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Recent Wines of the Day
- 2009 Cornerstone Cellars “The Cornerstone” Napa Valley
- 2009 Laetitia Pinot Noir Single Vineyard La Colline Arroyo Grande Valley
- 2010 Lange Twins Chardonnay Estate Grown Clarksburg AVA
- 2012 Borra Vineyards Artist Series Kerner Lodi AVA
- 2010 Wren Hop Pinot Noir “Fire Messenger” Sonoma Coast
- 2011 Lucia Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands
- 2011 Roar Chardonnay Sierra Mar Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands
- 2010 Frostwatch Chardonnay Bennett Valley Sonoma County
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- 2011 Vina Robles White4
- 2010 Quivira Refuge Sauvignon Blanc
- 2007 Ampelos Delta Grenache
- 2008 Inman Family Thorn Ridge Ranch Pinot Noir
- 2010 DeLoach Estate Pinot Noir
- 2009 V. Sattui Zinfandel Gilsson Vineyard Russian River Valley
- 2009 Trinchero Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Chicken Ranch Vineyard, Rutherford
- 2009 McCay Cellars “Jupiter” Zinfandel
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2009 Laetitia Pinot Noir Single Vineyard La Colline Arroyo Grande Valley
- Pinot Noir
- Written by Fred Swan
- Created on Wednesday, 01 May 2013 22:03
Laetitia Vineyard and Winery primarily produces Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling wine from its estate vineyards in the Arroyo Grande Valley AVA. Their site is about 5 miles southeast of the town of Arroyo Grande and stretches from Highway 101 east up into the hills. From the higher vineyards you can easily see the Pacific Ocean just 3 miles away. Its tremendous cooling effect allows for very long growing seasons but excellent acidity in the grapes. Depending on where you stand, the soil is either alluvial, deep piles of volcanic rock or limestone.
The La Colline vineyard is at the forefront of the cooling. It’s among Laetitia’s closest to the ocean and situated at the end of a small canyon that funnels the cold air straight onto the vines. If not for the south facing of the sloping vineyard getting adequate ripeness could be an issue. This particular soil is a blend of volcanic and ancient sea floor washed down from the hill tops.
The 2009 Laetitia La Colline Pinot Noir has a classic nose of mixed red fruit, darker cherry, spice, sarsaparilla and dark floral notes. The body is on the generous side of medium with moderate talc-like tannins. In the mouth, the cherry and berry fruit is balanced by medium-plus acidity and enhanced with more spice and sarsaparilla. This is a very good wine, properly ripe but taut and disciplined. Drink now through 2017. Highly Recommended.
2009 Laetitia Pinot Noir Single Vineyard La Colline Arroyo Grande Valley
Rating: Highly Recommended
Drink: now through 2017
Closure: Cork
Production: 220 cases
Retail Price: $60.00
Winemaker: Eric Hickey
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Origin: La Colline Vineyard, Laetitia Estate,
Fermentation: Whole berry fermentation, open top
Aging: 12 months in French oak, 30% new
Alcohol: 13.3%
Service Recommendations
Decanting: Not required
Temperature: 56º - 60º F
Food Pairings: Pan-roasted quail with mushroom duxelle
Disclosures: The FTC has tightened its guidelines with respect to online ads, reviews, blogs, etc. in response to people who are passing paid adds off as personal recommendations or who getting samples of expensive hard goods in exchange for reviews. My lengthy disclosure here is meant to address those guidelines.
The review above reflects my personal experience with the product. It is not a paid ad, nor do I accept ads or compensation for reviews directly from wine producers. Reviews may cover products that I have purchased, received as samples, or tried under other circumstances I consider to be good tasting conditions. Receiving a product as a sample does not obligate me to review it positively (or at all) and I do not consider samples to be compensation or “free wine.” I have purchased plenty of wine over the years and have more of that than I can drink. Samples are opened for review purposes, not added to my personal cellar or taken to restaurants.
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This article is original to NorCalWine.com. Copyright 2013 NorCal Wine. Photos courtesy of Laetitia. All rights reserved.
2010 Wren Hop Pinot Noir “Fire Messenger” Sonoma Coast
- Pinot Noir
- Written by Fred Swan
- Created on Wednesday, 24 April 2013 04:02
Wren Hop Vineyards is a small, Santa Rosa-based label operated by the father and son team of James McDonough and... James McDonough. The focus is Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from top vineyards in the Russian River Valley AVA and Sonoma Coast AVA. These include the Sunchase, Gap’s Crown and Goldrock Ridge Vineyards as well as the Wren Hop estate vineyard. The wines are crafted by Russell Bevan, a very talented producer of expressive, sensual wines.
The 2010 Wren Hop Fire Messenger is dark ruby with a captivating nose of strawberry, Chinese five-spice, black raspberry, tangy herb and blood orange zest. On the lightly creamy palate are a touch of sweetness and very fine texture with terrifically long-lasting red fruit and spice. Enjoy now through 2017. Very Highly Recommended.
2010 Wren Hop Pinot Noir “Fire Messenger” Sonoma Coast
Rating: Very Highly Recommended
Drink: Now - 2017
Release Date: September, 2012
Closure: Cork
Production: 100 cases
Retail Price: $62.00
Winemaker: Russell Bevan
Origin: Gap’s Crown and Wren Hop Vineyards, Sonoma Coast AVA
Aging: 11 months, 100% new French oak
Alcohol: 14.6%
Service Recommendations
Decanting: Not recommended
Temperature: 57º - 61º F
Food Pairings: Seared duck breast
The wine above was purchased by a friend.
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This article is original to NorCalWine.com. Copyright 2013 NorCal Wine. All rights reserved.
2011 Lucia Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands
- Pinot Noir
- Written by Fred Swan
- Created on Monday, 22 April 2013 22:23
The Soberanes Vineyard is the newest planting (2008) from the Garys (Pisoni and Franscioni) in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. It’s a long, rectangular 35-acre plot running on a slope immediately to the southeast of the Garys‘ Vineyard. The southeast border of the Soberanes Vineyard abuts the much larger Tondre Grapefields. Gary Pisoni’s eldest son, Mark, is the vineyard manager.
The Soberanes vines have a different orientation than the Garys‘ and there are some clonal differences too. The vineyard includes three varieties: Syrah at the very highest elevation, Chardonnay at the lowest, Pinot Noir in between and with the most acreage. The fruit has quickly become popular with at least 20 producers doing vineyard-designate wines from one or more of the varieties. The Lucia label belongs to the Pisoni family and the younger of the two sons, Jeff, makes the wines.
The 2011 Lucia Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir is medium ruby in color, bright and crystal clear. The generous but graceful nose leads with dark flowers, followed by enticing wild cherry and a trace of dry herb. In the mouth its medium to medium-plus in body with moderate and extremely fine chalky tannins. There’s great focus and purity of fruit here with delicious red cherries, raspberry and spice. Drink now through 2019. Very Highly Recommended.
2011 Lucia Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands
Rating: Very Highly Recommended
Drink: now - 2019
Closure: Cork
Production: 215 cases
Retail Price: $50.00
Winemaker: Jeff Pisoni
Origin: Soberanes Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
Fermentation: Native yeast
Aging: French oak
Alcohol: 14.1%
Service Recommendations
Decanting: Not required
Temperature: 56º - 60º F
Food Pairings: Roast Chicken Panzanella
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This article is original to NorCalWine.com. Copyright 2013 NorCal Wine. All rights reserved.
2008 Inman Family Thorn Ridge Ranch Pinot Noir
- Pinot Noir
- Written by Fred Swan
- Created on Monday, 10 September 2012 03:05
Kathleen Inman is a natural winemaker who eschews biodynamic viticulture because it makes use of products which she says necessitate harm to animals, such as the burying of cow horns. However, Inman does heed the lunar calendar and favors organic farming which, she pursues at the Inman Family estate vineyard, Olivet Grange. As a winemaker, Inman strives to use only native yeasts and never adds acid, water, enzymes or tannins.
This particular wine comes not from Inman’s estate vineyard, but from Ted Klopp’s Thorn Ridge Ranch in the Sebastopol Hills. In an area affected by a 2006 redrawing of AVAs, Thorn Ridge used to be classified solely as Sonoma Coast but is now within the Russian River Valley AVA too. It’s an east-facing vineyard with clay-rich Goldridge loam that retains moisture and allows for farming with little to no irrigation even on the steep hillside. The highly-sought after fruit has also been used by Freeman, Talisman and Pali, among others.
The 2008 Inman Family Thorn Ridge Ranch Pinot Noir’s light ruby-colored appearance belies the wine’s deliciously dark and masculine flavors. The aromas and bold flavors are an appetizing mix of black cherry, dry leaves, allspice and rich, and black tea leaves. The palate has medium weight with moderate, integrated tannins and persistent, juicy acidity. Drink now through 2017. Highly Recommended.
2008 Inman Family Thorn Ridge Ranch Pinot Noir
Rating: Highly Recommended
Drink: Now through 2017
Bottling Date: August 2009
Closure: Stelvin
Retail Price: $56.00
Origin: Thorn Ridge Ranch, Russian River Valley AVA, Sonoma County
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir - Swan, Pommard & 777 clones
Fermentation: Native yeast
Aging: 11 months, French oak, 40% new
Alcohol: 14.5%
Service Recommendations
Decanting: Not recommended
Temperature: 58º - 62º F
Food Pairings: Crostini of very thin rye topped with warm, paper-thin pastrami
The wine above was sampled in a focused tasting at #PinotSmackdown.
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This article is original to NorCalWine.com. Copyright 2012 NorCal Wine. All rights reserved.
2010 DeLoach Estate Pinot Noir
- Pinot Noir
- Written by Fred Swan
- Created on Sunday, 09 September 2012 21:20
Like many Burgundian winegrowers, Jean-Charles Boisset believes strongly in sustainability and biodynamic viticulture. All of the vineyards owned by Boisset Family Estates in the United States, France and Canada are either certified-organic or on the way to being so. The Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards of Domaine de la Vougeraie are certified-biodynamic. As of February 2010, so is the 17-acre DeLoach estate vineyard which Boisset acquired in 2004.
2010 was a difficult year for grape-growers in most of California’s AVAs. The Russian River Valley was no different with chaotic weather patterns, described by Brian Maloney, director of winemaking for Boisset’s Sonoma wineries, as “very cool, then hot, then cool, then hot.” Inconveniently timed rain made matters worse. It was the kind of year that can test the resolve of natural and/or low-intervention growers.
DeLoach stayed the course with excellent results. Was it the extra attention they pay to their vines, the natural equilibrium of the biodynamic ecosystem or simply a lucky site? It’s impossible to know. I suspect all three were at work, along with very careful picking and sorting. In any case, nothing in this pretty wine suggests anything other than perfect berries.
The 2010 DeLoach Estate Pinot Noir is a feminine wine, yet packed with enticing flavors that evolve almost continually in the glass. It’s medium ruby in the glass with elegant red fruit, sandalwood, smoke, sweet spice and tangerine. In the mouth it’s medium-bodied with very fine tannins and noticeable acidity. The flavors of red cherry, brown spice, cola and brulée linger for a medium-plus finish. Drink now through 2018. Highly Recommended+.
2010 DeLoach Estate Pinot Noir
Rating: Highly Recommended+
Drink: now - 2018
Closure: Cork
Production: 375 cases
Retail Price: $50.00
Origin: DeLoach estate vineyard, Russian River Valley AVA, Demeter-certified biodynamic
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir, 60% clone 828, 40% Calera
Fermentation: Native yeast, separate fermentations for each clone
Aging: 100% French oak aged, 33% new, 14 months
Alcohol: 14.5%
Service Recommendations
Decanting: Not recommended
Temperature: 58º - 62º F
Food Pairings: Pork fried rice
The wine above was tasted at the winery.
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This article is original to NorCalWine.com. Copyright 2012 NorCal Wine. All rights reserved.
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