David Bruce 2012 Sonoma County Pinot Noir The David Bruce Winery was founded in the remote Santa Cruz Mountains in the early 1960’s and was one of the first of a new generation of wineries that would lead a modern resurgence of premium winemaking in the region. David Bruce Winery has earned an international reputation throughout its nearly four decades for its dedication to producing the greatest pinot noir in the world. In pursuit of his goal, the winery has adhered to traditional European winemaking practices that trace their lineage back to the early pioneers of winemaking in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley. David Bruce Winery has…
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Belle Glos 2014 Las Alturas Pinot Noir Owner/winemaker, Joe Wagner chose the name Belle Glos (pronounced “BELL GLOSS”) to honor his grandmother, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner. Lorna was a co-founder of Caymus Vineyards, an inspirational figure to Joseph and an avid lover of Pinot Noir. Belle Glos produces Pinot Noirs produced from California’s noteworthy coastal wine-growing regions. While each vineyard location lies near the Pacific Ocean, the climate differences are significant, varying with the amount of fog, wind, sunlight, and soil type at each site. Each Vineyard Designate is crafted to distill the purest essence of the locale into elegant expressions of California Pinot Noir. As a fifth generation Napa Valley…
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Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé N.V. Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart 1999 This is the third in a four-part tasting series from a private Billecart-Salmon Champagne event led by Billecart-Salmon Brand Ambassador, Clement Calleja. Today I am commenting on two Champagnes; Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé N.V. & Billecart-Salmon Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart 1999. Billecart-Salmon is a medium-sized champagne house in Mareuil-sur-Ay, France, near Epernay. Founded in 1818 with the marriage of Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, it is one of the few to remain family owned. The excellence of Champagne BILLECART-SALMON is due to the knowledge of its men who cultivate with rigor an estate of 100 hectares…
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Champagne Billecart-Salmon Extra Brut N.V. Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Sous Bois N.V. This is the second in a four-part tasting series from a private Billecart-Salmon Champagne event led by Billecart-Salmon Brand Ambassador, Clement Calleja. Today I am commenting on two Champagnes; Billecart-Salmon Extra Brut N.V. & Billecart-Salmon Brut Sous Bois N.V. The family motto: “Give priority to quality, strive for excellence”. This motto is evident at the family garden, which was redesigned in 1926 in a French style under the guidance of Charles Roland-Billecart. The idea of his project was to create a garden at the heart of the village, enclosed by walls surrounded by lime trees primed in to a…
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Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve N.V. I recently went to a private Billecart-Salmon Champagne tasting hosted by my favorite wine shop, Stew Leonard’s Wines. Billecart-Salmon Brand Ambassador, Clement Calleja (photo below), was leading the tasting and provided excellent insights into six of the Billecart-Salmon Champagnes we tasted. Over the next several postings, I will comment on all six Champagnes I tried, just in time to provide some insights should you want to stock up before the holidays. Stay tuned for the remaining 5 reviews in coming posts! Billecart-Salmon is a medium-sized champagne house in Mareuil-sur-Ay, France, near Epernay. Founded in 1818 with the marriage of Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, it…
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Loring Wine Company 2010 Russell Family Vineyard Pinot Noir The Loring Wine Company is a boutique winery located in California’s Santa Lucia Highlands. I met Brian Loring a few years ago at a private tasting and literally walked past his pricey screw top bottle until I engaged in a conversation with him. His philosophy on making wine is that the fruit is first and foremost. What happens in the vineyard determines the quality of the wine, that’s why he is extremely picky when choosing vineyards to source grapes. Not only is Brian looking for the right soil, micro-climate, and clones, he is also looking for a grower with the same…
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Walt 2011 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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Flowers 2012 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir As nursery owners in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Walt and Joan Flowers had long dreamed of combining their love of wine with their passion for agriculture. They knew they wanted to produce their favorite varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; what they didn’t know was that their path would eventually lead them across country to Northern California’s rugged Sonoma Coast. After responding to a small classified ad in a national wine publication, that’s exactly where they landed. In 1989, after many information-gathering trips to Napa and Sonoma, Walt and Joan purchased 321 acres, including a ridge top, high above the Pacific Ocean on the northern Sonoma…
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Walt 2012 Gap’s Crown Vineyard 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 a…
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Andrew Murray Vineyards Today I am writing about 2 wines from Andrew Murray Vineyards, their Andrew Murray labeled Pinot Noir from Santa Ynez and their new offering “This is E11even” Pinot Noir from Santa Maria Valley. Both of these wines have similar price points and outstanding values. I recently met Andrew Murray at a tasting in Stew Leonard’s wine shop in Norwalk, CT (see picture of Andrew above). His wines were so popular that all of his higher priced offerings were sold prior to my arrival. However I was lucky enough to spend a few enjoyable minutes with Andrew discussing his wines, especially his new This is E11even offering. Hopefully…