Le Sang des Cailloux Vacqueyras 2012
Le Sang des Cailloux Vacqueyras has long been a favorite of mine. The 2012, however, is admittedly too young (a condition complicated by my lack of a wine cellar where I’m currently staying). On the upside, delicate floral notes of lilac and violets lend a softening note to an otherwise masculine wine. There are, too […]
Brooks Willamette Valley Riesling 2012
For those who enjoy a dry Riesling, Brooks Willamette Valley Riesling offers a fine balance between dryness and richness of character. The nose is heavily laden with with white peaches, bruised pear, meadow flowers, bee pollen and an attractive Meyer lemon zest note. On the palate it has nice weight, but there again, it’s quite […]
Dobbes Family Estate Pinot Noir Griffin’s Cuvée 2012
Last week, I had the chance to taste the 2012 Dobbes Griffin’s Cuvée Pinot Noir with winemaker, Joe Dobbes. Joe mentioned that this wine is crafted from a blend of six clones, a fraction of which had been fermented whole cluster. There is ample red and black fruit to be found both on the nose […]
The Corning Museum of Glass
August 11th marked my first trip “back east,” for me that was technically any place east of western Montana. And while my entire reason for being there, in balmy Upstate New York was to attend the 2015 Wine Bloggers Conference, the artist in me thought it worthwhile to pay tribute to the Museum. Conference attendees streamed […]
Gloria Ferrer Carneros Cuvée 2004
The newly-released 2004 Gloria Ferrer Carneros Cuvée is a lively blend of 53% Pinot Noir and 47% Chardonnay. I spent a full day touring the facility and estate vineyards and was impressed by the care and labor that goes in to crafting their sparkling wines. The 2004 displays ripe red fruit and pleasing biscuit notes […]
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
I’m currently working on an article about winemaker/owner Chuck Wagner. His winemaking, he feels, has evolved to craft Cabs that are delicious upon release, and yet have the potential to age. Comparing this to the Special Selection, this is the wine to go for in terms of early drinking pleasure. And what pleasure it delivers! […]
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 2012
The 2012 Caymus Special Selection is a benchmark wine, the definition of old-school Napa Valley Cabernet. Made for long-term cellaring, this Cab is pure hedonism. Concentrated, tooth-staining, utterly seductive layers of blackberry compote and plum, satiny crème de cassis, cedar and woodsmoke are woven together by fine, grippy tannins. There is a lot of power […]
Clos Cazals Champagne Grand Cru Blanc De Blancs Extra Brut 2002
From the sublime 2002 vintage, the Clos Cazals Grand Cru Blanc De Blancs Extra Brut is fabulous. Suffuse, enveloping notes of apple tartin, toasted hazelnuts, molasses, and creme sherry allude to a wine of serious character. And indeed, it’s taught as a drawn bow, with the sort of tension that is only eased in a […]
Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosé 2014
I attended a pairings dinner at Willamette Valley Vineyards last Friday, and it’s not often that I can say that the rosé was the wine of the night. I felt totally justified in my leaning when the staff mentioned that there were only eight bottles of this delightful pink Pinot left. Only eight! The nose […]
Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir 2013
A deluge of rain just prior to harvest made for a challenging vintage in 2013, a “winemaker’s vintage” in the Willamette Valley, but there are bright spots, wines with nuance and freshness. Willamette Valley Vineyards is one such wine that is worthy of consideration, with classic raspberry and Rainier cherry notes, trail dust, and mahogany […]