• Australia,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  Exceptional Red,  Shiraz

    Exceptional Reds

    I recently went to a private wine tasting where one of the Founders of Two Hands Wines, Michael Twelftree (pictured above) opened four of his wines and provided some in depth commentary on those wines and his winery. I will review two of his wines today and the other two I will make some comments my next two reviews, in a few days, keep a look out! Two Hands 2014 Sexy Beast Cabernet Sauvignon The idea for Two Hands was born in September 1999 when founders Michael Twelftree and Richard Mintz sat at a friend’s engagement party and decided it was time to make their own wine and market it on…

  • California,  Carneros,  Exceptional Red,  Napa,  Pinot Noir

    Exceptional Red

    Saintsbury Carneros Pinot Noir 2012 In 1977 David Graves and Richard Ward, both UC Davis graduate students met in brewing class. In addition to sharing a passion for brew, they also had a passion for Burgundies. In 1978 they began working the Napa harvest at Chappellet and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. In 1981 David and Dick founded Saintsbury and began focusing on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  The winery’s namesake honors George Saintsbury (1845-1933), literary historian and oenophile. Vivid ruby red, with a bouquet of dark red fruit and spicy aromas. On the palate ripe fruit flavors of cherries, plum and dried red berries, slight earthy and mineral taste. Aged for…

  • Exceptional Red,  Garnacha,  Spain,  Tempranillo

    Exceptional Red

    Solar De Castro Vendimia Seleccionada 2009 The winery’s oldest reference dates back to 1888, year in which Vicente Domeco de Jarauta presented a wine in Barcelona’s world-wide exhibition and won an award. In 1995 José Vicente Domeco de Jarauta built a modern winery where he begins to make commercial wines, and later in 2005, he created Winery Domeco de Jarauta on the occasion of the incorporation. his son Jose Vicente Domeco de Jarauta, who after studying enology in San Sadurni D’Anoia (Penedés) joined the family business creating a winery where its primary target was combining tradition, quality and innovation. A blend of 80% Tempranillo 20% Garnacha with 12 months of…

  • Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Exceptional Red,  Merlot,  Napa,  Petit Verdot

    Weekend Red

    Cakebread Cellars 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Cakebread Cellars was founded, in 1973, by Jack and Dolores Cakebread and they have an enduring commitment to quality, their belief is that life’s occasions are elevated by good people, good food, and good wine flows through everything they do. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley is a blend of Grapes: 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. In 2013, Cakebread Cellars celebrated their 40th wine harvest, and the second generation of winemaking. Today, the winery owns 13 sites totaling 982 acres, 460 of which are currently planted. The Cakebread Website is full of interesting information and loaded…

  • Anderson Valley,  California,  Exceptional Red,  Pinot Noir

    Exceptional Red

    Copain “Tous Ensemble” Anderson Valley 2014 Pinot Noir 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.…

  • Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Exceptional Red,  Malbec,  Merlot,  Napa,  Petit Verdot,  Syrah

    Exceptional Red

    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…

  • Douro,  Exceptional Red,  Portugal,  Touriga Nacional

    Exceptional Red

    Quinta do Portal Douro Colheita Red 2012 Quinta do Portal is a family winemaking company that embraced with passion the “Boutique Winery” concept. They produce DOC Douro wines, Port Wines and Moscatel. Their wine making started in the early 90’s of the XX century, and its base was a centenary estate where the family has been producing Port since the last years of the XIX century. The family’s effort, passion and dedication have been recognized both at a national and international level during the course of the years. The 2011 vintage earned a top spot on the Wine Spectators “Top 100 List”, let’s see how the 2012 does. The wine…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  Exceptional Red,  Italy,  Sangiovese,  Vertical

    Exceptional Red

         Tenuta San Guido 2011 & 2013 Le Difese The Tenuta San Guido is a 7,500-acre estate located in the province of Livorno on the western coastal outskirts of Tuscany near the village of Bolgheri. Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta acquired it through his marriage to Clarice della Gherardesca in 1940. Tenuta San Guido cultivates fruit from several plots scattered around Bolgheri with an annual production of approximately 180,000 bottles. They produce three notable wines Sassicaia, which began in 1944, when Mario Incisa acquired a number of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc vine cuttings and planted them on a sloping hillside of the San Guido estate, the second wine, Guidalberto, was…

  • Australia,  Barossa Valley,  Exceptional Red,  Shiraz

    Exceptional Red

    Two Hands 2013 Gnarly Dudes Shiraz Two Hands Wines was founded in early 1999 by Michael Twelftree and Richard Mintz. The original aim shared by Michael and Richard was to make the best possible Shiraz-based wines from prized Shiraz growing regions throughout Australia. Their intention was, and still is, to showcase the diversity of Australian Shiraz by highlighting regional characteristics and allowing the fruit to be the primary feature of the wines. Two Hands refers to the very personable approach taken with each parcel of grapes, no matter how big or small. Two Hands’ first vintage was in 2000, starting with just 17 tonnes of fruit. In 2004 a state-of-the-art…

  • Australia,  Exceptional Red,  Shiraz

    Exceptional Red

    Two Hands 2013 Angels’ Share Shiraz Two Hands Wines was founded in early 1999 by Michael Twelftree and Richard Mintz. The original aim shared by Michael and Richard was to make the best possible Shiraz-based wines from prized Shiraz growing regions throughout Australia. Their intention was, and still is, to showcase the diversity of Australian Shiraz by highlighting regional characteristics and allowing the fruit to be the primary feature of the wines. Two Hands refers to the very personable approach taken with each parcel of grapes, no matter how big or small. Two Hands’ first vintage was in 2000, starting with just 17 tonnes of fruit. In 2004 a state-of-the-art…