If you like flavorless, mass produced, critter label wines, this is not the tasting for you. However, if you enjoy drinking intensely flavored wines from small family wineries and saving lots of money on them, you might want to consider joining us for this tasting. It is truly an all-star lineup of wines and Tom Leiner from Grapevine Distributors will be our guest emcee for the night. The tasting takes place on Wednesday, October 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. The cost is just $10/person or it’s $8 if you’re a Grape Nut.
For just $10 ($8 if you’re a Grape Nut), you’ll have the chance to try eight wines from some of the rising star producers of California and Oregon. Ample cheese, bread and other light palate cleansers will be offered as well. All wines will be offered at a 20% discount for the evening – it’s never too early to stock up for the holidays and save while doing so!
1. 2011 Solena Pinot Gris – Husband and wife Laurent Montalieu and Danielle Andrus Montalieu started their Willamette Valley, Oregon based winery in just 2009, andtheir estate is one of the emerging stars of the state. Their Pinot Gris is super lush and silken textured with lovely notes of honeysuckle and brown spiced peach.
2. 2010 Pellegrini Chardonnay “Olivet Lane” – The Olivet Lane Vineyard, in California’s Russian River Valley, is one of the state’s top sites for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.This is just full tilt, classic California Chardonnay – bold, creamy, spicy and buttery, it hits all the sweet spots.
3. 2009 Hook and Ladder “The Tillerman” – This is the Russian River Valley based estate of Cecil and Christine Deloach. Their Tillerman red blend is made up of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 19% Merlot and 10% Sangiovese aged in French and American oak for 17 months. It is boldly flavored but plush, with notes of ripe cherry and raspberry fruit complimented by cinnamon, clove and vanilla notes.
4. 2008 Zacherle Syrah – Zacherle Wines is an outlet for winemakers Nile Zacherle (winemaker at David Arthur Vineyards and Montagna) and Whitney Fisher Zacherle (winemaker atFisher Vineyards). Just 178 cases of their Syrah were produced in 2008, and grapes come from a cool climate site in the Chalk Hill/Russian River Valley AVA’s. Inky dark in color, it offers up inviting notes of ripe blueberry/blackberry as well as classic Syrah nuances of pepper, lavender and spice.
5. 2010 Brochelle Zinfandel – Brock and Michele Waterman craft rich, jammy hedonistic Zinfandel using fruit from their vineyard holdings in Paso Robles. The 2010 has really come together nicely. Velvety, voluptuous and densely textured, it exhibits notes of super ripe cherry, raspberry and boysenberry fruit along with over the top notes of brown sugar, spice and licorice.
6. 2009 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Franc – Ehlers Estate produces world-class Bordeaux varietals from their estate vineyard located on the loamy bench soils just north of the town of St. Helena. All of the farming here is organic/biodynamic and the wines are simply delicious.Just 474 cases of their Cab Franc were produced in the 2009 vintage. It is a velvety, silky, ripe and juicy wine sprinkled with currants, black cherry, cayenne, vanilla bean and fine cigar tobacco.
7. 2009 Amizetta Cabernet Sauvignon – Amizetta and Spencer Clark farm a steep and rocky 40 acre parcel with southern facing slopes at the tail end of Howell Mountain. They craft small lot wines that are classic renditions of Napa Valley Cabernet………many of you probably remember how good their 2008 was, as we sold a bunch of it. The 2009 is another triumph – deep, rich and intense, it offers up a melange of cherry, raspberry and currant fruit along with subtle nuances of chocolate and spice box. Really tasty stuff!!!!!
8. 2007 Montagna Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon – Perched on a prime spot on Pritchard Hill, one of the top sites for Cabernet Sauvignon in all of Napa Valley, Montagna is quietly making some of the best values on the “hill”. There aren’t many 2007 Napa Cabs left out there, but we keep finding them, and this one is a real gem. It is a big, strapping red wine with loads of dark berry fruit complimented by mocha, earth and complex spice notes. You are going to love it!!!