Ramón Bilbao 2005 Gran Reserva Bodegas Ramón Bilbao was founded by Ramón Bilbao Murga, an experienced wine trader who had been selling wine since 1896 from premises at Calle Las Cuevas in Haro. Ramón Bilbao was a forward-looking grape grower; a pioneer in the art of ageing. The winery was handed down from one generation to the next until the year 1966, when Ramón Bilbao Pozo, the last of the descendants, died. The business was converted into a corporation with new shareholders. New facilities were built, also in Haro. The new company wished to continue the work of its founder, Ramón Bilbao, and concentrated on making aged wines. The family…
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Rombauer 2012 Chardonnay Carneros Koerner Rombauer was born and raised in Southern California, in the small, agricultural town of Escondido, near San Diego. He attended public schools in Escondido and went to the same high school as Joan Ransome, who would later (in 1959) become his wife. Koerner’s first great career passion was flying, and was a commercial pilot with Braniff and flew as a captain along a South American route until the airline ceased operations in 1972. The Rombauers moved their family, two horses, and five dogs from Dallas to the Napa Valley. They purchased 40 acres of hilltop land on the Silverado Trail, near St. Helana, however without…
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Sonoma-Cutrer 2011 Les Pierres Chardonnay Recently I commented on Sonoma-Cutrer 2012 Russian River Chardonnay (see May 9, 2014 post) and described that I first became acquainted with Sonoma-Cutrer during a Sonoma wine tasting event in the 80’s and met Brice Cutrer Jones. When I tasted his Chardonnay, in a word, outstanding, one of the best I have tasted, but that was a while ago. The Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay was my “go-to” Chardonnay until about the time Brice Cutrer Jones was no longer associated with the winery. In 1999, Brown-Forman, the Kentucky-based drinks giant acquired Sonoma-Cutrer, and 2 years later fired Brice Cutrer Jones. Since Brice’s departure, the Chardonnay…
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Calera 2011 Ryan Vineyards Pinot Noir Josh Jensen became a pioneer in search of the perfect spot on the globe to grow grapes. Taking his cue from the great domaines of Burgundy which have grown grapes in limestone soil for centuries, he set out in search of the perfect spot in California to create wines unique to the world but in the style of the greatest wines of France. Site selection was vital as he ventured off the grid to plant on the site of an old limekiln in the Gavilan Mountains of California. Today Calera Wines still express that pioneer spirit and are revered the world over. Located 90…
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Cakebread Cellars 2012 Napa Chardonnay Cakebread Cellars was founded, in 1973, by Jack and Dolores Cakebread, has been famous for its warm, gracious hospitality and unmatched wines. Jack and Delores has 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. Sharing these tenets and their journey not only brings them great joy, but also gives them the motivation to always look to improve and take great pride in sharing their family with your family. In 2013, Cakebread Cellars celebrated their 40th harvest, and the second generation of winemaking, (Cakebreads now running the winery),…
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Crognolo 2011 Tenuta Sette Ponti In the land of Sangiovese and Chianti rises Tenuta Sette Ponti, not far from the historic town of Arezzo, nestled in a picturesque rural landscape, crossed by the river Oreno, the estate received its name from Antonio F. Moretti, who wanted to pay homage to the so-called Road Sette Ponti (Seven Bridges), which connects the banks of the River Arno between Florence and Arezzo. “You can’t live only of wine”: this could be the motto of Antonio Moretti, who knows how, in the history and Italian culture, there is more than a fruit to harvest. Not surprisingly, the timeless beauty of the landscape has found…
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Damilano 2009 Barolo Lecinquevigne The Damilano Wine Company, one of the oldest wineries in Barolo, dates back to 1890 when Giuseppe Borgogno, the great grandfather of the current owners, began to vinify his own estate. The town of Barolo resides in the lavish and beautiful Langhe region, which basically produce Nebbiolo wines, including Barolo. Barolo, known as the “king of wines”, because of the uniqueness of the Nebbiolo grape and its balance of acidity and tannins combined with remarkable flavor and delicacy. Damilano produces wines that are celebrated for their unmatched style and the tradition is carried on by Paolo, Mario and Guido Damilano, the fourth generation. Together they have…
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Penner-Ash 2011 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Penner-Ash Wine Cellars embodies the spirit and passion of a small producer focusing on Pinot Noir in the northern Willamette Valley, Oregon. After working for some of Napa’s premier wineries and Rex Hill Vineyards in Oregon, winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash and her husband, Ron, started Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in 1998. In the winery, the focus is on small-lot indigenous yeast fermentation with extended cold soaks to extract a rich, fruit-focused, textured mouth feel. Each lot is treated individually and depending on the outcome, either blended into their reserve quality Willamette Valley Pinot Noir or bottled separately as a vineyard designate. The Penner-Ash Winery was completed…
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David Bruce 2011 Sonoma Coast 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. A young dermatologist, David Bruce, discovered wine while a medical student. After completing his medical residency, David Bruce purchased 40 acres of land above the fog-line in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He cleared the land (by himself) and planted the vineyard (also by himself). During the 1960’s there were only a few working wineries in the region. In the first 25 years of…
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Faust 2006 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Interesting to learn that Faust, the wine, celebrates a legend which has inspired many great minds, among them the German poet Goethe, from whose masterpiece they draw inspiration. In Goethe’s most famous work, the aging scholar Dr. Faust barters his soul in the afterlife in exchange for another chance at youth. He gets his chance, yet ultimately his soul is saved by love. Faust is indeed the fruit of renewed passion for Agustin Huneeus, though Mephistopheles has not yet appeared to claim his soul. The underlying premise for all of the wines he has ever produced has been that great wines must be a reflection…