Archives for the 'California' Wine Category
Rutherford Hill 2005 Sangiovese
This Napa Valley Sangiovese from Rutherford Hill winery really hit the spot. We were a tad nervous after opening the bottle from all of the sediment around the cork which had an odd vinegar smell. Fortunately the wine smelled good! It had an agreeable vanilla and cherry nose with hints of nutmeg. Taste was enjoyable. A well balanced, medium-bodied earthy wine with a slightly bitter finish.
Food pairing ideas:
Goes great with pasta, beef and Italian food!
From the winemaker:
Tasting Notes - Sangiovese is the primary grape grown in the famous Tuscan appellation of Chianti. Sangiovese was brought to California by Italian immigrants, many of whom settled in the Napa Valley. We enjoy this 2005 estate-grown Sangiovese for its approachability and finesse. Delicate fruit flavors, an attractive nose that expresses cherry and vanilla spice tones and a balanced, food-friendly acidity ensure our Sangiovese will enhance many meals. Our 2005 Sangiovese is a natural and winning wine choice to pair with Italian themed menus. You may notice some natural sediment. This is due to the light filtration process that Sangiovese requires.
(2 votes, average: 7.5 out of 10)
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Francis Ford Coppola 2006 Rosso - Red Wine
During these times of our economic uncertainties, we’ve been cutting back a bit on our monthly wine budget. Sad to say we’ve even cancelled a few of our favorite wine clubs until things pick back up. Anyway, we’ve been looking for those “bargain wines” that taste great and are under $12 a bottle.
During our weekend Costco run, we came across a few new California reds we’ve never tried. Now I admit, we’re hesitant to ever try something with a loud looking label but after reading the description, a few tasting notes and after seeing the price, we decided to bring home a bottle of Francis Ford Coppola’s 2006 Rosso.
It’s a red wine blend of 48% Zinfandel, 27% Syrah and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and it was good! A real everyday drinker just as the label suggests. It’s smooth and very easy to drink. What really excited us about it, besides the $7.39 price tag, was the vanilla and toasted oak flavors it cooks up in your mouth. Truly enjoyed it enough to go back for more!
Winemaker’s notes:
Francis Coppola grew up with wine on the family table because his grandfather and uncles made homemade wine in the basement of their New York apartment. Using grapes that had been shipped in by train car from California, the family was able to make wines in simple concrete vats. According to Uncle Mikey, these weren’t fancy wines, just pleasant, easydrinking wines. Our Rosso is made in the same spirit—a wine for everyday life.
You can get this Francis Coppola 2006 Rosso - Red Wine here or checkout your local Costco!
(5 votes, average: 8.6 out of 10) Loading ...No comments
2005 Goosecross Napa Valley Zinfandel
During our last visit to Napa Valley, we ran into some fellow wine tasters that went on and on about how great the wines were over at Goosecross Cellars. We just had to put it on our list for the day. And aren’t we glad we did. Goosecross had some fantastic wines including this flavorful Zinfandel. Full of black plum and juicy raspberry, this Napa Valley Zinfandel was indeed worth bringing home! (And we had a great time with the folks over at Goosecross!)
Food pairing ideas:
Grilled steak or swordfish, pastas and pizzas!
Winemaker’s notes:
Following an almost text-book growing season, Geoff guided the wine through a warm fermentation to capture the brambly essence of Zinfandel. Much of the art of winemaking is in blending and he added a little Primitivo to give the wine additional complexity creating a wine with rich, full flavors and unabashed fruit. It’s loaded with ripe strawberry, black plum, rich raspberry, and a hint of cocoa and spice. Soft, round tannins make for easy drinking now and over the next few years.
(5 votes, average: 7 out of 10) Loading ...No comments
Trinchero 2004 Merlot Monterey County CA
Packed full of juicy fruit, some cedar and vanilla flavors, this well balanced Merlot from the Trinchero family really hit the spot. We’re getting a case of this one for sure.
A fantastic wine for under $10!
Winemaker’s notes:
The goal with all of our Trinchero Family wines is to offer the purest expression of the grape variety; fruit-driven and delicious. The 2004 Trinchero Family Merlot is dark, rich, lush and remarkably smooth. It delivers ripe juicy red cherry and jammy currant accented with black tea and roasted jalapeno. The ripe fruit and spice carry through to a velvet-textured finish.
Get this Trinchero 2004 Merlot - Red Wine here
(2 votes, average: 7.5 out of 10) Loading ...No comments
EOS Estate Winery 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
We recently had some family out to visit that had arrived with this great bottle of Cabernet from EOS. (Paso Robles, CA) Filled with aromas of toasted oak, black cherry, berries and molasses, this wonderful red wine did very well with our grilled tri-tip steak. Tastes of raspberries and plum with a nice long finish of dark chocolate and spice really made our evening enjoyable. What a great full-bodied gift!
Food pairing ideas:
Serve with grilled meats, prime rib or aged cheddar cheese.
Technical details from the Winemaker:
The EOS 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon is comprised of 83.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.5% Petite Sirah, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec and .5% Petite Verdot. Was in the barrel for 15 months in 3% new French oak, 24% new American oak, 12% one-year old, 35% two year old and 26% neutral oak. Harvested in September 2004.
And in case you were wondering where the “EOS” came from…
The EOS Estate Winery was named after “Eos,†the “Goddess of the Dawn†in Greek Mythology. Eos was the inspiration for the winery’s harvesting of its Estate winegrapes before, or right after the sunrise, to keep the fruit cool and help retain fresh varietal character. For more of the story, check out their website.
(3 votes, average: 7.33 out of 10) Loading ...1 comment
Terlato Vineyards 2004 Devil’s Peak Red Wine
This 2004 Napa Valley Bordeaux-blend really hit the spot. We immediately knew we were drinking a quality red wine and not something that came out of the bargain bin over at Von’s. As part of our Rutherford Hill wine club, we occasionally get a bottle or two of Terlato wine. Thus far they’ve all been fantastic.
After letting this “Devil’s Peak” blend breathe for a half hour in the decanter, we poured our first glasses. Color was a beautiful velvet ruby. Nose was berries and currant and the taste…ahhh, very enjoyable! Full-bodied fruit and spice makes the complexity oh so nice!
An amazing blend of 59% Cabernet Franc, 31% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Wine is well worth the $40-$45 a bottle price. (Wine club members get 20% off)
Food pairing ideas:
We enjoyed this wine with grilled filet mignon and crab legs. (slightly smoked with cabernet wood chips) Paired wonderfully.
Order directly from Terlato online
You may also want to check out the Terlato Vineyards 2003 Syrah
(3 votes, average: 8 out of 10) Loading ...No comments
Mark West 2006 Pinot Noir California
We’ve had several good bottles of Mark West Pinot within the last few years. The ‘05 was good and now the ‘06 vintage is just as good. Well maybe it COULD sit for a year to develop a little more edge…but why? For around $10 a bottle, you should just sit back and enjoy it without any worry about the cost. Nice black cherry flavor with hints of oaky spice. Easy to drink and easy on your budget.
Food pairing ideas:
Try this Pinot with anything. Goes well with beef, fish and chicken. (creamy or spicy)
We’ve seen this bottle of Pinot Noir in several of our local grocery stores as well as in most wine or liquor stores.
A great buy under $10!
(4 votes, average: 7.75 out of 10) Loading ...1 comment
Gallo of Sonoma 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon
Gallo of Sonoma brings us a great bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon wine for the price! Nice aroma’s of raspberry, currant and spice on the nose with a smooth and lingering finish! Not our absolute favorite Cabernet BUT for that price, it’s a very drinkable red wine!
Food pairing ideas:
Try this or any other Cabernet Sauvignon with some red meat. This wine goes great with some bbq’d steak or with almost any grilled or smoked red meat.
You can order Gallo of Sonoma 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon here.
(4 votes, average: 6.75 out of 10) Loading ...No comments
Byron 2004 Pinot Noir
A very fine bottle of Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley! Very smooth and very much worth the $25-$29 price of admission. Very tasty…one of our favorite Pinot Noir’s! Make sure you put Byron on your list of wineries to visit when you’re in the Santa Barbara area. Some of their wines you can only get from the vineyard directly.
From the winemaker:
There are rich aromas of red plum, leather and clove that are highlighted by accents of jasmine and earthiness. The wine displays excellent intensity of flavor, featuring hints of black cherry, plum, brown spice and subtle nuances of French oak. Natural acidity and smooth tannins support the silky mid-palate. The wine culminates in a long, smoky finish.
You can order this Byron 2004 Santa Maria Pinot Noir online!
(4 votes, average: 8.25 out of 10) Loading ...1 comment
Wiens Family Cellars 2005 Viognier
This past weekend we went to Temecula, California to attend the Balloon and Wine Festival and decided to make a stop off at Wiens winery along the way. So glad we did. Wiens winery had some very nice wines, especially for those warm summer days.
This California Viognier, is perfect chilled and server on a warm day. As the label says, it’s “Luscious, full bodied, and rich.” Some great fruity flavors of pear and apricot with notes of floral and spice make this a very drinkable Viognier white wine.
Food pairing ideas:
Tastes great with some grilled seafood, chicken or goat cheese.
You can order through the wonderful staff at Wiens: 888.98.WIENS
(3 votes, average: 8 out of 10) Loading ...No comments