Migration Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2012 Since its premier vintage of Pinot Noir in 2001, Duckhorn Wine Company’s Migration has a compelling style of winemaking. Embodying the elegance of cool-climate California winegrowing, Migration’s exploration of the great Burgundian varietals began in the Anderson Valley, where Duckhorn Wine Company cultivates four estate Pinot Noir vineyards, spanning 207 vine acres. Shaped by the valley’s cool nights, fog-shrouded mornings and mild, sunny afternoons established Migration’s stylistic identity with abundant fruit and bright acidity. Beginning in 2011, Migration also began making a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and forms the cornerstone of the Migration portfolio. A light ruby red color with aromas of…
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Copain “Tous Ensemble” Alexander Valley 2014 Chardonnay Copain Wines is perched on a hill overlooking the serenely beautiful Russian River Valley. Winemaker Wells Guthrie discovered early on that his taste in wine gravitated toward Europe in general and France’s Rhône Valley in particular. So much so, he picked up and moved with his new bride to the region to learn from the best. For two years, Wells apprenticed for esteemed winemaker and living legend Michel Chapoutier in France’s Rhone Valley. During that time, Wells was deeply inspired by the traditions and practices of French winemaking, not to mention the European attitude that wine is an essential part of life. At…
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Robert Mondavi 2012 Napa Merlot Robert Mondavi Winery, located in Oakville, CA, makes a number of outstanding and consistent quality wines and established his winery in 1966 with a vision to have his Napa Valley wines to be among the world’s finest. Robert Mondavi also believed his wines should reflect its “roots” and be a signature creation from a combination of the soil, climate and production techniques, both new and old, which transforms the grapes into a fine wine. Opening a bottle of 2012 Napa Merlot, I noticed a dark red color, almost purple with blue and black fruit aromas. The wine is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet…
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Les Forts De Latour 2004 Les Forts de Latour is the second wine of Chateau Latour, the First Growth Pauillac Bordeaux. Like Latour, Les Forts de Latour is owned by French industrialist Francois Pinault. Some 140,000 bottles of Les Forts are produced each year. It is typically 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot and about one-third of the grapes come from young vines within the l’Enclos, which is the 116 acres just around the chateau. The rest of the grapes comes from much older vines outside the l’Enclos, meaning that Les Forts de Latour is made from a significant amount of old-vine cuvee. Les Forts is often highly rated by…
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Simi Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2013 Reserve In 1876, brothers Giuseppe and Pietro Simi began making wine in San Francisco from Sonoma County grapes and eventually planted vineyards near Healdsburg. Simi’s historic stone cellars were built in 1890 and are still used to age the wines. Today, Simi Winery is recognized as a leader in innovation and experimentation with a history of over 125 years of cutting-edge winemaking. Opening their Reserve Chardonnay, that was aged for 11 months in 100% French oak, the color was a bright straw yellow with aromas of stone fruits and baking spice notes. The palate shows tart apples, pears and melon flavors with subtle toasty…
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Mer Soleil Chardonnay 2013 Reserve The Wagner family legacy of winemaking has been carried on for three generations. The family’s deep roots of farming grapes and producing wine began in 1915 in the Napa Valley. Charlie F. Wagner and Lorna Belle Glos Wagner, along with their son, Chuck, established Caymus Vineyards in 1972. Chuck saw great potential for producing quality wines outside of the Napa Valley as well, and by 1988, Chuck began planting land in the Santa Lucia Highlands. This appellation, located in Monterey County, is along the cooler coastline, yielding early ripening for Chardonnay. Mer Soleil Chardonnay became the product of this quality chosen site, and has been…
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Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2012 Not long ago I went to a tasting and tried the Tenuta San Guido wines. They offer three noteworthy reds, the famous Sassicaia and two additional labels; Guidalberto and LeDifese. LeDifese, their lower priced wine, is a Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese blend and has been produced by the winery since 2003 and is an excellent offering. Their second label to Sassicaia is Guidalberto. Mario Incisa, creator of Sassicaia, was inspired by his great-uncle Leopoldo Incisa della Rocchetta and motivated by his great great grandfather Guidalberto della Gherardesca, pioneer of modern agriculture, explains the choice of the name and creation of a new wine in 2000, Guidalberto.…
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Walt 2012 La Brisa Sonoma Pinot Noir WALT Wines, owned by Vintners Kathryn Walt Hall and Craig Hall, produces premier Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Pacific Coast’s most distinctive vineyard sites, spanning nearly 1000 miles and including Sta. Rita Hills, Sonoma County, Anderson Valley, and the Willamette Valley. Kathryn’s parents, Bob & Dolores Walt, were dedicated winegrowers who loved the land and each other. Her family produced six different varietals that was sold to several great wineries. For Kathryn’s parents, growing grapes was a shared family vision. In 2009, Hall partnered with Roger and Richard Roessler, brothers who sought the finest vineyard sources along the Pacific Coast to make…
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Michele Chiarlo 2009 Barolo Tortoniano The Chiarlo style has always that of producing greatly elegant and complex wines with a tendency to excellent longevity and at the same time, featuring all the characteristics of the vineyards and soil from which they claim their origin. In the cellar, winemakers Stefano Chiarlo and Gianni Meleni pursue the goal of being faithful to the Chiarlo style: a moderate and careful use of wood for their red wines so that the varietal and the soil characteristics remain evident. Michele Chiarlo worked tenaciously together with other prestigious producers to raise the level of the noble Barolo, making it less austere and with smoother tannins, but…
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Ken Wright Cellars 2012 Meredith Mitchell Vineyard Ken Wright Cellars is in Carlton, Oregon. It was founded in 1994 by Ken Wright, a winemaker who began his career at wineries on California’s Central Coast. The winery focuses on the terroir of its various vineyards and makes a portfolio of Pinot Noirs. Ken Wright Cellars has long standing reputation of producing some of the best Pinot Noir’s. The estate in 2003 started another label, Tyrus Evan, which produces Claret, Syrah, Malbec, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. Today I tried their Meredith Mitchell Vineyard offering. Deep red color with purple edges. The nose shows off aromas of black and red fruits with earthy…