After getting off the plane from Germany, I felt like a nice glass of wine before heading to bed to sleep off the jet lag. I chose a bottle that I had picked up on a recent visit to Loxton Cellars earlier this spring. A relatively new winery, winemaker Christopher focuses on syrah and zinfandel (although he obviously makes a cabernet sauvignon, too!).
Loxton Cellars 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Buffalo Bluff Vineyard
Country of origin: USA
Region: California
Appellation: North Coast
Stats: 14.3% ABV, dry
Cost: $26 at the winery
Appearance: Inky garnet with just a hint of brick along the edge. Massive legs.
Aroma: Massive fruity blast of cherries and blackberries. Hint of chocolate and coconut.
Taste: The blast of fruit in the nose repeats in the mouth along with a tannin chaser. Big, massive cabernet that wakes up your senses. Relatively nicely balanced considering the alcohol levels.
Notes from the winemaker:
Buffalo Bluff is a steep hillside vineyard north of Calistoga. It gives me some of the smallest grape berries I’ve seen and the challenge of this dry-farmed hillside fruit is to tame how big the wine wants to be. Aged two years in barrel and one year in bottle, this is a full-throttle mountain Cab that screams for a good steak. Big wine, sweet fruit, grippy Cab tannins; it’s like chocolate covered cherries and should age well. 187 cases produced.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery Tour
I just got back from spending a very rainy day visiting the Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery in Westport, MA with ~20 other friends from my social club. Thanks to Tropical Storm Danny, we did not get to wander through the vineyards or taste on the lawn, but we did get a very nice in-depth tour of the winemaking facilities. Our tour guide, Craig, also gave us a very detailed walk-through of the winemaking process.
Those of you in New England (and other sparkling wine fanatics) may have heard of Westport Rivers. They are probably the best quality winery in Massachusetts, and are well known and regarded for their sparkling wines made from 100% estate grown grapes. I can hear the outcry--"It's too cold to grow grapes in MA!" Well, yes, the growing season for MA is short and is not well suited for the ripening of red vinifera grapes, but is actually quite similar to the climate of northern European grape growing regions like Champagne, Alsace, Chablis, and the Mosel & Rhine valleys. So just as those regions specialize in wines from white grapes that ripen faster, Westport Rivers grows only colder climate vinifera grapes, such as chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir, & meunier. Ah ha, you're sharp eyes correctly identified that pinot noir is a red grape, but Westport Rivers uses it to make sparkling wine and róses, not red wine.
Their sparkling wines are made in the "Traditional Method", or "fermented in this bottle." Since they ain't in Champagne, they can't legally say that the wine is made in the "Méthode Champenoise", but it's the same thing. A still base wine is made and bottled, along with a shot of sugar and yeast. The wine bottles are then tiraged, or allowed to rest for 3-14 years while the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle. Once the winemaker determines that the flavors are what he's looking for, then the bottles are riddled (slowly turned) to allow the yeast solids to fall into the neck of the bottle. That solid plug is then disgorged and the champagne is ready for consumption.
After our tour, we tasted 6 wines. Unfortunately, 4 of their sparkling wines were sold out, so we only got to taste the 2003 Westport Brut made from 73% pinot noir & meunier and 27% chardonnay. A delightful crisp, drier sparkling wine with a lot of apple & pear aromas. We then moved on to the still wines and tasted the 2006 Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, 2007 Rosé of Pinot Noir, 2007 Rkatsiteli, and the Pineau de Pinot. All were quite good, but the Pinot Gris was my favorite. It's a blend of the 2006 & 2007 vintages with a big full body, wonderful aromas of pear, honey, and citrus, and a long fruity finish.
This was the first time that I've ever tried a Rkatsiteli wine. It's a white vinifera grape that was originally native to the Georgian region of Asia. Similar to a reisling or gewurztraminer, but not quite as floral. Big aromas of lemon and kiwi that ends on the tongue with a crisp citrus note.
The Pineau de Pinot was also an interesting wine. It's fortified wine of about 18% ABV almost like a sherry that's made by distilling a pinot noir wine. The distillate is then mixed with fresh pinot noir juice and aged in old French oak. Definitely a sipper along side a créme brulée.
I've wanted to get down to Westport for awhile and I'm very glad that I had the chance today. Fortunately, we were indoors during the worst of Tropical Storm Danny while we enjoyed some very nice wine. I like the wines so much that 6 bottles followed me out to the truck! I'll report on each of them in turn.
Salute!
a Wine Student
Those of you in New England (and other sparkling wine fanatics) may have heard of Westport Rivers. They are probably the best quality winery in Massachusetts, and are well known and regarded for their sparkling wines made from 100% estate grown grapes. I can hear the outcry--"It's too cold to grow grapes in MA!" Well, yes, the growing season for MA is short and is not well suited for the ripening of red vinifera grapes, but is actually quite similar to the climate of northern European grape growing regions like Champagne, Alsace, Chablis, and the Mosel & Rhine valleys. So just as those regions specialize in wines from white grapes that ripen faster, Westport Rivers grows only colder climate vinifera grapes, such as chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir, & meunier. Ah ha, you're sharp eyes correctly identified that pinot noir is a red grape, but Westport Rivers uses it to make sparkling wine and róses, not red wine.
Their sparkling wines are made in the "Traditional Method", or "fermented in this bottle." Since they ain't in Champagne, they can't legally say that the wine is made in the "Méthode Champenoise", but it's the same thing. A still base wine is made and bottled, along with a shot of sugar and yeast. The wine bottles are then tiraged, or allowed to rest for 3-14 years while the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle. Once the winemaker determines that the flavors are what he's looking for, then the bottles are riddled (slowly turned) to allow the yeast solids to fall into the neck of the bottle. That solid plug is then disgorged and the champagne is ready for consumption.
After our tour, we tasted 6 wines. Unfortunately, 4 of their sparkling wines were sold out, so we only got to taste the 2003 Westport Brut made from 73% pinot noir & meunier and 27% chardonnay. A delightful crisp, drier sparkling wine with a lot of apple & pear aromas. We then moved on to the still wines and tasted the 2006 Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, 2007 Rosé of Pinot Noir, 2007 Rkatsiteli, and the Pineau de Pinot. All were quite good, but the Pinot Gris was my favorite. It's a blend of the 2006 & 2007 vintages with a big full body, wonderful aromas of pear, honey, and citrus, and a long fruity finish.
This was the first time that I've ever tried a Rkatsiteli wine. It's a white vinifera grape that was originally native to the Georgian region of Asia. Similar to a reisling or gewurztraminer, but not quite as floral. Big aromas of lemon and kiwi that ends on the tongue with a crisp citrus note.
The Pineau de Pinot was also an interesting wine. It's fortified wine of about 18% ABV almost like a sherry that's made by distilling a pinot noir wine. The distillate is then mixed with fresh pinot noir juice and aged in old French oak. Definitely a sipper along side a créme brulée.
I've wanted to get down to Westport for awhile and I'm very glad that I had the chance today. Fortunately, we were indoors during the worst of Tropical Storm Danny while we enjoyed some very nice wine. I like the wines so much that 6 bottles followed me out to the truck! I'll report on each of them in turn.
Salute!
a Wine Student
Sunday, August 23, 2009
VJB Vineyards & Cellars 2007 Gabriella Ranch Chardonnay
I had an opportunity to stop at the VJB Vineyards & Cellars winery on a business trip this past February 2009. Hey--there's only so many hours in the day for work! I was glad I did because 6 bottles of their wine followed me home. I popped in on a fairly slow Saturday morning and had a chance to talk with the pourer. This is a fairly new winery, having been started in 1999. The Belmonte family had been running a restaurant in the Kenwood area, and the sons, Victor & Henry, decided to start making their own wine to serve in the restaurant. Victor passed away shortly after the winery was started, so it was renamed as VJB in his honor. Ten years later, it is still a smallish operation with only 4000 cases of annual production. When I was there, they had just gotten the permits to start construction of a new larger wine production & tasting facility next door.
VJB Vineyards & Cellars 2007 Chardonnay
Country of origin: USA
Region: California
Appellation: Sonoma County
Stats: 13.5% ABV, dry, stainless steel fermentation.
Cost: $18 at the winery
Appearance: Crystal clear, light straw yellow, good leg structure
Aroma: Initial aromas of pears and white peaches, with a light pineapple finish at the end.
Taste: Clean & crisp. Muted fruit flavors of pears, melons, white peaches, & apricots. Slight butteriness & minerality on the finish.
Since summer has finally hit the Boston area, I thought this would be a good summer wine for dinner last night--and I was correct. The grapes from this wine were sourced Sonoma County and fermented in 100% stainless steel to produce a European style wine with clean, crisp fruit flavors. I've been trying to decide if a malo-lactic fermentation was performed, and I think so (rounded mouthfeel & slight buttery notes), but this is not your massive over-oaked, buttery chardonnay that used to dominate the California chardonnay scene. Very delightful wine that paired well with grilled BBQ chicken & brocolli last night.
Salute,
a Wine Student
VJB Vineyards & Cellars 2007 Chardonnay
Country of origin: USA
Region: California
Appellation: Sonoma County
Stats: 13.5% ABV, dry, stainless steel fermentation.
Cost: $18 at the winery
Appearance: Crystal clear, light straw yellow, good leg structure
Aroma: Initial aromas of pears and white peaches, with a light pineapple finish at the end.
Taste: Clean & crisp. Muted fruit flavors of pears, melons, white peaches, & apricots. Slight butteriness & minerality on the finish.
Since summer has finally hit the Boston area, I thought this would be a good summer wine for dinner last night--and I was correct. The grapes from this wine were sourced Sonoma County and fermented in 100% stainless steel to produce a European style wine with clean, crisp fruit flavors. I've been trying to decide if a malo-lactic fermentation was performed, and I think so (rounded mouthfeel & slight buttery notes), but this is not your massive over-oaked, buttery chardonnay that used to dominate the California chardonnay scene. Very delightful wine that paired well with grilled BBQ chicken & brocolli last night.
Salute,
a Wine Student
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Lone Oak Vineyard Estates Vin du Roi
For you faithful blog readers, you'll recall that I blogged about visiting Laurel Lake Vineyards on Long Island, NY last spring and a tasting report of their 2003 Cabernet Franc. I have the distinct pleasure of reporting on another of their wines, the 2004 Merlot.
Lone Oak Vineyard Estates Vin du roi
Country of origin: USA
Region: Michigan
Appellation: SE Michigan (not an official AVA!)
Stats: 13% ABV, dry, blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, & Petit Verdot
Cost: $25 at the winery
Appearance: Dark garnet
Aroma: Toasted oak, black pepper, green pepper, hint of dark stone fruit in the background
Taste: Overwhelming burst of vanilla, caramel, and oak. Green pepper in the quick to dissipate finish. Not a lot of fruit flavors to bind it all together.
Another entry from my back-log of tasting notes. I was a frequent taster of Lone Oak Vineyard Estates when I used to live in MI since the winery was only about 20 miles down the road outside Jackson, MI. Some wines I liked, some missed the spot. This is one that missed the spot. The oak simply overwhelmed the stone fruit flavors.
Salute,
a Wine Student
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Laurel Lake Vineyards 2004 Merlot
For you faithful blog readers, you'll recall that I blogged about visiting Laurel Lake Vineyards on Long Island, NY last spring and a tasting report of their 2003 Cabernet Franc. I have the distinct pleasure of reporting on another of their wines, the 2004 Merlot.
Laurel Lake Vineyards 2004 Merlot
Country of origin: USA
Region: New York
Appellation: North Fork Long Island
Stats: 12.5% ABV, dry, aged in French oak 12 months
Cost: $18 at the winery
Appearance: Clear dark ruby red. Excellent color for a cold-climate merlot
Aroma: Dried plums with a nice smooth vanilla-filled finish.
Taste: Full bodied with a silky finish. Well balanced. Mild fruit flavors of plum, black cherry and a subtle smokey undertone. Smooth tannins.
I'll refer you to my earlier posts for information about Laurel Lake Vineyards. I am very impressed with this wine. The intense color only hints at it's cold-climate origins. This is a wine that strengthens the growing reputation of Long Island merlot. For you nay-sayers that think CA is the only place in the US to grow and make quality wine, I challenge you to take a trip to Laurel Lake and learn what all an Eastern merlot can be.
Salute,
a Wine Student
Laurel Lake Vineyards 2004 Merlot
Country of origin: USA
Region: New York
Appellation: North Fork Long Island
Stats: 12.5% ABV, dry, aged in French oak 12 months
Cost: $18 at the winery
Appearance: Clear dark ruby red. Excellent color for a cold-climate merlot
Aroma: Dried plums with a nice smooth vanilla-filled finish.
Taste: Full bodied with a silky finish. Well balanced. Mild fruit flavors of plum, black cherry and a subtle smokey undertone. Smooth tannins.
I'll refer you to my earlier posts for information about Laurel Lake Vineyards. I am very impressed with this wine. The intense color only hints at it's cold-climate origins. This is a wine that strengthens the growing reputation of Long Island merlot. For you nay-sayers that think CA is the only place in the US to grow and make quality wine, I challenge you to take a trip to Laurel Lake and learn what all an Eastern merlot can be.
Salute,
a Wine Student
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Chateau Beauchene Les Sens de Syrah 2004
Country of origin: FranceRegion: Rhone Valley
Appellation: Cotes de Rhone
Stats: 13 % ABV, dry, 100% syrah
Cost: $15 at Colonial Liquor Store in Acton, MA
Appearance: Deep, deep, deep red.
Aroma: Dark black cherries and currants with hints of cocoa.
Taste: Silky smooth and subtle from beginning to end. Dark fruit with currants dominating. An almost sweet finish. This wine gives meaning to the phrase "smooth as silk".
Chateau Beauchene is located just south of Orange in the Rhone Valley. There's some family history here with Bernard family buying their first vineyard in 1796 after the French Revolution made former noble's estates available. The Bernard's bought Chateau Beauchene in 1986. This wine is made from 2 different vineyards, one to north of Orange on slightly stony and clayey calcareous soils and the other in Bollène with rounded pebbles mixed with sandy red clay. The Bernard's cultivate the vineyards using the principles of "agriculture raisonnée" with eye towards sustainibility The wine is made by complete destemming and a long 20 day maceration to extract polyphenols and anthocyanins.
I like the family crest on the neck of the bottle!
Salute,
a Wine Student
Sanford 2001 Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Sanford & Benedict Vineyards
Country of origin: USA
Region: California
Appellation: Santa Barbara County/Santa Rita Hills AVA
Vineyard: Sanford & Benedect Vineyards
Stats: 14.5 % ABV, dry
Cost: no longer available
Appearance: Ruby red, clear, big legs.
Aroma: Cherries with a raspberry finish, vanilla, and light oak.
Taste: Medium body, muted cherry fruit flavors, bright finish, slightly lingering finish of raspberries & pomegranate. High alcohol overtakes a lot of the fruit notes.
Pretty good by itself (which was how I drank it), I think this wine would probably be best when served with some fatty food to help calm the high alcohol and acidity. Something not too flavorful as the food might overpower the fruit flavors, like a creamy cheese.
Sanford Winery was the very first winery I stopped at when I first went winetasting in Santa Barbara. When the Sanford family owned and operated the winery, it definitely a laid back, hippy feel. The tasting room accommodated only about 10-12 people at a time with open windows overlooking the valley and vineyards, breezes blowing through, and lots of flies! For you "Sideways" fans, the tasting room and iconic pourer was featured in a gorgeous sunset shot and was one of the few wineries to use their real names in the film.
Richard Sanford was the first to plant pinot noir in Santa Barbara county in the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, and made some of my favorite pinots. In the early 2000s, they tried to reach more of a mass market and teamed with Terlato Wine International. In 2005 after the partnership had a falling out, the Terlato family purchased the majority interest in the winery and assumed control of the Sanford & Benedict and Rancho La Rinconada vineyards.
Richard Sanford has since started a new winery, Alma Rosa, using organic certified grapes from the new La Encantada vineyard that they had planted in 2000 and their home ranch vineyard El Jabalí. I haven't had a chance to try any of his new wines, but history should repeat itself.
Salute,
a Wine Student
Region: California
Appellation: Santa Barbara County/Santa Rita Hills AVA
Vineyard: Sanford & Benedect Vineyards
Stats: 14.5 % ABV, dry
Cost: no longer available
Appearance: Ruby red, clear, big legs.
Aroma: Cherries with a raspberry finish, vanilla, and light oak.
Taste: Medium body, muted cherry fruit flavors, bright finish, slightly lingering finish of raspberries & pomegranate. High alcohol overtakes a lot of the fruit notes.
Pretty good by itself (which was how I drank it), I think this wine would probably be best when served with some fatty food to help calm the high alcohol and acidity. Something not too flavorful as the food might overpower the fruit flavors, like a creamy cheese.
Sanford Winery was the very first winery I stopped at when I first went winetasting in Santa Barbara. When the Sanford family owned and operated the winery, it definitely a laid back, hippy feel. The tasting room accommodated only about 10-12 people at a time with open windows overlooking the valley and vineyards, breezes blowing through, and lots of flies! For you "Sideways" fans, the tasting room and iconic pourer was featured in a gorgeous sunset shot and was one of the few wineries to use their real names in the film.
Richard Sanford was the first to plant pinot noir in Santa Barbara county in the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, and made some of my favorite pinots. In the early 2000s, they tried to reach more of a mass market and teamed with Terlato Wine International. In 2005 after the partnership had a falling out, the Terlato family purchased the majority interest in the winery and assumed control of the Sanford & Benedict and Rancho La Rinconada vineyards.
Richard Sanford has since started a new winery, Alma Rosa, using organic certified grapes from the new La Encantada vineyard that they had planted in 2000 and their home ranch vineyard El Jabalí. I haven't had a chance to try any of his new wines, but history should repeat itself.
Salute,
a Wine Student
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