“The pinnacle wine for Terlato Vineyards, Episode stands shoulder to shoulder with the very best Bordeaux Blends in the world. Episode is crafted in limited quantities, a mere 17 barrels in 2007, heralded as the best vintage of the decade. The color is deep ruby. On the nose are blackberry and vanilla with hints of anise seed”.
This is a ‘Bordeaux blend’ of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc and was selected from Terlato’s extensive holdings of over 600 acres in Napa Valley, 1.5 acres in Rutherford was chosen to produce about 400 cases of this exceptional wine each year.
After one sip it’s no surprise that this is Napa, however it is very much Bordeaux is style and feel but with the approachability and depth of fruit you would expect from Napa. The nose is all dark fruits, red cherries and yes, a hint of anise seed evident (similar to licorice)- unusual for Napa and a delightful nuance. The palate whispers restrained elegance with layers blackberries and black currents dominating gently wrapped in cocoa, blueberries, red cherries, spices and subtle oak on a long lingering finish. Still has several years but it’s drinking really well now.
Pairing: Tenderloin of Lamb with sautéed mushrooms.
Pomino Bianco for short. I know what your thinking, it’s winter and your talking about a white wine. What’s with that. Couple of things, it won’t be winter forever and what are you going to drink with all those delicious chicken and seafood recipes you’ll cook in the next 3-4 months. Surely not a Shiraz or Cabernet?
I’m also guessing your thinking they produce white wine in Tuscany, I thought all they grew was Sangiovese? They do in fact grow several different white varietals there, Vermentino being the most popular but I have a feeling this blend is destined to be more popular in the future.
With their Tuscan vineyards situated at an elevation of 700 meters and ideally suited to producing impressive, elegant well balanced wines, this stands as a great example of what can be produced from this section of Tuscany. This blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and a ‘small percentage of complementary varieties’ is impressive from the enticing nose of floral and fruit notes to the soft approachable mouthfeel balanced with impressive acidity. The palate is finely woven layers of apples, pears, citrus (grapefruit and orange) and white peach leaving a crisp refreshing impression on a long finish.
In 1976 Steven Spurrier succeeded in cracking the door open for California wines when he organized the now infamous “Judgement of Paris”- a blind tasting with the best French and American wines with French Judges. The Napa wines emerging the winners with the French newspapers Le Figaro and Le Monde calling it “laughable” and saying it “cannot be taken seriously.” Source: www.trefethen.com
In 1979, the French restaurant publication Gault&Millau’s Le Nouveau Guide organized ‘a rematch’ tasting dubbed the “Olympiad du Vin”, this time with Judges from 33 countries. Again, the Napa wines were victorious with the Best Chardonnay in the World going to no other than the 1976 Trefethen Chardonnay. I’ve not tasted the 1976 vintage but if I had a time machine … both tastings would definitely be on the short list.
A little-known fact but a further blind tasting was conducted 6 months later overseen by the Drouhin Family who hotly contested the 1979 results. In yet another stunning upset, Trefethen’s 1976 Chardonnay again emerged as the victor. Robert Drouhin accepted the results stating the Trefethen Chardonnay was “the yardstick by which all other Chardonnays must be measured.”
Enough reflecting, let’s get to the wines …
Dry Riesling 2018. 94 pt WE
Enticing floral notes with delicate citrus and apple on the nose. Delicious nectarine and peach dominate the palate with secondary notes of white peach, apricot and apple rounding things out. Wonderful balance and acidity- a delight to drink and will pair well with Shell fish, lobster, Sushi and a mild Pad Thai Chicken (or prawns) Will cellar out to 2025 without a worry. An impressive wine.
Chardonnay 2018. 97 pt Decanter
‘Defined in the vineyard and refined in the cellar, this wine reflects the cool climate of our estate in the Oak Knoll District, showcasing our signature characteristics of brightness and balance’. Source: www.trefethen.com
That pretty much sums it up but I do have a few comments:
Elegant and deceptive simplicity. Layered aromas of citrus, apple and white peach entice you to take a sip, savor the nose for a moment, allow that to leave an impression before experiencing almost seamless layers of citrus, ripe apple and pear with toasty oak appearing as subtle crème brulee without the predictable over oaked/creamy note. Superb clean crispness with wonderful balance and acidity. Excellent length leaving a lasting impression of smoothness and restraint.
Cabernet Franc 2018.
It’s no secret that I love Cab Franc and this is no exception, enticing nose with red fruits and a delicate sweet floral note and all the elegance you would expect from a beautifully crafted wine. Friendly welcoming mouthfeel with loads of red currents, cherries and strawberries with secondary notes of spices, cracked pepper and a nice earthy note. Tannins frame flavor profile well. Impressive balance and length that leaves you with a smile. Cellar to 2030. Worth decanting for an hour or to at this point to reveal its best.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2017. 97pt Decanter
This left bank Bordeaux blend comprises 87% Cabernet Sauvignon 4% Merlot 4% Cabernet Franc 3% Malbec 2% Petit Verdot and is 100% sourced from their Main Ranch Estate Vineyard located in Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. This excellent pedigree will give you some insight into the wine but doesn’t come near to explaining just how the depth and complexity of the fruit, how enticing the nose is or how the velvety mouthfeel was arrived at. Nose is swirls of dark fruits but it’s the palate that can’t make you look away. Intense layers of black current, raspberries, cherries and red fruits with bay leaf and subtle spices underpinning a lengthy finish. Wonderful balance, restraint and elegance with not a thing out of place. Cellar out to 2030, if you can wait that long. Pair with any red meat dish laced with spices, bay leaf, thyme and black pepper.
All these wines are perfectly suited to drinking at this time of the year, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying them all year round!
Pinot Noir: Fantastic grape varietal, one of my favorites. It is a light, bright easy to drink wine that pairs so well with so many leaner ‘healthier’ dishes such as Salmon, Salads, lean turkey, pork and chicken to mention a few.
The name comes from the French meaning pine and black- pine was inspired by the tight clustered pine cone shaped bunches of grapes. It is grown all over the world but it is best suited to cooler climates such as Burgundy, Oregon and Victoria in Australia. Warmer climates such as Sonoma and Central Coast emphasis red fruits ranging from cherries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries and plum whilst cooler climate offerings emphasize more rustic earthy notes such as forest floor, mushrooms, leather and spices. It is also one of the most widely used grapes for Champagne (along with Chardonnay) and it notoriously fickly, and, at times, down right difficult to grow due mainly to its thin skin.
Its origins are unclear but its home is most definitely Burgundy but considered by many to be an ‘International Grape’. France grows by far the most with the US, Germany, Moldova and Italy rounding out the top 5. There are also approx. 1,000 clones of Pinot Noir that display individual characteristics that are specifically selected to match the terroir of specific vineyard sites around the world to produce the best possible wine.
Price: Ranges from $10-$20 Sth America, $25 to $100 elsewhere and up to several hundred dollars from Burgundy. Will cellar out up to 20 – 25 years from France.
Celebrate International Pinot Noir Day August 18th
Gamay: Also known as Gamay Noir is actually a cousin of Pinot Noir and is primarily grown in the region of Beaujolais which just happens to be next to Burgundy. It’s the delicate floral nose underpinned by earthy notes that is a major factor in these wines appeal with the palate displaying raspberries, black current, cherries, strawberries, cranberries and distinct notes of banana. All in all, a really interesting varietal and a wonderful wine to drink. Some of the higher tiers will cellar out 10 or even 15 years displaying wonderful depth and complexity. Regions to look for when buying a Gamey are Moulin-à-Vent, Régnié, Fleurie, Morgon, Chiroubles, Julienas, and Côte de Brouilly.
It is also the grape used in Beaujolais Nouveau which can be found on just about every table at Thanksgiving in the US. Don’t make the mistake of confusing the two, despite being the same varietal.
Grenache: Grenache is one of the most widely planted red grape varietal in the world and prior to 1970 was the most widely planted grape varietal in Australia (since over taken by Shiraz) Sth Australia holds the distinction of hosting the oldest Grenache vines in the world. Some say the 1848 plantings in Marco Cirillo vineyards in Barossa are the oldest, and others say D’Arenberg vineyards in Mc Laren Vale are the oldest. We may never know. What we do know is some exceptional Grenache and Grenache based blends, known as GSM’s come out of Australia, as well as Cote du Rhone, Spain and a dozen other countries. Another wayward child that doesn’t know its origins: it is either the Island of Sardinia (where its known as Cannonau) or Northern Spain with both France and Spain out ranking all others in plantings. The vines thrive in dry climates and are often the last to ripen and picked and can produce a degree of sweetness and high alcohol.
Flavor profile can run from strawberries, cherries and raspberries to orange rind, tobacco, cinnamon and spices and is one of the most enjoyable wines from the lighter red group. The warmer climate offerings from Spain are dominated by cherry and licorice and some sweetness and generally have alcohol levels of 15% whilst cooler climate offerings from Cote du Rhone are focused on cherries, herbs and smokey notes with lower alcohol levels and more finesse. New world offerings lean towards red fruits and floral notes dominating with spices herbal notes taking second place.
Food Pairings: Bold meat dishes with the spicy notes can prove to make an ideal pairing with spicy foods and can be chilled slightly to accommodate additional spiciness in dishes.
Price: Can range from $10 – $40 but can rise quickly to $100 (Hickinbotham, Sth Australia) $300 (Clos Erasmus in Spain) $500 (Sine Qua Non Winery, Santa Barbara) and $600 (Domaine du Pegau in Châteauneuf-du- Pape) when considering the best offerings.
Celebrate International Grenache Day September 18th
Every year around this time when I get to taste all the new vintage releases, I remember back to all the Penfolds wines I’ve drunk over the past 40 plus years and have to smile. From the baby Grange officially known as Bin 389 to 28 and 407, and let’s not forget my old favorite St Henri.
On the white side of things, Bin 311 Chardonnay and Bin 51 Riesling have never disappointed and all the Special Bin and limited releases have consistently made me smile. With the exception of a few specific releases, all Penfold’s wines are multi regional, multi vineyard blends bringing a more consistent aspect to the wines.
Bin 311 Chardonnay 2017- 95 Points – Campbell Mattinson
I’ve always enjoyed this wine and this vintage is no exception. Launched in 2005, sourcing 100% of the fruit from Tumbarumba (cool climate region southwest of Sydney). This vintage truly reflects the winemakers’ mantra ‘we always go where the fruit grows best and where its best suits style’. In 2017, the fruit sourcing has moved to cool-climate multi-regional embracing fruit from Adelaide Hills, Tasmania as well as Tumbarumba.
The nose is fresh and inviting with aromas of white peach, nuts, nougat and crème brulee with a promise of more to come.
Palate is fresh and lively with lime, citrus, white stone fruits, with secondary notes of peach, green apple and a beautiful balance of saline and minerality. Impressive length and acidity make this ‘new’ regional blend something completely different from earlier vintages and worth rediscovering all over again.
Bin 28 Shiraz 2016- 96 pt, James Halliday.
The renown black fruit dominated flavor profile of Bin 28’s reputation is not only intact but reinforced by the 2016 vintage. An impressive balance of depth, complexity, elegance and drinkable appeal is stylishly grafted together to create a wine greater than the sum of the parts. Greater than the individual parcels of grapes from Barossa Valley, or McLaren Vale or Padthaway that go into making up this impressive wine. So much power and balance with impressive structure, this will cellar out 20 years without a problem. Bin 28 is growing up, and in the process, developing both character and charm. A must try wine for 2020. Not at all surprised by the 96 pt rating.
Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2017- 97 pt, James Halliday.
Known as ‘Baby Grange’ due to aging in Grange barrels, this remarkable blend of 54% Cabernet and 46% Shiraz is sourced from McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway and Wrattonbully vineyards. Impressive, complex and compelling, with attitude. Enticing nose of dark fruits establishes your anticipation but one sip will reassure you there is no disappointment is store. Impressive layers of black and blue fruits with secondary notes of plum, black current, chocolate, sweet tobacco and spices, engineered, almost seamlessly, to impress. I know I didn’t mention how friendly and approachable the silky-smooth mouthfeel is or the impeccable balance and structure or the very long finish but it has all of that and more. Discover it for yourself.
Bin 407 Cabernet 2017- 96 pt, James Halliday.
This vintage benefits from ‘hand me down’ juice down the declassified Bin 707 (around $500 a bottle) but very much a Bin 407 from the first sip. Grapes are sourced from Padthaway, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley Coonawarra and Wrattonbully- all exceptional regions in St Australia. This vintage is characterized by depth and complexity delivered in a medium bodied approachable Cabernet.
Nose is restrained with cherries, dark fruits and an interesting array of spices,
Palate is all Black currents, cherries, plum with a nice rich mouthfeel with cassis and an enticing savory note on the finish dominated by olives, herbs, mint and oak.
Deep and complexity is evident from the first sip. Despite being textbook 407 there is a subtle shift in style to old world and more austere style. Still has all the trade-marks of a multi-regional Australian Cabernet. I think this is going to surprise a few people in 5 – 10 years and will cellar out 20 plus years.
Penfolds St Henri 2016- 98pt Andrew Caillard MW.
I have to say from the outset that this is my favorite Penfolds wine. It doesn’t possess the reverence or reputation of Grange but it’s like connecting with an old friend every time I open one, not to mention substantially cheaper. I’ve been fortunate to drink at least 25 vintages of this amazing wine. All have been an absolute pleasure and this is one of the best St Henri’s I’ve tasted, certainly as good as the 1990, 2004, 2006 and 2010 vintages and I would take a guess and say it could out perform all of those vintages with some cellar time.
The 2016 is predominately Shiraz with just 5% Cabernet Sauvignon added. The only bad news about this wine is they only produced 690 cases produced- and that’s 6 packs.
Nose is dominated by olives, coffee, bay leaf and chocolate with dark fruits and framed with savory spices and bell pepper gently support this compelling nose.
Palate is immediately impressive, even with this only being opened 10 minutes and improved over the next 3 – 4 hours. From the first sip this wine screams potential and will cellar out a minimum of 30 to 40 years. The palate is complex with layers of fruits seamlessly folding into each other with a total package approach. Layers of blackberries, cherries, blueberries and chocolate with secondary notes of fleshy prunes, plums, red current and spices on a long impressive finish.
Spectacular with so much elegance and restraint. Don’t get me wrong, this is a big wine and bound to impress even the most obsessive, astute buyer and will make you smile from the first sip. It doesn’t get much better than this!
This is some of the best Oakville I’ve drunk- especially at the price point! Allow me to digress for a minute and introduce you to Schrader Cellars, Oakville, California. A winery that has gained almost mythical status and spoken about in hushed tones of reverence in just 20 years as well as commanding prices out of most people’s reach.
With the help of Winemaker Tom Rivers Brown, they source grapes from the best vineyards in California including ‘first-growth’ Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard in Rutherford, Beckstoffer Las Piedras in Northwest St. Helena, and more recently the Monastery Block To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville.
Established by Fred and Carol Schrader in 1998 the winery has gone from strength to strength achieving a combined total of 27 perfect 100-point scores- an unheard feat. Winemaker Tom Rivers Brown came on board in 2000 after a chance meeting while working in a local wine shop.
“Our philosophy behind the creation of Double Diamond nearly two decades ago is that our friends and fellow wine lovers should be able to enjoy a fabulous quality, well-made Cabernet Sauvignon every day without breaking the bank” -Fred Schrader.
The Double Diamond Cabernet is sourced totally from Oakville, with both previous vintages (2013 and 2016) selling out immediately. Needless to say, this is an extraordinary wine and almost impossible to obtain. I say almost because I’ve managed to obtain 60 bottles (Kahn’s Fine Wines). The 2017 vintage has had 2% Merlot added.
The nose is so individualistic and enticing. Dark fruits are both impressive and irresistible with just a hint of spice. The palate is remarkable with focused expression balanced with a silky-smooth mouthfeel that defies its youth. Profile is big, bold and rich with elegance to boot with black and blue fruits seamlessly wrapped with hints of spices, finely grained tannins presenting themselves through the middle palate to a long lingering finish. At the risk of repeating myself this is some of the best Oakville I’ve tasted and drinks well beyond the price tag. Looking forward to drinking this in 5 to 10 years.
Those of you that know me know that I live to find that next impossible deal so I can offer you incredible wines at exceptional value- here are three I recently found!
NOTE: I try not to let my work life (I’m the wine buyer at Kahn’s Fine Wines in Indianapolis with 4,000 plus wines) encroach into the blog but sometimes its impossible. If you live in Indianapolis and are interested in purchasing these wines, you know where to get them.
The small family winery known as Fernández de Piérola winery was established in 1996 with the aim of producing quality wines with a distinguishing personality. One that would reflect the terroir of the vineyard, and would shine about all other wineries in the region.
Combine this with age old wine making traditions with planting vines in the “Marco Real” (square planting system) and “Marco Rectangular” (rectangular planting system) allows their Tempernillo to flourish and develop its own, individual character. One sip of these wines and you’ll agree, they have achieved their goal.
Crianza 2016
100% Tempernillo and is aged in barrels for 18 months and bares the burgundy red color indicating as such. Soft, approachable with loads of red fruits this release screams value. This would be value at $19.99 but, at half that price, its quite literally a steal. Buy a case and pour it at your next cook out! Situation permitting of course. $12.99
The Reserva
again 100% Tempernillo and is barrel aged for 24 months earning the designation of dark red displayed on the label. This is ‘cut from the same jib’ as the younger brother but with noticeably more depth and complexity and of course 8 more years of combined aging. This is smooth, welcoming and a delight to drink. $31.99
The Grand Reserva 2004
again 100% Tempernillo and has been barrel aged for 36 months displaying the royal blue color. This is definitely the big brother of the three and shows vast improvement in terms of depth and complexity with instant appeal as you take your first sip. Silky smooth mouthfeel with dark fruits, plum and red fruits coating your mouth with impressive length on the finish. $39.99
Rosé wines could be called the best new trend of this century, certainly the most refreshing. Yes, you guessed it, I love Rosé wines. Fifteen years ago, you were looked at strangely if you served your guests a Rose. Ten years ago, you were considered cool and hip. Today of course Rose wines are accepted more than ever.
A Little Rosé History.
It is believed that Rosé was one of the first, if not the first, style of wine made dating back 2,500 years to the Greeks and Romans. It wasn’t really until “pale Clarets” starting appearing from Bordeaux that ‘Rosé’ style wines were even mentioned.
After World War II two Portuguese producers, Mateus and Lancers released sweet, slightly sparkling rosés to the European and American markets. They both went on to set sales records and inspired the “White Zinfandel” trend of the mid 70’s onwards.
The European markets drifted towards a drier style Rosé whilst the US Markets still cling to the sweeter “blush” style like White Zinfandel, although that trend is changing.
Probably due to the climate and the cuisine of Provence, the lighter, drier style of wine flourished. The rest of France, as well as the world soon caught on and Rosé began appearing from winemakers all over the world, made from dozens of different grape varietals.
Rosé is grown all over the world from more varietal’s
than people care to keep track of but it is fair to say when
it comes to Rosé, Provence is Queen!!
With one exception, all juice from grapes is ‘clear’ or more accurately a pale straw color. The red color in wine comes from skin contact from as the juice is left in contact with the skins and can last from a few hours to a few days in the case of Rosé, up to 28 days. The longer the skin contact the bigger, bolder and more tannic the wine is. The myth that Rosé wines are a blend of white and red wines is just that, a myth and is actually forbidden by law in France, except for Champagne.
When it comes to style and flavor profile some generalizations can be made- French, and more specifically Province Rosé are more on the delicate side with US Rosé tending to be bolder, the same can also be said for Italian, Australian and New Zealand.
Flavor profiles are determined by the grape varietals used. The bottom line is, experiment, enjoy, and if you think Rosé are a summer wine only think again. By the way, don’t ignore Rosé Champagnes/Bubbles (a little political correctness)
This could just be the best Chardonnay you will drink this year!
In 1997 Phil Sexton arrived in the Yarra Valley in search of vineyards with very specific conditions, or terroir if you like, to make Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs with purity and finesse. Joined by winemaker Steve Flamsteed in 2003, his dream has come true, producing five single vineyard Chardonnays with individuality and focus. Their unwavering commitment to produce the best has resulted in some serious recognition- 34 trophies. 100 gold medals and being named in the ‘Top 100 Wineries in the World by Wine & Spirits Magazine’, six years running.
The wine I’m presenting today is a blend of those 5 vineyards to produce an exceptional Chardonnay, lean, crisp, fruit focused and an absolute delight to drink. Highly allocated with only 400 six packs hitting the US, we were fortunate enough to secure ten 6 packs- 60 bottles only! At Kahn’s Fine Wines in Indianapolis.
This is impressive right out of the gate. Stone fruits seamlessly fit together with notes of citrus, melon and an interesting bready note with just a hint of saline and subtle spices on a long finish. Exceptional depth and complexity with such purity and precision, combine that with a French Chablis leaning, this is a must for Chardonnay lovers. A winner all round with and a Congratulations going to Steve Flamsteed’s ability to nurture the best out of the exceptional vineyards he is blessed to work with.
I’m pairing this with crab cakes and a cream garlic sauce with stir fried vegetables and garlic bread. Monday night in Indianapolis just got a whole lot better!
Winemaker recommends pairing with: Kingfish sashimi, miso, soy sauce dressing; fresh goats curd and olive tapenade on grilled sourdough; roast crispy skin baby chicken, preserved lemon & roast garlic; Aged Pecorino cheese drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.
Did I mention 95 pt ratings from Wine Enthusiast and Campbell Mattinson?
Vine to Table 