About Me: Ward Kadel – @drXeNo is the West Coast Ambassador & Staff Blogger for WineLog.net and Le Wine Buff for Bordeaux.com (CIVB), as featured in their documentary short film. He was named a “key influencer” and a “strong community manager” in the seminal white paper on wine + tech, VinTank’s “WE ARE HERE: The State of Wine Industry Social Media.” Raised in Napa, he is a proud Vintage High Crusher and has been around wine virtually all of his life.
He has published the long-running wine blog Vinopanion since May 2007. Ward has also composed content and media as Influencer for Crushpad and Brixr.com’s TinyBottles, as Community Manager for Northern California Wine on Lunch.com and has consulted for wineries, PR firms and wine organizations for web content and social channel strategy and monitoring.
His freelance articles have appeared in Palate Press and Mutineer Magazine and his content is syndicated on the mobile apps Wine By the Bar and Hello Vino, rated #1 by Mashable on “Apps for Wine Lovers.” Ward is also one of the founders of the “Wine Badge” movement with his WKBadges and is a member of the VinTank Tasting Panel. In 2011 he worked harvest at the iconic Stags Leap District estate Chimney Rock Winery, during which he posted in real-time for his Man Falls in the Vines - #MFITV media campaign.
In his varied, hectic past and present he has hosted and produced the long running radio show TeK-IndUced EuPHoriA, worked as an assistant for the internationally renown progressive house label Loöq Records and its decade+ long DJ weekly Qoöl, in San Francisco. Ever the avid investment addict, he was also a featured social investor for Covester.com and interviewed about the biotech business sector by The Wall Street Transcript.
Ward lives in the San Francisco East Bay, very lucky in love with his wife, food and travel blogger Beth Fontaine of Rollerskating With Scissors. When not imbibing and/or tweeting, posting, filming, consulting or writing about wine, Ward can be found researching cancer, DJing at his monthly The Winchester, training for his next triathlon…or, just relaxing with friends and family with a tasty bottle of vino.
View Ward’s WineLog, follow him on Twitter or Like Vinopanion on Facebook. Contact him: “Ward at WineLog.net”.
Ward happily accepts samples but does not guarantee a review, positive or negative.
Received as a sample from Goldfarb All Media, 03/05/13.
Drank with a casserole dinner, 06/10/13.
SFWC: "From the appellation Pays d'Oc, I.G.P (Protected
Geographical Indication), from the LanguedocRoussillan
region of southern France, the Diable Rouge. It finished at 13.1 % alcohol. The variety, a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and
Grenache Noir, was developed specifically for the Languedoc, although there are plantings now in the
Rhône, Spain, and some is being grown in the central valley of California by UC Davis.
Appellation: I.G.P. Pays d'Doc
Fermentation: Conducted between 76 and 80 degrees F for 2 weeks. Regular pump overs twice a day. Free run & press wine were blended.
This Marselan is grown and produced by Cantalric co-op servicing the region of Pays Cathare. This region is bordering the Mediterranean Sea up to the Alaric mountain. Soils in this region are argilo calcareous and clay colluviums (clay & limestone and silty quartz bearing clay). This Marselan is grown and produced by Cantalric co-op servicing the region of Pays Cathare. This region is bordering the Mediterranean Sea up to the Alaric mountain. " Color: A darker mix of garnet and violet in the core, with more violet edges.
Nose: Deeper black fruit here in the fore, with plenty of ripe plum, but near the rim it gets brighter and almost tart, showing off some bright currant and a bit of toast and earth.
Palate: Full, with very bright and juicy acidity, this shows off some smokier earth, all deep and dark black fruit, with a medium grip of earthier tannin into the dark chocolate finish. Good. - 06/10/2013
Received as a sample from Goldfarb All Media, 03/05/13.
Drank with a casserole dinner, 06/10/13.
SFWC: "From the appellation Pays d'Oc, I.G.P (Protected
Geographical Indication), from the LanguedocRoussillan
region of southern France, the Diable Rouge. It finished at 13.1 % alcohol. The variety, a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and
Grenache Noir, was developed specifically for the Languedoc, although there are plantings now in the
Rhône, Spain, and some is being grown in the central valley of California by UC Davis.
Appellation: I.G.P. Pays d'Doc
Fermentation: Conducted between 76 and 80 degrees F for 2 weeks. Regular pump overs twice a day. Free run & press wine were blended.
This Marselan is grown and produced by Cantalric co-op servicing the region of Pays Cathare. This region is bordering the Mediterranean Sea up to the Alaric mountain. Soils in this region are argilo calcareous and clay colluviums (clay & limestone and silty quartz bearing clay). This Marselan is grown and produced by Cantalric co-op servicing the region of Pays Cathare. This region is bordering the Mediterranean Sea up to the Alaric mountain. "
x
$18
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: A darker mix of garnet and violet in the core, with more violet edges.
Nose: Deeper black fruit here in the fore, with plenty of ripe plum, but near the rim it gets brighter and almost tart, showing off some bright currant and a bit of toast and earth.
Palate: Full, with very bright and juicy acidity, this shows off some smokier earth, all deep and dark black fruit, with a medium grip of earthier tannin into the dark chocolate finish. Good. - 06/10/2013
Received as a sample from the winery, 05/01/13.
Drank with a lovely and simple caprese salad and pesto linguini dinner made by the lady Beth Fontaine, 06/05/13.
HW: "Appellation
Monterey
Varietal Composition 100% Pinot Gris
Brix at Harvest 25.3
Cooperage Stainless Steel
Total Acidity 0.67 g/100ml
Total pH 3.42
Residual Sugar
Alcohol 14.5
Release Date February 2013
Cases Produced 5000
Bottle Size 750 ml
Made from free run juice from our Monterey vineyards, this wine offers everything a Pinot Gris should have: delicate fruit aromas and flavors, silky texture, and incredible value. An initial swirl brings aromas of ripe Fuji apples and crushed apricots out of the glass, suggesting this wine’s subtle balance of fruitiness and acidity. A sip shows off a medium body supporting a core of flavors reminiscent of white peach and Bosc pear. A smooth finish with a touch of tartness make this wine a versatile pairing for a many dishes ranging from a casual BLT sandwich with avocado to refreshing tangerine and watermelon soup." Color: Medium straw yellow, with nice lighter canary highlights.
Nose: Very bright and slightly floral pear here, with some chalkier notes, and light lemon custard.
Palate: Medium bodied, this shows off very juicy acidity, to complement the same pear and more tart lemon custard that was found in the nose. Finishes bright, though slightly hot, and with a light vanilla note. - 06/05/2013
Received as a sample from the winery, 05/01/13.
Drank with a lovely and simple caprese salad and pesto linguini dinner made by the lady Beth Fontaine, 06/05/13.
HW: "Appellation
Monterey
Varietal Composition 100% Pinot Gris
Brix at Harvest 25.3
Cooperage Stainless Steel
Total Acidity 0.67 g/100ml
Total pH 3.42
Residual Sugar
Alcohol 14.5
Release Date February 2013
Cases Produced 5000
Bottle Size 750 ml
Made from free run juice from our Monterey vineyards, this wine offers everything a Pinot Gris should have: delicate fruit aromas and flavors, silky texture, and incredible value. An initial swirl brings aromas of ripe Fuji apples and crushed apricots out of the glass, suggesting this wine’s subtle balance of fruitiness and acidity. A sip shows off a medium body supporting a core of flavors reminiscent of white peach and Bosc pear. A smooth finish with a touch of tartness make this wine a versatile pairing for a many dishes ranging from a casual BLT sandwich with avocado to refreshing tangerine and watermelon soup."
x
$14
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: Medium straw yellow, with nice lighter canary highlights.
Nose: Very bright and slightly floral pear here, with some chalkier notes, and light lemon custard.
Palate: Medium bodied, this shows off very juicy acidity, to complement the same pear and more tart lemon custard that was found in the nose. Finishes bright, though slightly hot, and with a light vanilla note. - 06/05/2013
Received as a sample from the winery, 04/25/13.
Drank with a spicy dinner over Memorial Day with the Lady, 05/27/13.
CC: "Composition
100% Syrah
Crane Ranch Vineyard, Oak Knoll
District
Harvest
Harvest 2012 was fantastic!
The vineyard was harvested on
October 11, 2012 in perfect
conditions
Aging
5 months in mature French oak
Bottling Date
March 5, 2013
Cases Produced
419 cases
Bottling Analysis
Alcohol: 14.10%
pH: 3.64
TA .430 g/100mL
In Tavel they make rosé like they mean it. In Bandol they make rosé like they
mean it. In America, not so much. At Cornerstone Cellars we mean it too.
Single vineyard Napa Valley syrah, fermented bone-dry and aged in oak for
almost six months is a statement. We're serious about rosé. Serious rosé is
not cheap and it's worth every dime. Stepping Stone by Cornerstone Corallina
Napa Valley Syrah Rosé is such a wine. You can buy cheaper pink wines, but
if you want flavor, not just color, it costs both of us just a bit more.
We confess to being rosé snobs. Corallina Syrah Rosé is a real rosé. That
means it's not the leftovers of someone trying to beef up their red wine. In a
warm climate like California making rosé by saigneé, or "bleeding" juice out of
a red wine fermenter to concentrate that wine, means low-acid, flabby and
sweet with those nasty fake watermelon flavors. We're not fans of watermelon
candy.
Corallina Syrah Rosé starts in the vineyard as the first step is selecting a
single block of syrah vines destined to become Corallina. Conceived as a rosé
from the beginning, every farming choice throughout the year is made with
only one goal in mind - rosé worth thinking about. Harvest is timed solely
around the complexity of fruit flavors as we don't need to worry about ripening
the skin tannins. The beautiful Napa Valley climate provides us with luscious
fruit with more than enough color so no other skin contact is necessary than
the three hours or so it takes the fruit to be gently pressed. After fermentation
Corallina Syrah Rosé rests for five months in mature French oak barrels,
where the flavors grow rounder, richer and more complex.
Corallina Syrah Rosé is lifted, bright and floral, laced with aromatics redolent
of fresh wild herb and spices and touches of wild strawberries and white
peaches. It is mouthwatering, refreshing and irresistible. Second glasses are
unavoidable.
There is so much joy, pleasure and sunshine in Corallina Syrah Rosé that we
had to seek out a label that reflected that energy. In "Wine Dance" by artist
Janet Ekholm we found just such an image as the brilliant colors and
intermingling of subject, landscape and sky into a harmonious whole is the
perfect reflection of our vision for Corallina Syrah Rosé.
We are pleased to present you with our 2012 Stepping Stone by Cornerstone
Corallina Napa Valley Syrah Rosé, which tells the story of one year of our
lives. It is the full expression of what we seek to share in all of our wines, the
essence of vineyard, variety and vintage combining each harvest to create
something never to be exactly repeated." Color: Light to medium strawberry red, clear edges.
Nose: Huge aromatics here of juicy and ripe, tarter, strawberry, Bing cherry, and orange zest.
Palate: Medium-bodied, this rosé has very juicy cherry, tarter strawberry, blood orange fruit, with more rounder strawberry and peach into the juicy finish, with a slight chalky minerality. Good. - 05/29/2013
Received as a sample from the winery, 04/25/13.
Drank with a spicy dinner over Memorial Day with the Lady, 05/27/13.
CC: "Composition
100% Syrah
Crane Ranch Vineyard, Oak Knoll
District
Harvest
Harvest 2012 was fantastic!
The vineyard was harvested on
October 11, 2012 in perfect
conditions
Aging
5 months in mature French oak
Bottling Date
March 5, 2013
Cases Produced
419 cases
Bottling Analysis
Alcohol: 14.10%
pH: 3.64
TA .430 g/100mL
In Tavel they make rosé like they mean it. In Bandol they make rosé like they
mean it. In America, not so much. At Cornerstone Cellars we mean it too.
Single vineyard Napa Valley syrah, fermented bone-dry and aged in oak for
almost six months is a statement. We're serious about rosé. Serious rosé is
not cheap and it's worth every dime. Stepping Stone by Cornerstone Corallina
Napa Valley Syrah Rosé is such a wine. You can buy cheaper pink wines, but
if you want flavor, not just color, it costs both of us just a bit more.
We confess to being rosé snobs. Corallina Syrah Rosé is a real rosé. That
means it's not the leftovers of someone trying to beef up their red wine. In a
warm climate like California making rosé by saigneé, or "bleeding" juice out of
a red wine fermenter to concentrate that wine, means low-acid, flabby and
sweet with those nasty fake watermelon flavors. We're not fans of watermelon
candy.
Corallina Syrah Rosé starts in the vineyard as the first step is selecting a
single block of syrah vines destined to become Corallina. Conceived as a rosé
from the beginning, every farming choice throughout the year is made with
only one goal in mind - rosé worth thinking about. Harvest is timed solely
around the complexity of fruit flavors as we don't need to worry about ripening
the skin tannins. The beautiful Napa Valley climate provides us with luscious
fruit with more than enough color so no other skin contact is necessary than
the three hours or so it takes the fruit to be gently pressed. After fermentation
Corallina Syrah Rosé rests for five months in mature French oak barrels,
where the flavors grow rounder, richer and more complex.
Corallina Syrah Rosé is lifted, bright and floral, laced with aromatics redolent
of fresh wild herb and spices and touches of wild strawberries and white
peaches. It is mouthwatering, refreshing and irresistible. Second glasses are
unavoidable.
There is so much joy, pleasure and sunshine in Corallina Syrah Rosé that we
had to seek out a label that reflected that energy. In "Wine Dance" by artist
Janet Ekholm we found just such an image as the brilliant colors and
intermingling of subject, landscape and sky into a harmonious whole is the
perfect reflection of our vision for Corallina Syrah Rosé.
We are pleased to present you with our 2012 Stepping Stone by Cornerstone
Corallina Napa Valley Syrah Rosé, which tells the story of one year of our
lives. It is the full expression of what we seek to share in all of our wines, the
essence of vineyard, variety and vintage combining each harvest to create
something never to be exactly repeated."
x
$20
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: Light to medium strawberry red, clear edges.
Nose: Huge aromatics here of juicy and ripe, tarter, strawberry, Bing cherry, and orange zest.
Palate: Medium-bodied, this rosé has very juicy cherry, tarter strawberry, blood orange fruit, with more rounder strawberry and peach into the juicy finish, with a slight chalky minerality. Good. - 05/29/2013
Tasted with the winemaker during a picnic tasting for Na's birthday, 02/16/13. Color: Darker ruby core, with light ruby edges.
Nose: Dried, sweet tobacco, with juicy and ripe blackberry and sweeter toast near the rim.
Palate: Very good mouthfeel here again from this winemaker, with juicy and ripe black cherry. This is all followed by a flinty and minerally, black fruited, earthy and toasted finish. Also shows a good, fine grip: OldWorldWK. - 05/21/2013
Tasted with the winemaker during a picnic tasting for Na's birthday, 02/16/13.
x
$40
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: Darker ruby core, with light ruby edges.
Nose: Dried, sweet tobacco, with juicy and ripe blackberry and sweeter toast near the rim.
Palate: Very good mouthfeel here again from this winemaker, with juicy and ripe black cherry. This is all followed by a flinty and minerally, black fruited, earthy and toasted finish. Also shows a good, fine grip: OldWorldWK. - 05/21/2013
Tasted with the winemaker during a picnic tasting for Na's birthday, 02/16/13. Color: Deeper violet core, medium violet edges.
Nose: Super good, meaty and tobacco-spiced nose, with violet florals and dark black fruit.
Palate: Very cool and smooth mouthfeel here, with juicy black and red fruit. It is very balanced, with spiced toast and cherry tobacco out into the long finish, showing great acidity and tannin: OldWorldWK. - 05/21/2013
Tasted with the winemaker during a picnic tasting for Na's birthday, 02/16/13.
x
$40
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: Deeper violet core, medium violet edges.
Nose: Super good, meaty and tobacco-spiced nose, with violet florals and dark black fruit.
Palate: Very cool and smooth mouthfeel here, with juicy black and red fruit. It is very balanced, with spiced toast and cherry tobacco out into the long finish, showing great acidity and tannin: OldWorldWK. - 05/21/2013
Tasted with the winemaker during a picnic tasting for Na's birthday, 02/16/13. Color: Very dark garnet core, medium dark edges.
Nose: Great meaty and leathery black fruit here, with a light earthy toast.
Palate: Bigger, beautiful, and with smooth feel, this wine has flinty, toasty and meaty black fruit and a great cigar finish. Though a bit hot, this is pretty awesome. - 05/21/2013
Tasted with the winemaker during a picnic tasting for Na's birthday, 02/16/13.
x
$45
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: Very dark garnet core, medium dark edges.
Nose: Great meaty and leathery black fruit here, with a light earthy toast.
Palate: Bigger, beautiful, and with smooth feel, this wine has flinty, toasty and meaty black fruit and a great cigar finish. Though a bit hot, this is pretty awesome. - 05/21/2013
Tasted during a private winemaker tasting at The Corkscrew Cafe in Carmel Valley Village, 03/02/13.
MW: "CHAPITRE V – LE PIANISTE
The fifth cuvee of Madeleine opens up with nuances of violet, raspberry,
black olives and blueberries. The flavors linger with layers of spices,
Provence herbs and cedar.
It is full bodied, dense and chalky. The tannins are soft and perfectly ripe.
The finish is dry and earthy. Madeleine 2009 reveals all the complexity of
the Cabernet Franc and the great terroir of Paicines.
225 cases produced." Color: Darker violet and garnet here, with ruby highlights and edges.
Nose: Very good and complex here, with fresh garden herbs and spices of anise, lavender, and rosemary. Then black olive comes in, followed by deep and ripe, yet still bright, cherry and earthier black fruit.
Palate: Also very good here, with great balance between the earthy and savory flavors, complex ripe fruit, silky tannin, and juicier acidity. All of those herbs are present here as well, showing off clove tobacco and cigar box, along with the raspberry, black cherry, and black and red currant fruit. It finishes very long and with great acidity, showing some earth and cigar box again here, as well. An outstanding effort: AwesomeWK. - 05/21/2013
Tasted during a private winemaker tasting at The Corkscrew Cafe in Carmel Valley Village, 03/02/13.
MW: "CHAPITRE V – LE PIANISTE
The fifth cuvee of Madeleine opens up with nuances of violet, raspberry,
black olives and blueberries. The flavors linger with layers of spices,
Provence herbs and cedar.
It is full bodied, dense and chalky. The tannins are soft and perfectly ripe.
The finish is dry and earthy. Madeleine 2009 reveals all the complexity of
the Cabernet Franc and the great terroir of Paicines.
225 cases produced."
x
$22
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: Darker violet and garnet here, with ruby highlights and edges.
Nose: Very good and complex here, with fresh garden herbs and spices of anise, lavender, and rosemary. Then black olive comes in, followed by deep and ripe, yet still bright, cherry and earthier black fruit.
Palate: Also very good here, with great balance between the earthy and savory flavors, complex ripe fruit, silky tannin, and juicier acidity. All of those herbs are present here as well, showing off clove tobacco and cigar box, along with the raspberry, black cherry, and black and red currant fruit. It finishes very long and with great acidity, showing some earth and cigar box again here, as well. An outstanding effort: AwesomeWK. - 05/21/2013
Received as a sample from Colangelo PR, 04/03/13.
Drank with a won ton soup dinner, 05/21/13.
OW: "VARIETAL|Pinot Grigio
APPELLATION|delle Venzie
VINTAGE|2011
ALCOHOL|12%
RS|4.5g/L
pH|3.3
ACIDITY|5.5g/L
APPELLATION
Italy is acclaimed for its luscious food, and over the centuries its wines have been crafted with a higher acidity to perfectly accompany and complement food. Italy’s delle Venezie appellation encompasses 3 northeast regions of the country – Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Trentino-Alto Adige -- and is known worldwide for its exceptional white wines.
VINEYARDS & WINERY
OGIO Pinot Grigio is crafted from only the finest grapes harvested in Italy’s delle Venezie region, primarily in the flatlands along the Adriatic coast northeast of Venice. Dating back to the early 1900’s, the third-generation winery is still family owned and embraces both longstanding Italian winemaking tradition and modern winemaking techniques.
WINEMAKING
After harvest the Pinot Grigio grapes are separated from their stalks and gently pressed. The obtained must is immediately separated from the skins and transferred to stainless steel tanks for fermentation, which is controlled at 63-64°F. After fermentation the wine is treated, decanted, filtered, and stabilized before bottling.
TASTING NOTES
The OGIO Pinot Grigio is a delicate pale straw in color. Mouthwatering citrus and melon aromas segue beautifully into a perfect balance of natural tartness and rich fruit on the palate. This wine is dry and soft with a lasting fruity bouquet.
FOOD
This medium-bodied Pinot Grigio is extremely food friendly and will enhance everything from fresh seafood and white meats to both simple and exotic salads. It is also the rare wine that pairs well with Mexican, Thai, or other spicy ethnic foods." Color: Light yellow green, with clear edges.
Nose: Very light Meyer lemon, with hints of lime.
Palate: Simpler lemon and lime here as well, with less than balanced acidity, though the wine finishes dry and a little short. - 05/21/2013
Received as a sample from Colangelo PR, 04/03/13.
Drank with a won ton soup dinner, 05/21/13.
OW: "VARIETAL|Pinot Grigio
APPELLATION|delle Venzie
VINTAGE|2011
ALCOHOL|12%
RS|4.5g/L
pH|3.3
ACIDITY|5.5g/L
APPELLATION
Italy is acclaimed for its luscious food, and over the centuries its wines have been crafted with a higher acidity to perfectly accompany and complement food. Italy’s delle Venezie appellation encompasses 3 northeast regions of the country – Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Trentino-Alto Adige -- and is known worldwide for its exceptional white wines.
VINEYARDS & WINERY
OGIO Pinot Grigio is crafted from only the finest grapes harvested in Italy’s delle Venezie region, primarily in the flatlands along the Adriatic coast northeast of Venice. Dating back to the early 1900’s, the third-generation winery is still family owned and embraces both longstanding Italian winemaking tradition and modern winemaking techniques.
WINEMAKING
After harvest the Pinot Grigio grapes are separated from their stalks and gently pressed. The obtained must is immediately separated from the skins and transferred to stainless steel tanks for fermentation, which is controlled at 63-64°F. After fermentation the wine is treated, decanted, filtered, and stabilized before bottling.
TASTING NOTES
The OGIO Pinot Grigio is a delicate pale straw in color. Mouthwatering citrus and melon aromas segue beautifully into a perfect balance of natural tartness and rich fruit on the palate. This wine is dry and soft with a lasting fruity bouquet.
FOOD
This medium-bodied Pinot Grigio is extremely food friendly and will enhance everything from fresh seafood and white meats to both simple and exotic salads. It is also the rare wine that pairs well with Mexican, Thai, or other spicy ethnic foods."
x
$13
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: Light yellow green, with clear edges.
Nose: Very light Meyer lemon, with hints of lime.
Palate: Simpler lemon and lime here as well, with less than balanced acidity, though the wine finishes dry and a little short. - 05/21/2013
Received as a sample from the winery, 02/12/13.
Drank with a classic poached salmon dinner, 05/19/13.
RWV: "WinemakeR Rick sayre
alcoHol 14.5%
ta 0.54gm/100ml
PH 3.61
aPPellation Russian River valley, sonoma county
cellaR & FeRmentation 9 months in 100% French oak barrels
H isto R y
Rod strong was among the first modern wine pioneers with a vision to plant
Pinot noir in the Russian River valley. in 1968, he planted our heritage River east
vineyard in the alluvial clay-loam soils adjacent to the winery in Healdsburg.
today the Russian River valley is well established as one of the premier Pinot
noir growing regions in the world and we continue to rely on the original River
east vineyard as a core contributor to our estate vineyard bottling.
i n t H e vineya R d s
the 2011 vintage started off cool and damp, with little to no frost. With almost
two inches of rain in the month of June, late rains continued through to July. the
end of the rainy season led to a cool weather pattern for most of the summer
with average high temperatures around 80 degrees for both July and august. the
heat finally returned in september with one six-day stretch of temperatures in the
90s; exactly what the vintage needed. We harvested the last of our Pinot noir on
october 3rd under ideal conditions.
tastin G notes
soft and silky, with intriguing floral and crushed
pomegranate aromas, this medium bodied wine
was aged for nine months in small, French oak
barrels which added a hint of toasty vanilla and
spice complexity. ideal for current enjoyment,
this Pinot noir will age nicely over the next two
to four years" Color: Medium ruby, with light ruby edges.
Nose: Very bright and ripe raspberry and rhubarb/cherry cobbler, with some toast and light earth.
Palate: Medium full here, with great bright acidity, and that same mix of earthier, tarter raspberry and cherry, then more of a rhubarb into the finish, with a hint of toasted cola. Good QPR from this region, here: QPRWK. - 05/20/2013
Received as a sample from the winery, 02/12/13.
Drank with a classic poached salmon dinner, 05/19/13.
RWV: "WinemakeR Rick sayre
alcoHol 14.5%
ta 0.54gm/100ml
PH 3.61
aPPellation Russian River valley, sonoma county
cellaR & FeRmentation 9 months in 100% French oak barrels
H isto R y
Rod strong was among the first modern wine pioneers with a vision to plant
Pinot noir in the Russian River valley. in 1968, he planted our heritage River east
vineyard in the alluvial clay-loam soils adjacent to the winery in Healdsburg.
today the Russian River valley is well established as one of the premier Pinot
noir growing regions in the world and we continue to rely on the original River
east vineyard as a core contributor to our estate vineyard bottling.
i n t H e vineya R d s
the 2011 vintage started off cool and damp, with little to no frost. With almost
two inches of rain in the month of June, late rains continued through to July. the
end of the rainy season led to a cool weather pattern for most of the summer
with average high temperatures around 80 degrees for both July and august. the
heat finally returned in september with one six-day stretch of temperatures in the
90s; exactly what the vintage needed. We harvested the last of our Pinot noir on
october 3rd under ideal conditions.
tastin G notes
soft and silky, with intriguing floral and crushed
pomegranate aromas, this medium bodied wine
was aged for nine months in small, French oak
barrels which added a hint of toasty vanilla and
spice complexity. ideal for current enjoyment,
this Pinot noir will age nicely over the next two
to four years"
x
$25
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: Medium ruby, with light ruby edges.
Nose: Very bright and ripe raspberry and rhubarb/cherry cobbler, with some toast and light earth.
Palate: Medium full here, with great bright acidity, and that same mix of earthier, tarter raspberry and cherry, then more of a rhubarb into the finish, with a hint of toasted cola. Good QPR from this region, here: QPRWK. - 05/20/2013
Received in our May 2013 wine club shipment.
Drank with the Lady, Beth Fontaine, on a warm and breezy evening on the porch, 05/19/13.
SW: "Querencia Brut Rosé was created to honor the memory and spirit of our cofounder Jack Davies. Jack Davies was a pioneer in the early days of the Napa Valley Agricultural Preserve, and fought for environmental issues with dedication and vigor. To insure that Jack's work was kept alive, Schramsberg established the Jack L. Davies Fund. Proceeds from the sale of Querencia contribute to the Jack L. Davies Fund, which supports agricultural preservation and education efforts in Napa County. Jack Davies encouraged the community to support the preserve that became a model for conservation of agricultural lands across the country. James Hickey, then the Napa County Planning Director, and architect of the agricultural preserve, named the wine. The name is a Spanish word "meaning the deep and abiding affection one has for the place one calls home."
Querencia is produced solely from fruit grown in the Napa Valley Carneros region. Chardonnay forms the blend's core, providing a relatively light-bodied, crisp and tangy palate. Small additions of Pinot Noir fermented with skin contact add berry brightness and color. This brut rosé sparkling wine is hearty enough to compliment the robust flavors of Mediterranean cooking and delicate enough to be served with a truly broad range of appetizers.
Tasting Notes - "The 2009 Querencia is bursting with aromas of wild berries, fresh orange and ruby grapefruit. The fruitful nose is complemented with notes of warm pie dough and candied almonds. On the palate, there are flavors of tangerine, tart lime, and 'strawberries & cream'. The wine finishes with a bright and crisp acidity that is long and refreshing"
- Winemakers Keith Hock and Hugh Davies
Varietal Composition: 76% Chardonnay, 24% Pinot Noir,
County Composition: 100% Napa
Appellation: Napa Valley
Harvest Dates: August 31 - October 5, 2009
Barrel Fermentation: 38%
Alcohol: 13%
TA: 0.88 g/100mL
pH: 3.04 RS: 1.12 g/100mL
Release Date: April 1, 2013
Cases Produced: 966 (9-Liter)" Color: Beautiful, light strawberry pink, with a very fine bead and a nice mousse.
Nose: Also very good here, with great earthier, slightly bready strawberry, then juicier, ripe and tarter Bing cherry and raspberry come through.
Palate: Light to medium-bodied, this shows that same earthier, yet juicy, yet bready fruit from the nose; outstanding acidity, and fantastic feel from the finest bubbles here. Quite good: NewWorldWK. - 05/20/2013
Received in our May 2013 wine club shipment.
Drank with the Lady, Beth Fontaine, on a warm and breezy evening on the porch, 05/19/13.
SW: "Querencia Brut Rosé was created to honor the memory and spirit of our cofounder Jack Davies. Jack Davies was a pioneer in the early days of the Napa Valley Agricultural Preserve, and fought for environmental issues with dedication and vigor. To insure that Jack's work was kept alive, Schramsberg established the Jack L. Davies Fund. Proceeds from the sale of Querencia contribute to the Jack L. Davies Fund, which supports agricultural preservation and education efforts in Napa County. Jack Davies encouraged the community to support the preserve that became a model for conservation of agricultural lands across the country. James Hickey, then the Napa County Planning Director, and architect of the agricultural preserve, named the wine. The name is a Spanish word "meaning the deep and abiding affection one has for the place one calls home."
Querencia is produced solely from fruit grown in the Napa Valley Carneros region. Chardonnay forms the blend's core, providing a relatively light-bodied, crisp and tangy palate. Small additions of Pinot Noir fermented with skin contact add berry brightness and color. This brut rosé sparkling wine is hearty enough to compliment the robust flavors of Mediterranean cooking and delicate enough to be served with a truly broad range of appetizers.
Tasting Notes - "The 2009 Querencia is bursting with aromas of wild berries, fresh orange and ruby grapefruit. The fruitful nose is complemented with notes of warm pie dough and candied almonds. On the palate, there are flavors of tangerine, tart lime, and 'strawberries & cream'. The wine finishes with a bright and crisp acidity that is long and refreshing"
- Winemakers Keith Hock and Hugh Davies
Varietal Composition: 76% Chardonnay, 24% Pinot Noir,
County Composition: 100% Napa
Appellation: Napa Valley
Harvest Dates: August 31 - October 5, 2009
Barrel Fermentation: 38%
Alcohol: 13%
TA: 0.88 g/100mL
pH: 3.04 RS: 1.12 g/100mL
Release Date: April 1, 2013
Cases Produced: 966 (9-Liter)"
x
$50
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: Beautiful, light strawberry pink, with a very fine bead and a nice mousse.
Nose: Also very good here, with great earthier, slightly bready strawberry, then juicier, ripe and tarter Bing cherry and raspberry come through.
Palate: Light to medium-bodied, this shows that same earthier, yet juicy, yet bready fruit from the nose; outstanding acidity, and fantastic feel from the finest bubbles here. Quite good: NewWorldWK. - 05/20/2013
Received as a sample from Colangelo PR, 04/03/13.
Drank with a spicier, tomato-based dinner, 05/14/13.
OW: "VARIETAL|Tuscan Red Blend
APPELLATION|Toscana Rosso IGT
VINTAGE|2011
ALCOHOL|13%
RS|3.45g/L
pH|3.6
ACIDITY|5.4g/L
APPELLATION
Italy is acclaimed for its cuisine, and over the centuries its wines have been crafted with a higher acidity to perfectly accompany and complement food. Tuscany is Italy’s leading region in the cultivation and production of wine, and is known around the world for its luscious reds. The climate overall is mild, but includes a range of different microclimates influenced by its rolling hills and coastal lands.
VINEYARDS & WINERY
OGIO Tuscan Red is crafted from carefully selected grapes harvested in hills of the Toscana region. For over one hundred years the family owned winery has been producing elegant regional wines, and today embraces both longstanding Italian winemaking traditions and modern winemaking techniques.
WINEMAKING
The grapes are harvested between the end of September and the middle of October for optimal ripeness. After harvest they are separated from the stalks, crushed, and placed in stainless steel tanks for fermentation, which is controlled at 78-82°F for 10-12 days, with regular pumping over to extract maximum flavor. The wine is then clarified and filtered, expertly blended, and bottled while fresh.
TASTING NOTES
This is a quintessential Tuscan red. A blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot, it is rich ruby in color with enticing aromas of violet, cherry, and spice. The palate is intense and boasts good body, with the fruit and spice carrying through. It is a well-structured wine, nicely balanced with a touch of acidity that makes it an exceptionally food-friendly wine.
FOOD PAIRING
The OGIO Tuscan Red is an ideal partner to a wide variety of foods. A traditional pairing is pasta with meat or tomato sauces, but it will also enhance grilled chicken and lentil dishes as well as many cheeses." Color: Very bright, medium opacity ruby red.
Nose: Also super bright here as well, with very fresh cherry and red plum, alongside raspberry.
Palate: Again quite clean and very fresh, this has almost zesty acidity, which works well with food and even spicy food, letting its juicy raspberry, cherry, and red plum flavors carry the spicy finish. - 05/15/2013
Received as a sample from Colangelo PR, 04/03/13.
Drank with a spicier, tomato-based dinner, 05/14/13.
OW: "VARIETAL|Tuscan Red Blend
APPELLATION|Toscana Rosso IGT
VINTAGE|2011
ALCOHOL|13%
RS|3.45g/L
pH|3.6
ACIDITY|5.4g/L
APPELLATION
Italy is acclaimed for its cuisine, and over the centuries its wines have been crafted with a higher acidity to perfectly accompany and complement food. Tuscany is Italy’s leading region in the cultivation and production of wine, and is known around the world for its luscious reds. The climate overall is mild, but includes a range of different microclimates influenced by its rolling hills and coastal lands.
VINEYARDS & WINERY
OGIO Tuscan Red is crafted from carefully selected grapes harvested in hills of the Toscana region. For over one hundred years the family owned winery has been producing elegant regional wines, and today embraces both longstanding Italian winemaking traditions and modern winemaking techniques.
WINEMAKING
The grapes are harvested between the end of September and the middle of October for optimal ripeness. After harvest they are separated from the stalks, crushed, and placed in stainless steel tanks for fermentation, which is controlled at 78-82°F for 10-12 days, with regular pumping over to extract maximum flavor. The wine is then clarified and filtered, expertly blended, and bottled while fresh.
TASTING NOTES
This is a quintessential Tuscan red. A blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot, it is rich ruby in color with enticing aromas of violet, cherry, and spice. The palate is intense and boasts good body, with the fruit and spice carrying through. It is a well-structured wine, nicely balanced with a touch of acidity that makes it an exceptionally food-friendly wine.
FOOD PAIRING
The OGIO Tuscan Red is an ideal partner to a wide variety of foods. A traditional pairing is pasta with meat or tomato sauces, but it will also enhance grilled chicken and lentil dishes as well as many cheeses."
x
$13
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: Very bright, medium opacity ruby red.
Nose: Also super bright here as well, with very fresh cherry and red plum, alongside raspberry.
Palate: Again quite clean and very fresh, this has almost zesty acidity, which works well with food and even spicy food, letting its juicy raspberry, cherry, and red plum flavors carry the spicy finish. - 05/15/2013
Received in my What Naked Wines is All About case, 10/15/12.
Drank with Beth & Mari on a hot Spring night, 05/10/13.
NWC: "The Facts
Grape
Muscat
Wine Type
Juicy Lucy
Alcohol
9.80%" Color: Light pear colored, with an almost frizzante effervescence.
Nose: Sweeter, very juicy peaches and some floral notes.
Palate: While this is a simpler wine, it goes full out with the juicy and offdry pear and peaches here, with some florals here in the super juicy finish. - 05/14/2013
Received in my What Naked Wines is All About case, 10/15/12.
Drank with Beth & Mari on a hot Spring night, 05/10/13.
NWC: "The Facts
Grape
Muscat
Wine Type
Juicy Lucy
Alcohol
9.80%"
x
$12
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: Light pear colored, with an almost frizzante effervescence.
Nose: Sweeter, very juicy peaches and some floral notes.
Palate: While this is a simpler wine, it goes full out with the juicy and offdry pear and peaches here, with some florals here in the super juicy finish. - 05/14/2013
Received as a sample from the winery, 02/20/13.
Drank with Beth and Mari on a hot Spring night, 05/10/13.
BDV: "I have written in various places about the inspiration to age wine in demijohns/carboys/bonbonnes. Some of it has come from my fascination with oxidation/reduction chemistry, an aspect of wine art/science not well understood and its importance greatly unappreciated. Years ago, as a young pup I tasted wine from carboy with Dan Wheeler of Nicasio Cellars in his do-it-yourself-handdug cave in Soquel, and was astonished at how youthful were the wines, twenty plus years later, almost as if they had been placed in suspended animation. At about the same time, I also happened to taste the wines from Emidio Pepe in Abruzzo, who also aged his product in demijohns, likewise evincing extraordinary youthfulness and vitality.
We did some small encouraging experiments years ago, then more or less forgot about them until relatively recently, at which point we began the carboy ageing project with red Cigare. It wasn’t until ’09 that it dooned on me that perhaps there were even more interesting things to discover with the white. The ’10 Cigare Blanc Réserve, our second vintage of this wine, is absolutely amazing, an advance over the ’09. To refresh everyone’s memory, this wine is more or less the same blend as our standard issue Cigare Blanc, apart from the fact that we’ve allowed it to undergo malolactic fermentation, and at that point, we gave it a light SO2 addition, racked it to glass demijohn (bonbonne), where it reposed for a year and a half, getting anaerobically stirred more or less fortnightly.
The wine derives entirely from the Beeswax Vineyard, located at the mouth of the Arroyo Seco, and is farmed biodynamically and produced according to biodynamic specifications (very easy on the extraneous additions).
I’ve had the pleasure of tasting this wine over the last year, and what is most remarkable about it is that every time I taste it, it gets younger and younger! The wine was not filtered, and therefore is partly cloudy, though lately, it is curiously, getting brighter and brighter. The wine has a rich, unctuous texture, despite its modest (12ish%) alcohol, as well as possesses the most satisfying savoriness. In the nose, there is a wonderful suggestion of hazelnuts (hmm, white Burgundy, anyone?), as well as a beautiful fragrance of wintergreen and a wine-like pear. A great gastronomy wine, one that will perfectly suit rich, cream-based dishes.
Nose: Deeper, ripe pear at first, then some light toast, white florals, some orange citrus at the rim and some light breadiness.
Palate: A full wine here, with very smooth and coating feel in the mouth, a wide and deep range of white pitted fruit, with good juiciness, drier orange zest, toast, and some of those florals in the wonderful finish. A very fun, yet complex wine. - 05/13/2013
Received as a sample from the winery, 02/20/13.
Drank with Beth and Mari on a hot Spring night, 05/10/13.
BDV: "I have written in various places about the inspiration to age wine in demijohns/carboys/bonbonnes. Some of it has come from my fascination with oxidation/reduction chemistry, an aspect of wine art/science not well understood and its importance greatly unappreciated. Years ago, as a young pup I tasted wine from carboy with Dan Wheeler of Nicasio Cellars in his do-it-yourself-handdug cave in Soquel, and was astonished at how youthful were the wines, twenty plus years later, almost as if they had been placed in suspended animation. At about the same time, I also happened to taste the wines from Emidio Pepe in Abruzzo, who also aged his product in demijohns, likewise evincing extraordinary youthfulness and vitality.
We did some small encouraging experiments years ago, then more or less forgot about them until relatively recently, at which point we began the carboy ageing project with red Cigare. It wasn’t until ’09 that it dooned on me that perhaps there were even more interesting things to discover with the white. The ’10 Cigare Blanc Réserve, our second vintage of this wine, is absolutely amazing, an advance over the ’09. To refresh everyone’s memory, this wine is more or less the same blend as our standard issue Cigare Blanc, apart from the fact that we’ve allowed it to undergo malolactic fermentation, and at that point, we gave it a light SO2 addition, racked it to glass demijohn (bonbonne), where it reposed for a year and a half, getting anaerobically stirred more or less fortnightly.
The wine derives entirely from the Beeswax Vineyard, located at the mouth of the Arroyo Seco, and is farmed biodynamically and produced according to biodynamic specifications (very easy on the extraneous additions).
I’ve had the pleasure of tasting this wine over the last year, and what is most remarkable about it is that every time I taste it, it gets younger and younger! The wine was not filtered, and therefore is partly cloudy, though lately, it is curiously, getting brighter and brighter. The wine has a rich, unctuous texture, despite its modest (12ish%) alcohol, as well as possesses the most satisfying savoriness. In the nose, there is a wonderful suggestion of hazelnuts (hmm, white Burgundy, anyone?), as well as a beautiful fragrance of wintergreen and a wine-like pear. A great gastronomy wine, one that will perfectly suit rich, cream-based dishes.
Color: Medium gold, with brighter canary yellow highlights.
Nose: Deeper, ripe pear at first, then some light toast, white florals, some orange citrus at the rim and some light breadiness.
Palate: A full wine here, with very smooth and coating feel in the mouth, a wide and deep range of white pitted fruit, with good juiciness, drier orange zest, toast, and some of those florals in the wonderful finish. A very fun, yet complex wine. - 05/13/2013
Tasted during a private winemaker tasting at The Corkscrew Cafe in Carmel Valley Village, 03/02/13.
MW: "MADELEINE - L'Arsouille - CHENIN BLANC 2011
The first vintage of Madeleine Chenin Blanc is straw color with green highlights. It starts with flavors of red apple, peach, nectarine, Meyer lemon and cantaloupe. The mouth offers nuances of white mushroom, sea salt, jasmine and coriander. It is crisp, off-dry with an harmonious acidity.
90 cases produced" Color: Lighter straw yellow in color, with clear edges.
Nose: Big and bright Meyer lemon here, complemented by a briny minerality, and more floral notes of peach blossoms and fruit.
Palate: Very good, with great complexity for this varietal in the New World. It is light-bodied, with a zesty acidity that refreshes all of that pitted and citrus from the noise with the same seaside saline minerality. A wonderful expression of Chenin Blanc: OldWorldWK. - 04/11/2013
Tasted during a private winemaker tasting at The Corkscrew Cafe in Carmel Valley Village, 03/02/13.
MW: "MADELEINE - L'Arsouille - CHENIN BLANC 2011
The first vintage of Madeleine Chenin Blanc is straw color with green highlights. It starts with flavors of red apple, peach, nectarine, Meyer lemon and cantaloupe. The mouth offers nuances of white mushroom, sea salt, jasmine and coriander. It is crisp, off-dry with an harmonious acidity.
90 cases produced"
x
$20
Tasting Notes & Comments
Color: Lighter straw yellow in color, with clear edges.
Nose: Big and bright Meyer lemon here, complemented by a briny minerality, and more floral notes of peach blossoms and fruit.
Palate: Very good, with great complexity for this varietal in the New World. It is light-bodied, with a zesty acidity that refreshes all of that pitted and citrus from the noise with the same seaside saline minerality. A wonderful expression of Chenin Blanc: OldWorldWK. - 04/11/2013
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