it sells for $20.
Gabe’s Take:
Red and black cherry aromas as well as plum pudding spice notes waft appealingly from the nose of this 2006 blend. Blackberry, cassis, black pepper and copious dark fruit notes are present throughout the palate of this wine. Minerals, white pepper and light cola notes emerge on the lengthy finish. This wine has medium tannins and good acidity. I paired this with pan roasted Filet Mignon topped with a green peppercorn and brandy sauce. This turned out to be a terrific match.
Escuro means dark in Portuguese. This 2006 blend from David Coffaro certainly lives up to that name both in color and flavor profile. The balance of this wine is what most impresses me. But the deepness of the flavors and the velvety finish are very appealing and make for a memorable wine. Escuro drinks well on its own, but is certainly even better with food. Occasionally when faced with absolutely impeccable fruit David Coffaro will make a straight varietal wine. More frequently though he assembles a number of varietals into a blend, utilizing their various strengths with the goal of course being to making the best and most interesting wine possible. With Escuro, as with many of his other wines, he succeeds and in doing so offers a terrific wine at an excellent price.
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Wilson Winery – 2007 Ellie’s Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel
December 23, 2009
The Facts:
The Wilson Winery 2007 Ellie’s Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel is made using fruit from vines planted in 1969. In addition to Zinfandel (96%), Petite Sirah (4%) is blended in as well. Barrel aging occurred in a combination of French and American oak over a period of 18 months. 570 cases of this release were produced and the suggested retail price is $32.
Gabe’s Take:
One could use the word dizzying to describe the array of Zinfandels available in Dry Creek Valley. Wilson Winery is a microcosm of that with around a dozen different designate Zins in their arsenal. Thankfully in both cases there’s lots of diversity to be had. I didn’t specifically recall the Ellie’s Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel from my last visit and so I was particularly curious to try it.
Dark fruit aromas, particularly blackberry and black raspberry fill the nose of this Zinfandel. Wisps of vanilla and cedar underscore these. Both black and red cherry dominate the lush, full flavored palate, along with hints of black olive. Both black and white pepper notes, mineral characteristics, hints of burnt brown sugar and a nice wallop of earth mark the lengthy, layered finish. Firm tannins and excellent acidity are both hallmarks of this offering.
What stands out in particular about this specific Zinfandel is how classically structured it is. While it certainly has some hints of jam in both the nose and palate this offering is a bit more restrained than the other Wilson Winery Zins I’ve recently written about. The others will certainly also evolve and drink well for a period of time, however the Ellie’s Vineyard is perhaps the best suited of the bunch to long term aging. This is a terrific wine and another reason that Wilson Winery is one of the places you’ll need to stop if you want to taste a wine range of Zinfandel.
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Blackstone – 2007 Sonoma Reserve Rubric
December 19, 2009
The Facts:
Blackstone has had some ubiquitous selections on store shelves for years now. These everyday priced offerings have recently been augmented with the addition of a Sonoma County series of wines. The Blackstone 2007 Sonoma Reserve Rubric is made from fruit sourced in Dry Creek Valley (59%), Sonoma County (20%), Sonoma Valley (15%), and Alexander Valley (6%). This offering blends Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Malbec (14%), Cabernet Franc (8%), Petit Verdot (8%), Tannat (7%), Merlot (5%), and Petite Sirah (3%). Oak aging occurred over 20 months in combination of new and older barrels. 7,000 cases of this wine were produced and the suggested retail price is $22.99.
Gabe’s Take:
Over the years come of the words I’ve associated with Blackstone wines are value, availability, and popularity. Their Merlot which sells for around $10 is particularly well known and its one of those wines just about everyone you run into either drinks regularly, did at some point, or at the very least has tasted it. With that in mind I was very curious and eager to see what Blackstone was accomplishing with a new Reserve tier of wines. That the series is from Sonoma County, and utilizes Dry Creek Valley fruit, only piqued my curiosity further.
Plum, violets, and black raspberry aromas are prominent components of the nose of this wine. They’re underscored by cedar notes and hints of vanilla. When this wine if first opened it’s a bit tight and decanting is highly recommended. An hour in the decanter did the trick. Once it gets that air it needs a solid core of rich berry fruit, with a layer of spice characteristics overlaying it is revealed. These spice notes lead right into the finish which features dusty baker’s chocolate and lots of earth. Rubric has firm but yielding tannins and solid acidity. Full flavored foods will be the best accompaniment for this wine in its youth.
If you’ve had the entry level Blackstone wines here’s one to try for the holidays or perhaps to gift to a friend. For $22.99 this wine offers a lot of value in a Meritage inspired blend. Considering 7,000 cases were made this won’t be difficult to find either. It’s good to see Blackstone make a higher echelon wine and even nicer to see them utilizing Dry Creek Valley Fruit.
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Cinnabar Winery – Philosopher’s Stone Lot 310
December 14, 2009
The Facts:
Cinnabar Winery has a history in the Santa Cruz Mountains that dates to 1983. The name of the winery comes from the belief of 14th century alchemists that they could use the mineral Cinnabar to transform everyday metals into gold. Cinnabar Winery founder Tom Mudd applied that magical thought to winemaking. In total Cinnabar Winery produces approximately 17,000 cases per year.
The Cinnabar Winery Lot 310 Philosophers Stone is produced using fruit from Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma Valley proper and Santa Clara Valley. This non-vintage releases is a blend of Zinfandel (67%), and Teroldego (33%). The Zinfandel was barrel aged for 32 months with the Teroldego spending 56 months in oak. The final blend of this wine was determined by the Cinnabar Winery tasting room staff. Less than 80 cases of this wine were produced and the suggested retail price is $32.
Gabe’s Take:
A couple of months ago I tasted some impressive Pinot Noirs from Cinnabar Winery. So when the opportunity to taste a unique blend, and one that contained Dry Creek Valley Fruit presented itself, I couldn’t resist. If I counted the number of times I’ve had a New World example of Teroldego, I’d have a few fingers left over on one hand. That also adds to the appeal going in.
The Philosopher’s Stone has a jam laden nose loaded with baker’s spice notes, cinnamon, and cardamom amongst others. The palate has brooding, intense and dark fleshy fruit notes interspersed with brighter, red fruit punctuation marks. Smoked meats, sour cherry and blackberry are all prominent on the lengthy and pleasing finish. This wine has good acidity and nice structure.
What strikes me most about this wine is how distinctive it is in reality. It’s one thing to be unique on paper, but this selection lived up to that thought when tasting it as well. The Teroldego and Zinfandel really balance each other out to create a memorable and proportionate wine. Despite alcohol content of 15% this offering doesn’t drink hot at all. To really get the most out of this wine now, decanting for 90 minutes or so is highly recommended. This wine will pair best with hearty foods. Roasted red meats, game and strong cheeses are the first things that come to mind. Philosopher’s Stone Lot 310 is a terrifically interesting and delicious wine from Cinnabar Winery.
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Kokomo Winery – 2007 Dry Creek Valley Petite Sirah
December 10, 2009
The Facts:
The Kokomo Winery 2007 Petite Sirah was produced using fruit sourced at two vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, Perotti and Mounts. This wine is 100% Petite Sirah. Barrel aging was accomplished over 20 months in a combination of French and American oak; 30% of the barrels were new. 224 cases of this wine were produced and the suggested retail price is $27.
Gabe’s Take:
Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc are the first grapes most folks think of when Dry Creek Valley comes to mind. Rightly so, I’d say, as these two varietals flourish in Dry Creek at least as well as they do anywhere. For me though, there’s a third one I think of and it’s Petite Sirah. Maybe it’s because it’s somewhat under appreciated by the public at large. Perhaps it’s the dark and intensely brooding nature of most Petite Sirahs. Whatever the reason the mere prospect of one gets me as excited as any varietal can. Until recently I hadn’t tasted Kokomo’s offering. Thankfully that changed.
Powerful plum pudding spice aromas fill the nose of this Petite Sirah. Taking the first sip it’s apparent that this wine is a bit tight out of the bottle right now. An hour in the decanter did wonders, really allowing this Petite to sparkle. Blackberry and chocolate sauce notes are integral parts of the potent and full flavored palate. Other dark fruit notes kick in as well with black mission fig being particularly noteworthy. This wines finish which is nice and lengthy has tons of earth, black pepper, black tea characteristics and subtle hints of sweet balsamic vinegar. This wine has gripping tannins that yield with time and good acidity.
This Petite Sirah is an excellent reminder of why this varietal is terrific. Its attack is intense, and powerful, but balanced. It drinks very well on its own but will pair well with hearty foods. Also of note is that it’s a particularly good example of Petite Sirah from Dry Creek Valley specifically.
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Fritz Winery – 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir
December 8, 2009
The Facts:
Dry Creek Valley’s Fritz Winery makes a number of wines from their Estate Dry Creek fruit. Additionally though, they also have vineyards in Russian River Valley. The Fritz 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir is made from Russian River fruit sourced at the Whitten-Goth vineyard which is planted to the Pommard clone. This selection is 100% varietal. Barrel aging was accomplished over 8 months in 40% new oak. 216 cases of this wine were produced and the suggested retail price is $50.
Gabe’s Take:
Of course there isn’t much Pinot Noir in Dry Creek Valley. And most who do have one in their stable source fruit for it outside of Dry Creek. Russian River Valley is one of the great spots in California for Burgundian varietals. So I was eager to see what this Reserve 2007 wine tasted like.
This Pinot is just a touch tight coming out of the bottle. A solid 45 minutes in the decanter really opens it up and allows it to shine. Once it gets that air the expressive nose emits aromas of dark fruit, mushroom and hints of earth. Black cherry is the most prominent characteristic through the palate. It’s joined by cinnamon, toasty oak notes and other dark fruit characteristics such as plum and blackberry. The lengthy finish features lots more earth as well as mineral notes such as graphite and hints of brown sugar and sour cherry. This wine has excellent structure and it’s framed by tremendous acidity.
This 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir from Fritz is a lovely example of what can be achieved with excellent Russian River Valley Pinot Noir fruit. This wine has tremendous balance and will pair well a wide array of foods. It has the structure to evolve for the next 3-5 years and to drink well for several after that.
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Forefront by Pine Ridge – 2008 Sauvignon Blanc
December 7, 2009
The Facts:
Fruit for the Forefront 2008 Sauvignon Blanc was sourced in two regions. 67% came from Dry Creek Valley, the balance from Napa County. This wine was fermented in stainless steel and never saw any oak. This offering was finished in screw cap and has a suggested retail price of $16.
Gary and Nancy Andrus founded Napa Valley Stalwart Pine Ridge Winery over 30 years ago. In the time they ran this winery they not only produced a steady stream of excellent wine they’ve also been on the precipice of innovation. Long before the public at large was aware of the potential in Napa Valley they introduced quality initiatives in planting and cooperage that were ahead of most of their peers. They were even amongst the first to hire a female winemaker, long before it was commonplace. The Winery was sold in 2001 but the current owners have maintained the quality and now they’ve started Forefront which is an offshoot of Pine Ridge Vineyards.
Gabe’s Take:
Bright and effusive are the first words that come to mind with the aromas emerging from the nose of this wine. Citrus, melon, and hints of grass are all present and really shine. The palate of this wine is loaded with a remarkable array of stunning fresh fruit flavors. Tangerine, nectarine, honeydew, gooseberry and a hint of lemon are the most bold. White pepper, minerals and lingering citrus characteristics are all part of the tremendous finish on this wine. This wine has well balanced acidity and will pair well with light foods.
This 2008 wine is a world class Sauvignon Blanc and a heck of a good deal for $16. It’s no surprise to me that they would source two thirds of the fruit from Dry Creek Valley. There’s no question that Dry Creek is of course the ideal spot in CA for Sauvignon Blanc. The Napa fruit give it an added dimension and together they form a delicious wine you don’t want to miss.
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Sbragia Family Vineyards – 2007 Home Ranch Merlot
December 6, 2009
The Facts:
Sbragia Family Vineyards founder Ed Sbragia has a long history in California Wine. For years he was the head winemaker at Napa’s Beringer. But he left that full time position in 2008 to focus on Sbragia Family Vineyards. He still consults at Beringer. The Sbragia Family Vineyards 2007 Home Ranch Merlot is like the other Sbragia offerings, a single vineyard effort. In addition to Merlot (95%), Cabernet Franc (5%) is blended in. Barrel aging was accomplished over 18 months in 100% new French oak. 1,107 cases of this vintage were produced and the suggested retail price is $25.
Gabe’s Take:
I really enjoy well made Merlot. Unfortunately as much if not more than other red varietals there is a sea of subpar Merlot clogging up wine shop shelves. So whenever I get ready to taste one I’m hoping it’s going to be one of the good ones. Considering how strongly I feel about both Dry Creek in general and the other Sbragia releases I’ve had specifically I was pretty optimistic about this Merlot.
The nose of this 2007 Merlot is incredible floral in nature. Violets are particularly prominent. Plum and blueberry aromas play a role as well, along with some toast notes. The palate of this Merlot is loaded with red and dark fruit flavors. Those characteristics lean towards dried fruit. Cranberry, dried raspberry and cherry are the most expressive. The finish, which is remarkably smooth, features earth, espresso and a hint of brown sugar as well as black pepper and nutmeg spices. This wine has excellent acidity.
What I absolutely love about this Merlot is how lean it is. It’s loaded with fruit flavors, but none of them are flabby. Impeccable balance is the lead story of this wine from the first whiff of the nose to the last sip on its lingering finish. This is what Merlot should taste like when it’s made with care. Kudos to Sbragia Family Vineyards for an incredibly pleasing and tasty Merlot.
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