Mionetto Cartizze DOCG Prosecco

Mionetto Cartizze DOCG Prosecco
Click here for tasting notes.

In 1887, master winemaker Francesco Mionetto opened his own winery in Valdobbiadene, in the heart of the Prosecco area, just north of Venice.

In Mionetto’s vineyards, some slopes roll gently towards the valley, others are much steeper. For protection from the prevailing cold alpine winds and icy rains from the north, vines are on southeastern slopes. They face the morning sun, benefiting from the early sunlight and a morning jolt of carbon dioxide, needed for sugar production. The soil characteristics are mainly alluvial, calcareous, and marly (a crumbly mixture of clays, calcium, magnesium carbonates, and remnants of shells).

The climate is generally temperate here. The area is protected by the Alps to the north and warmed by the winds of the Adriatic Sea to the east, mitigating temperatures in summer and producing rainfall that favors the proper growth of vines. In late summer, the area is characterized by great temperature variations between day and night, enabling the growth of aromatic substances in the grapes as they mature.

The Prosecco DOCG (Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin) area was established in 2009. The DOCG area is located in northeastern Italy and comprises five provinces of the Veneto region and four in the Friuli region. Grapes are grown between 50 and 500 meters (165 to 1650 feet) above sea level. The highest-quality DOCG production is in the historic “Superiore di Cartizze” micro-area, which is only 107 hectares (264 acres) in size.

Mionetto has always prided themselves on innovation, and in 1982 they introduced autoclave fermentation (also known as the Charmat Process). There is a temperature-controlled first fermentation that takes place at the facilities of their producers to create the still wine. Then the second fermentation takes place in autoclaves (large sealed tanks) instead of individual bottles. This additional temperature-controlled fermentation creates Prosecco’s characteristic bubbles, and is intended to help maintain the freshness and aroma of the grape in the bottling phase.

Mionetto Cartizze DOCG Prosecco

This Mionetto Cartizze DOCG Prosecco is bright gold in the flute, with a nose reminiscent of apple and pear, plus hints of citrus. It is soft and creamy on the palate, with an aftertaste of sugared almonds. It also features fine bubbles and a lively floral aroma,

This wine would make an excellent accompaniment to desserts, cakes, pastries, fruit salads, and tarts.

usa.mionetto.com/us/products/luxury-collection

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Catena Wines

Catena WinesTwo to Tango

In 1902, Italian immigrant Nicola Catena planted his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina.
Domingo, Nicola’s eldest son, took the family winery to the next level, building the Catena business to become one of the largest vineyard holders in Mendoza. Like his father, Domingo Catena fiercely believed that Argentine Malbec could make a wine as worthy as any first-growth Bordeaux.

In the 1960s, however, the Argentine economy imploded and inflation rates soared. Catena struggled to hang on. One dire year, Domingo realized it would cost him more to harvest than to leave the fruit on the vines.

Argentina’s years of turmoil continued even as Domingo’s 22-year-old son Nicolás (a PhD graduate in economics) took the reins of the family winery. In the early 1980s, Nicolás left Argentina for a short sabbatical to become a visiting scholar of economics at the University of California Berkeley.
California—and especially the vineyards of Napa Valley—proved to be a serendipitous inspiration to Nicolás, who spent weekends visiting the wineries.

Upon his return, Nicolás set out to discover the best places to plant vineyards in Mendoza. He felt that the only way he could make a leap in quality would be by pushing the limits of vine cultivation, although his own vineyard manager told him that Malbec would never ripen in the high-altitude elevations and poor soil available to him.

But Nicolás was stubborn and undeterred, putting in five years of work before he was satisfied enough in 1994 to make a  Malbec with the Catena name. It would take a decade more for Malbec to become a well-known wine varietal around the world.

Catena Chardonnay 2014

Starting with the 2014 vintage, this wine is sourced exclusively from the Valle de Uco. The fruit is sourced from six vineyards in different zones of the valley. Each block is vinified differently and aged separately before final blending.
This Chardonnay opens with aromas of mango and papaya. There is plenty of tangy acidity on the palate, and the flavors are dominated by lemon and lime, supported by oak and some subtle vanilla. It finishes with a hint of bitter orange.

Match this Chard with scrod braised in tomatillos, squid picante-style, or quail with barley.

Catena Malbec 2014

Catena Malbec is sourced from the family´s high-altitude vineyards in Maipú, Lujan de Cuyo, Tupungato, and San Carlos. It has the color of plum skin with a nose to match. The flavor profile is lean, dominated by blueberry, baking spices, minerals, and just a bit of mocha. It’s a smooth, easily-approachable wine with with medium body, good acidity for food pairings, and a medium finish.

This wine would go nicely with braised rabbit in chocolate sauce, roast beef in a black pepper crust, or roast leg of lamb with pistachios.

www.catenawines.com/catena-wines.php

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FOS Mastiha Liqueur

FOS Mastiha LiqueurThe Mastiha tree is also known as the famous Crying Tree,  since it “cries” teardrops of resin during the harvest period. It only grows and is cultivated on the small Mediterranean island of Chios. Nowhere else in the world has it been able to take root.

The island of Chios is the fifth largest island in Greece, with an area of 325 square miles. Its nickname is “the mastic island.” In the south of the island are the Mastichochoria, literally the Mastic villages, the seven villages of Mesta, Pyrgi, Olympi, Kalamoti, Vessa, Lithi, and Elata, which together have controlled the production of mastic gum in the area since the Roman period.
The villages, built between the 14th and 16th centuries, were carefully designed with fortified gates and narrow streets to protect against the frequent raids of marauding pirates.

Mastiha has been used for thousands of years by the Greeks, the Romans, the Ottomans, and many others. From this small Mediterranean island, In the 5th century BC, Hippocrates recommended Mastiha as an excellent digestive. It is said the Romans spiced their wine with it. During the Byzantine years, Mastiha became famous. It traveled across Europe and reached from east to west, including Constantinople, Damascus, Alexandria, Rome, Paris, London, and Florence.

To produce this unique liqueur, the Crying Tree is harvested once a year, usually at the beginning of summer. Experienced workers delicately slice the surface of the trees. The resin slowly seeps out of the bark and dries in the sunlight to form translucent golden crystals.. It takes several weeks to collect the resin .

Once collected, Mastiha is packed in wooden containers and sent to a cool warehouse, where women of the villages pick the best quality Mastiha by hand.

The Mastiha is then mixed with fine-quality alcohol and is put in large bronze tanks. The mix is heated carefully over a wood-burning fire. It is finally blended with other secret ingredients and bottled.

This balanced sweet spirit has pronounced notes of cucumber, pine, anise, and herbaceous undertones. FOS Mastiha Liqueur is made out of 100% pure Mastiha and is not artificially scented. FOS Mastiha works well on its own or the rocks or as a mixer.

Here’s a recipe to get you started with this unusual liqueur:

MEDITERRANEAN COOLER

2 oz. FOS Greek Mastiha
2 oz.  Cucumber Vodka
1/2 oz. Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz. Coconut Water

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass.

http://ambrosiagrp.com/

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Viader Proprietary Red Blend

Viader Vineyards and WineryAlthough I’ve never met Delia Viader, founder of Viader Vineyards and Winery, she is by all accounts quite a remarkable woman.

She was born in 1958, the first child of a wealthy Argentinian engineer, Walter Viader. In addition to his expertise in aerodynamics and telecommunications, he also traveled the world as a diplomatic attaché. As soon as Delia could read, her parents encouraged her to pursue her innate curiosity, recommending a number of books which they could discuss together.

When Delia was five years old, she was sent to a German girl’s boarding school, where she would receive the beginning of her formal education over the next twelve years. It was a thoroughly classical curriculum, including learning ancient Greek and Latin for Mass. She also gained a fluency in English, German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Portugese. And she remained very inquisitive. As she has said about her never-ending questioning, “I guess I had no fear. I always asked, politely, ‘And why is it this way, and not that way?’ I wasn’t being rude; I just had questions, because the nuns only provided beginnings, which led to my many more questions about everything.”

In Latin American cultures, a young girl’s fifteenth birthday is marked by a quinceañera, the traditional celebration (usually a Mass followed by a big party) which symbolizes her transition from childhood to adulthood. Already the shrewd investor, Delia told her father that she had no interest in something so fleeting as a party, but rather wanted to use the money to buy land. “I want to get a piece of dune by the beach with a view of the ocean,” she announced. He was at first taken aback, but her father agreed. When they went to visit the property Delia had in mind, Walter paid for her lot, and purchased the one next to it for himself as well.

After boarding school, Delia was off to Paris. There at the Sorbonne, she took a Ph .D. in philosophy, with a concentration in logic. While still at university, she married her sweetheart of four years. At just 19-years-old, she bore a son, Paul, who was born with Down syndrome. “When Paul was born, that definitely made me realize that there is a purpose in life,” she emphasizes. By the time she graduated, she had two additional children and the marriage had ended.

Casting about for her next act, she asked her father to pay for three more years of education at MIT, where one of her younger brothers, Walter Jr., was already enrolled. Always the doting father, Walter agreed, and Delia was accepted into the Executive Financial program at MIT’s Sloan School of Management.

After MIT, she and Walter Jr. decided to move to California. She immediately fell in love with Napa Valley, but just for the beauty of the area, rather than any winemaking ambition. However, in 1985 Walter Sr. was approached by a local he had met about forming a partnership to develop a parcel of land on Howell Mountain by planting a vineyard and creating a winery. But Delia had another idea. She said, “Dad, if you put up the money, I think I can make this work by myself.” When her father replied, “After all the money I poured into your education, all you want is to become a farmer?” she assured him, “Yes, Dad.”

And so Viader Vineyards and Winery was launched. Delia drew up a comprehensive business plan, as her father’s money was an investment rather than a gift.

Delia soon discovered that preparing the property to become a vineyard was going to be a big challenge. The place was nothing but mottled rock and poison oak, on a steep hillside. Knowing she would need expert help, she quickly assembled a top-notch team. The first task was preparing the soil itself. To make it suitable for planting, “low to the ground” explosives, followed by jackhammers, were used to break up the most stubborn rock outcroppings.

Next came vineyard layout. At that time, most vines grew on the Napa Valley floor. The few hillside vineyards were terraced, running in a north to south orientation. Because of cost, the fear of erosion, and her instinct for the vines from her years in France, Delia rejected terracing. Instead, the rows were planted up and down the mountain, with an east to west orientation, which allows for more even distribution of sunlight. Although quite innovative at the time, this sort of layout has become commonplace for hillside sites in Napa today.

In addition, Delia and her team opted for a high-density planting of 2,200 vines per acre. 1,800 or less is more the norm. There are cover crops between rows. As is done in Burgundy rather than California, the hanging fruit zone is much closer to the ground. Because of this, the grapes have to be hand harvested, with the workers toiling on their knees. This is always done at night, further increasing the effort. But low-hanging grape clusters also mean that the fruit benefits from heat radiated from the volcanic rock in the soil right after sunset. The cumulative effect is that the grapes mature seven to fourteen days ahead of neighboring properties, and well before the late-autumn rains that can ruin a harvest.

As the vineyard was being established, the next task was to build a home for her family, a higher priority than the winery itself. (For her company’s first 11 years, production was at rented space at Rombauer Vineyards.) During the winter of 1989, the house was built just above the vineyard, with views of the vines, the valley, and the lake below. That same year, Delia brought in the first vintage of “Viader,” her signature wine, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Production was a mere 1,200 cases.

 

 

Interestingly, Delia opted to concentrate selling the wine not in the U.S., but in Europe, where she felt more comfortable. Being a polyglot didn’t hurt, either. Every other week throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Delia was on the road, traveling to more than thirty countries and opening accounts in every market by herself. “I wanted to present my wines in the bigger pond of the world rather than what I considered the smaller pond of the United States. It keeps you honest and humble to work side by side with brand owners who have over two hundred years of history over you,” she says. During this time, the winery itself was constructed, as well as a system of interconnected tunnel cellars.

All of the effort paid off at the end of 2000, when Wine Spectator named the 1997 Viader the #2 of their annual Top 100 Wines. The following year, the Spectator ranked the 1998 Viader as the #3 Top 100 wine of 2001. Success seemed assured as people started clamoring for Viader’s products.

As almost all of us eventually learn, life dispenses struggle as well as triumph. In 2005, because of ongoing construction at the winery, Delia was obligated to transfer the entire stock of bottled 2003 vintage wines to an off-site warehouse. This facility was a major storage and distribution center for many other wine and food products vendors as well. It was later learned that a warehouse employee was engaged in fraud and embezzlement. On October 12, 2005, he was in the warehouse attempting to destroy evidence against himself with a propane torch. The fire got out of control, leading to an eight-hour-long five-alarm fire. Viader’s 2003 wines, worth $4.5 million, were totally destroyed. Other companies suffered major losses as well, including a number of other small wineries that were subsequently forced out of business.

Delia rallied the family, and the decision was made to press ahead, almost starting over, really. There was insurance money, but it was slow in coming. Delia began to sell off the winery’s reserve library of wines, going direct to customers instead of through distribution to maximize profit. She continued to travel to restaurants and wine shows, determined to keep Viader in people’s minds. The hard work paid off, and Viader survived to release the 2004 vintage a year later.

The entire family has been actively involved in the business. First, Alan, Delia’s second son. After working the land during summers and completing internships, in 2002 he graduated from UC Davis with a degree in viticulture and became vineyard manager. Next came responsibility as winemaker, with the 2006 his first vintage. He became brand ambassador as well, and in that capacity he followed in his mother’s footsteps by traveling the world to promote the family’s wines. In 2007, daughter Janet joined the company full time, taking over the sales role. She also served as one of the youngest elected members on the Board of Directors of the Napa Valley Vintners Association.

Today, Viader’s estate vineyard is planted to 28 acres of vines and includes Petit Verdot, Syrah, and Malbec, as well as many of the original Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vines. “We’re not 100 percent organic, but we are mostly organic,” stated Alan. He noted that organic is not always a “silver bullet,” because of potentially nasty organic chemicals. He also finds that strictly following the guidelines of biodynamic certification doesn’t result in quality in line with costs, so he abandoned that after a six-year flirtation. Sustainable practices do include the use of beneficial insects to help eliminate the need for pesticides; raptor roosts and falcon kites to help patrol the property for rodent, snake, and pest bird infestations; and solar paneling to power sensors in the vineyard. The property is carbon negative also, and the soils are never tilled.

Continuing to stay in their separate lots, the unblended wines age in concrete tanks or French oak barrels for 14 to 24 months. During this time, the wine goes through secondary, malolactic fermentation and is racked once, at most, during the aging process. Once final blending occurs, the wine continues to rest in barrel until bottling, which takes place in-house. The wine sees further bottle age for about a year before being released.

Viader Proprietary Red Blend 2014

With just 1811 cases produced, and at the upper end of Napa prices, this is the cult wine you’re looking for. The flagship wine from Viader put this unique mountainside winery on the map as one of the first in Napa to tackle and successfully showcase Cabernet Franc as a deserving companion with Cabernet Sauvignon. This blend has been referred to as “liquid cashmere.”

It is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Sauvignon provides the backbone, structure, character, and aging potential, while Cabernet Franc instills a balance and early approachability. The wine was aged for two years in 70% new French oak. It shows firm structure influenced by the rocky volcanic soils of the eastern slopes of Howell Mountain, and an elegant yet intensely rich profile. Big, hearty tannins wrap around flavors of succulent dark fruit, clove, and sage, with hints of floral notes. Cellar for up to 12 years.

https://viader.com/

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Cecchi Wines

Cecchi WinesWine is Sunlight, Held Together by Water

In 1893, Luigi Cecchi became a professional wine taster. Although widespread in other parts of Europe, the craft of “palatista (taster)” was still unknown in Italy. However, Cecchi believed that by approaching Italian wines with professionalism and organization, people in Italy as well as elsewhere would be able to recognize the quality of the wines produced.

In the early 1900s, Luigi’s son Cesare joined him in business, founding the “Cecchi” label, hoping to prosper both at home and abroad. Luigi, the founder’s grandson, was the key figure during the time of third-generation innovation and expansion. With him, the Cecchi brand distinguished itself in the domestic wine industry thanks to new technologies, a search for new territories, and an intuition for business.

Today fourth-generation Andrea and Cesare Cecchi lead the company with undiminished enthusiasm. These two brothers have focused their attention on productive sustainability and on the ability of the wine produced to express its territory of origin.

 

In Tuscany’s Maremma Toscana DOC, on the upper third of Italy’s western coast, virgin forests that border with ancient churches and enchanting villages are the prevalent backdrops to slopes on which the grapevines grow. It is a unique environment where the Cecchi family works with the natural cycles of the seasons. Respecting the ecosystem has accompanied the growth of the winery, and today a minimal environmental impact is an ongoing goal.

At Cecchi, “sustainability” takes on a real and proactive character driven by three well-defined policies: the defense and improvement of winery lands, agriculture, and environment; recycling; and using new technology that allows for the minimization of energy consumption and natural resources necessary for production. Water was one of the first natural resources the winery was concerned about. This explains the longtime presence of an innovative system of constructed wetlands for the treatment of wastewater from the winery centers in Chianti and of the Maremma, providing natural water flows and a safeguard for the environment.

Cecchi La Mora Vermentino 2014

Mora means “horse” in Italian, a tribute to the cattle-herding cowboys that historically lived in the Maremma region. This lemon-hued wine offers a nose of flowers and sweet citrus. This sense continues on the palate, adding just a hint of white peach. La Mora is light and approachable, with a short finish.

This wine will go nicely with Baked Oysters with Oil and Parsley, Fricasseed Chicken with Egg and Lemon, or Sauteed Snapper with Mushrooms.

Cecchi Chianti Classico 2012

This Sangiovese is dark garnet in the glass. It opens with a solid cherry nose and a hint of earth and spice. The flavor profile features tart plum, cocoa, and cinnamon, supported by smooth tannins and ending in a medium-long finish.

Enjoy this Italian with Fava Beans with Artichokes and Peas, Rabbit with Rosemany and White Wine, or Tuscan Meat Roll with White Wine and Porcini Mushrooms.

https://www.cecchi.net/en

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Delicato Diora Le Petit Grace Pinot Noir

Diora Le Petit Grace Pinot NoirIn 1894, Gaspare Indelicato was born in the small village of Campobello di Mazara in the province of Trapani, Sicily. In 1911, at the tender age of 16, he emigrated to the United States through Ellis Island, New York.

Eventually, Gaspare and his wife Caterina settled in the agriculturally-rich San Joaquin Valley, east of San Francisco.  In 1924, Gaspare and his brother-in-law Sebastiano made a bold decision to purchase an old dairy farm, planted grapes, and shipped them by train to home winemakers in the Chicago area during Prohibition.

When “The Noble Experiment” was repealed in 1933, selling grapes to home winemakers was no longer profitable.  Sebastiano and Gaspare decided the only way to salvage their grape crop was to make their own wine.  In May of 1935, they  opened their winery in a converted hay barn and called it Sam-Jasper Winery after the Americanized versions of their first names.  Production began with 3,451 gallons (about 1,741 cases) of red wine which was sold to local farmers and friends.

As the business grew, Gaspare’s three sons, Frank, Anthony, and Vincent, joined the family winery in the 1950s. At that time, Frank was cellarmaster, Tony was winemaker, and Vince was the entire sales department.

Today, Delicato Family Wines is still family-owned by the heirs of Gaspare and Caterina’s three sons. The third and fourth generations of the Indelicato family are actively involved in the wine business and continue the tradition of producing and importing fine wines.

The Indelicato family is devoted to its California winemaking heritage of family farming, environmentally sensitive winegrowing practices, and economically sustainable principles.

 

“‘Family farmed’ encompasses the firmly-held belief that we are responsible for tending the earth and protecting its inhabitants,” explains Jay Indelicato. “This responsibility not only includes using environmentally sensitive farming practices, but also maintaining the highest ethical standards in our business dealings. My family has relationships with growers, banks, employees, and consumers that span decades. By thinking of ourselves as a “family farmed” company, it is a reminder that we have a responsibility to preserve and sustain the things that matter most.”

Delicato Family Vineyards offers wines under such brands as Black Stallion, Bota Box, Gnarly Head, La Merika, and many others.

Delicato Diora Le Petit Grace Pinot Noir 2013

Inspired by the signature golden hills that frame the landscape of the Santa Lucia Mountain range, Diora is adopted from “D’or,” a French term meaning “golden.”

It debuts with a dark shade of burgundy in the glass, followed by aromas of black cherries, brown sugar, and mocha. The palate of concentrated fruit flavors is dominated by black cherry, anchored by bright acidity.  It is round, soft, and full-bodied, with a long finish.

www.dfvtastingroom.com

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Altolandon Rayuelo

Altolandon RayueloWine of La Mancha

Bodega Altolandon is located in Landete, Spain, in the country’s east-central region. The estate covers 120 hectares (296 acres), and is at 1100 meters (3600 feet) altitude at its highest point.

It is this altitude that Altolandon believes is crucial to making their   wines  unique and special.  At this height, the temperature range is greater, warmer during the day and cooler at night than lowland vineyards, making for a slow and prolonged maturation.

All  of Altolandon’s plots are grown organically. Prevailing winds clean the air and vegetation is free of pesticides. Soil fertility is maintained only with natural fertilizers.

Altolandon grows a wide selection of grape varieties. Reds include Bobal, Malbec, Syrah, Grenache, Merlot, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. Whites encompass Chardonnay, Muscat, Petit Manseng, Viognier, and Grenache. The planting density is 4,000 plants per hectare (2-1/2 acres), forcing the vines to compete and thus obtain smaller, higher-quality grapes.

 

 

 

The wines are made in stainless steel tanks to extract as much color and flavor as possible. The skins are kept in contact with the must for about two to three weeks under controlled temperature. Fermentation is done spontaneously, without added yeasts. Temperature during fermentation reaches a maximum of 26º C. (79º F.). Once initial fermentation is finished, the wine is pressed and goes into an assortment of new and old 225-liter French oak barrels, where it undergoes a secondary malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged for between eight and 24 months, depending the type. Finally the wine is bottle aged for no less than eight months before distribution.

Altolandon Rayuelo 2008

This Spanish red is 80% Bobal (from 60-year-old vines) and 20% Malbec and Monastrell (from 15-year-old vines). Bobal is a dark-skinned wine-grape variety native to Utiel-Requena in southeast Spain. Despite its relative obscurity, it is one of that country’s most-planted grape varieties behind Tempranillo and Airen.

The wine was fermented in stainless steel using all-natural yeasts, and then aged eight months in French oak. The high-altitude grapes produce a wine with a nose redolent of red fruits, generous blackberry and dried-cherry flavors, and good acidity.

Enjoy this with Spanish Meatballs with Almond Sauce, Pot-poached Spiced Chicken, or Beef Tangine with Prunes.

https://www.altolandon.com/en

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Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Champagne

Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut
Click here for tasting notes.

The story of Bollinger Champagne began with Athanase de Villermont, the youngest son of a noble family. He inherited an extensive estate from his family in the Aÿ area of France. He foresaw the potential of the wines of Champagne, but as an aristocrat he was forbidden to become involved in trade.

Happily, he met Joseph Bollinger, a German who had traveled widely to learn about the Champagne wine trade, as well as Paul Renaudin, a local man who was fascinated by the world of wine. The firm of Renaudin-Bollinger & Cie was founded on February 6th, 1829. Joseph took care of sales and Paul of the cellar.

Bollinger married Athanase’s daughter, Louise-Charlotte, in 1837. In time their sons, Joseph and then Georges, took over the business. Under the guidance of the two brothers, Bollinger gained renown and extended its vineyards considerably. In 1920 Jacques Bollinger, son of Georges, started managing the family business, and was noted for increasing Bollinger’s sales in  England, based on the popularity of their Special Cuvée Brut.

Sadly, Jacques died in the midst of World War II. He left a widow, Elisabeth, whom he had married in 1923. She was only 42 when she stepped in to supervise the business. “Madame Jacques,” as she was known within the House, threw herself enthusiastically into her new role. Although cheerful and witty, she was nonetheless a formidable strategist, a dauntless businesswoman, and  a perfectionist. She left many bon mots, such as, “I drink it when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it—unless I’m thirsty.”

Madame Bollinger gathered around her those family members who were most aligned with her ambitions. Firstly she taught Claude d’Hautefeuille, her niece’s husband, the ins and outs of the operation. In 1950 he became a Director and launched a comprehensive modernization program while respecting Bollinger’s history. Madame Bollinger appointed him Chairman in 1971, but remained closely involved until her death six years later.

Madame Bollinger’s nephew, Christian Bizot, took over from Claude in 1978. A great traveler, he made a point of meeting with sommeliers, restaurant owners, and wine merchants to promote the House’s wines wherever he went.

In 1994, Ghislain de Montgolfier, the great-great-grandson of founder Joseph Bollinger, became head of the House. He continued to strive to increase quality, in part by limiting production. He ran the winery until 2008, when a new Chairman was appointed, Champagne native Jérôme Philipon. In a break with tradition, it was the first time in the history of the House that it would be run by someone outside the family.

In 2017, when Jérôme Philipon was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the family holding, Charles-Armand de Belenet became General Manager of Champagne Bollinger. He is tasked with preserving the  traditional craftsmanship while incorporating the latest technologies.

Bollinger’s 178 hectares (440 acres) are planted with 85% of Grand Cru and Premier Cru vines, spread over seven main vineyards: Aÿ, Avenay, Tauxières, and Louvois et Verzenay are planted with Pinot Noir, Cuis with Chardonnay, and Champvoisy with Pinot Meunier. Bollinger is one of a very few champagne Houses to produce the majority of their own grapes for their blends. Pinot Noir represents 60% of the House’s vineyard output, corresponding to the exact proportion of this demanding grape variety in the Special Cuvée blend.

Another of Bollinger’s distinctive features are two plots, the Clos Saint-Jacques and Chaudes Terres, which have never succumbed to phylloxera, the disease which ravaged almost all of the champagne wine-growing area in the early 20th century. These ungrafted vines are entirely tended by hand and reproduced using a form of layering called provignage, thereby providing the means to preserve this unique heritage from which the very exclusive Vieilles Vignes Françaises cuvée is produced.

Bollinger also supports sustainable winegrowing by planting grass between the rows of vines, using biological pest control, significantly reducing the use of herbicides, and recycling pruning waste. Planting hedges and orchards helps to preserve biodiversity, while the four hectares (10 acres) of the Côte aux Enfants vineyard are managed organically. Bollinger is the first champagne House to obtain High Environmental Value certification.

Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut NV

In 1911, Georges Bollinger and Harry J. Newman, Bollinger’s British sales agent, named the firm’s new wine Special Cuvée, “special” written without a French accent. They thought the French expression “Brut sans année” was no match for such a subtle champagne

Special Cuvée is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, and 15% Meunier. The mix includes grapes from each year’s harvest blended with a majority of reserve wines, part of which have been aged in magnums for five to 15 years. Initial fermentation is partially carried out in oak casks. It is then aged for twice as long as is stipulated by the regulations for the non-vintage champagne appellation.

This elegant bubbly is pale gold, with a rich nose of cheese and spices, plus hints of roasted apples and peaches. The clean taste has only a suggestion of yeast. Mango, fleshy pear, and honey flavors show very good depth, picking up refreshing citrus pith, mineral nuances, and notes of fresh walnut after a bit of time in the glass. It features a full mouthfeel with very fine bubbles.

I suggest you serve this with any fish, especially sushi and sashimi. Seafood like shrimp, prawn, crayfish, or grilled lobster should be quite nice.  And consider all kinds of poultry and other white meat, or good cured ham. Serve at about 50°F.

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Simon Creek Vineyards

Simon Creek VineyardsWisconsin native Thomas J. (Tim) Lawrie had a 26-year career in the U.S. Army, including two tours in Vietnam as a combat officer, and was awarded the Purple Heart. He served as an Army Infantry Airborne soldier before finally retiring with the rank of Colonel. After which, he was almost universally referred to as, “The Colonel,” a somewhat surprising affectation for a Northerner, I think. As with most military personnel, he had assignments throughout the country, including California, where he acquired an interest in wine and wine production.

After a second vocation in the Texas energy business, in 2002 he was presented with the opportunity to buy 120 acres in central Door County, 20 miles northeast of Sturgeon Bay where he had grown up as a boy. He decided this would be the perfect place for a winery, and bought it sight unseen.

 

Simon Creek Vineyards opened in May of 2003, and The Colonel operated it until his unexpected death at the age of 73 in August, 2017. The winery manager now and winemaker is the late Colonel’s son-in-law, Lance Nelson, a veteran of the packaged foods industry. He gets encouragement and support from consulting winemaker Tom Payette. With over 30 years of experience, Virginia-based Payette set the stage for the winery’s startup, and continues to work as Nelson’s teacher and mentor.

Early on, there were ambitions to grow grapes on the estate, but northern Wisconsin’s harsh winters soon put a stop to that, particularly for the varietals Nelson was interested in working with. Consequently, the winery imports juice for all of their production from California, particularly growers in Monterey county. With over 40,000 acres under vine in Salinas Valley, there is plenty to choose from.

The back labels of the wine bottles do rather disingenuously state, “Simon Creek Vineyard lies directly astride the 45° North Parallel; you couldn’t ask for a better winery site. Simon Creek’s location places it exactly midway between the equator and the North Pole.”  Well, yes, but it hardly matters with juice from another location.

There is an interesting legend associated with the winery’s site. The land was homesteaded by Chris and Martha Simon in the early 20th century.  During Prohibition, Al Capone was scouting around for a remote location suitable as a hideout.  His attorney, Herbert Humpkie, had a brother in Sturgeon Bay who was working as a veterinarian there.  He told Humpkie about the Simon place, who passed the information along to Capone. Thinking their farm would be ideal for his needs, Capone paid the Simons a little friendly visit to make them an offer they couldn’t refuse.  But refuse they did. To honor their courage and integrity, the winery produces an Untouchable Red and an Untouchable White, but those are reviews for another day.

Simon Creek Cabernet Sauvignon NV

This wine shows transparent garnet in the glass, with a nose of bright fruit, especially blackberry and cherry and a slight hint of oak. Blackberry flavor continues on the palate, paired with notes of spice and tart cherry.  Appropriately, as Door County is famous for this fruit, although none is in this wine. (But, Simon Creek does make a sweet wine from the local cherries.) There are understated but balanced acid and tannins, with a little bitterness in the relatively short finish. Interestingly, this Cab drinks more like a Pinot Noir.

I suggest pairing this casual red with Grilled Lamb Burgers with Tomato Mint Chutney and Roasted Bell Pepper, Oven Baked Pasta with Classic Bolognese Sauce, or Roasted Chicken Mediterranean.

Simon Creek Merlot NV

This Merlot is rather more substantial than the Cabernet. It is a darker, transparent ruby, and features plum and blueberry aromas. On tasting, the blueberry is joined by raspberry and strawberry, with subtle hints of vanilla and oak. It ends with a moderately long finish.

Enjoy this Merlot with Polish Sausage with Sauerkraut and Skillet-fried Potatoes, Chicago-style Stuffed Spinach Pizza, or Roast Chicken with Shallots and Tarragon.

www.simoncreekvineyard.com/

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Tooth and Nail Wines

Tooth and Nail WinesTooth & Nail is one of four brands from Rabble Wine Company, the others being Rabble, Stasis, and Amor Fati. Rabble was founded by Rob Murray, a longtime wine grower with a vineyard-first mindset. The company has relied on four vineyards for more than 10 years, carefully overseeing all aspects of farming.

The Tooth & Nail estate vineyard is in the Willow Creek District of  Paso Robles , California. about halfway between Santa Barbara to the south and Carmel to the north. It occupies rolling slopes at the base of the Santa Lucia mountains. The gravelly soils feature the type of limestone-rich ingredients found in some of the world’s greatest winegrowing regions. The vineyard spans 10 acres, including 20-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines and newer plantings of a Tempranillo clone from Rioja; a Malbec clone from Bordeaux; and a head-trained block of Mourvedre. The second vineyard, Murmur, is southwest from the winery and over the mountains, just 13 miles from the Pacific Ocean.  Murray personally planted this vineyard and knows it intimately. The final two vineyards, Mossfire and Armour Ridge, are in the Estrella District, about 10 miles north of Paso Robles on Highway 101.

 

 

Winemaker Jeremy Leffert offered, “My approach is to treat everything with such care that it’s almost transparent and you hear this voice from the vineyard.” He is tries to avoid what he calls “the dominance of the winemaker’s hand,” so that vineyard expression must only be accentuated, and never obstructed.

The opportunity to review these three red blends from Tooth & Nail presented an unusual chance to compare and contrast the similarities and differences of three kindred wines from a single producer.

But first, a note about the bottle labels.  Rabble prides itself on striking and extravagant labels, and these are no exception. (There is even an augmented reality app available for smart phones that adds audio to the labels. Radical.) Each one features a reproduction of a drawing from the pen of naturalist James John Audubon, where he captured birds and animals of the early 1800s fighting “tooth and nail” to survive, and a quote from his notebooks that inspired the name of each wine.

All of these selections are an inky brick red, have a nose of dark berries and roast plum, and clock in at about 14.5% ABV. Any of them would pair nicely with Rosemary Marinated Grilled Lamb, Beef Tenderloin with Mediterranean Relish, or Veal Milanese.

Tooth & Nail The Possessor 2016

69% Cabernet Sauvingnon
15% Merlot
10% Petit Syrah
6% Syrah

Here Audubon depicts two red-tailed hawks fighting to become the sole possessor.

The wine presents flavors of those same dark berries and roast plum aromas, coupled with currants and cassis, and a hint of sweet cherry and dust. These are supported by bright acidity, and the wine ends with a firm finish and lingering tannins.

Tooth & Nail The Stand 2017

85% Petit Syrah
14% Syrah
1% Viognier (1%? Really? An interesting and subtle winemaking choice.)

Here Audubon draws a brave boar protecting its den. No matter if one falls, there will always be another to stand sentinel.

This wine offers more acidity than The Possessor, with flavors of tart cherry, , figs, and boysenberry, plus a bit of cocoa and tobacco. The palate finishes with lightly-sweet lingering tannins on the long finish.

Tooth & Nail The Fiend 2017

51% Merlot
32% Petit Syrah
17% Cabernet Sauvignon

Audubon shows the ferociousness of a jaguar, stalking her prey and attacking with the fury of an incarnate fiend.

This is the driest and most tannic of the trio. Flavors of ripe plum, black mission figs and leather predominate, all wrapped up with sturdy but integrated tannins. There is just a hint of bitterness and dust at the end. Even with 51% Merlot in the blend, this is certainly the biggest wine of the three, but the other two are hardly shy.

For my review of two Rabble-brand wines, click here.

www.rabblewine.com/wines/#tooth-and-nail-wines

Bakon Vodka

Bakon Vodkammm…bacon

Whenever Homer Simpson wants to relax with something other than Duff beer, my guess is he turns to Bakon Vodka. Yes. Premium vodka infused with the aroma and taste of delicious smokehouse bacon.

People have been mixing savory ingredients with alcohol as long as they have been drinking alcohol. Writers from the 17th century, including John Locke and Samuel Pepys frequently imbibed and wrote about savory infused ales. It turns out that mixing sweet and savory in food and beverage is not a new idea.

The folks behind Bakon started developing the product in the fall of 2007 and worked on it for two years. The base spirit is  quality Idaho potato vodka. It is smooth and slightly sweet, with the well-rounded flavor that you only get from a quality potato distillation. The vodka is column-distilled using a single heating process that allegedly doesn’t “bruise” the alcohol like the multiple heating cycles needed to make a typical pot-still vodka.

Next comes the infusion, to deliver the essence of a delicious, crisp slice of peppered bacon. This secret process creates a taste and smell that is surprisingly accurate. Before you do any mixing with it, first try it chilled and straight up, to maximize the “wow!” reaction.

Co-founder and Creative Director Chris Marshall notes, “Although today you can find plenty of sweet, fruity-flavored mixtures and infusions, we’re excited to produce a savory spirit that people can’t wait to try.”

Flavored vodkas are popular with trendy mixologists who want more versatility and options than mainline liquors provide. Like them, you can use Bakon vodka to whip up an excellent Bloody Mary, a Bacon Martini with a blue cheese-stuffed olive, or:

The Elvis Presley

2 oz. Bakon vodka
1 oz.  hazelnut liqueur
1 oz.  banana liqueur
a splash of cream.

Shake with ice and strain into a glass. Thank you. Thank you very much.

www.bakonvodka.com/

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Imagery Estate Winery

Imagery Estate WineryEvocative Imagery

In 1973, newlyweds Mike and Mary Benziger drove west and permanently settled in Northern California. Seven years later, Mike and and his brother Bruno Benziger purchased the historic Wegener Ranch on Sonoma Mountain in Glen Ellen, California. Hearing the Sirens’ call of the Golden State, over the next six years the four remaining siblings — Bob, Joe, Jerry, and Patsy, with their spouses — made their way to California.

In 1986, winemaker Joe Benziger first partnered with artist Bob Nugent to launch the Imagery Series of wines. This pairing of wine and art continues to this day, and permeates every aspect of Imagery Winery, including unique artwork replicated on every label. (Except for the wines shown here.  More on that below.)  The dedicated on-site art gallery features label artwork commissioned from some of the world’s most notable contemporary artists, and includes over 500 works by over 300 artists. Currently, around 60 pieces are on view in the gallery.

At any given time, as many as 35 artists are working on pieces that will appear on future Imagery wine labels. The artists are not limited by size, medium, or content – the only exception is that the work must include a likeness of the Parthenon replica on the Benziger Estate, which serves as the winery’s signature image.

Joe Benziger has dedicated his career to crafting rare wines from uncommon varietals such as Malbec, Tempranillo, and Lagrein. These limited-production wines are available to wine club members only.

However, that doesn’t mean Imagery is inaccessable. Following in her father Joe’s footsteps, middle-daughter Jamie Benziger is the winemaker in charge of Imagery’s relatively new and more popularly-priced collection of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. The label is characterized with a “drip” motif, suggestive of both wine and paint.

Imagery Chardonnay 2016

This offering presents initial subtle aromas of ripe apple, pear, and lime. It is pale-straw colored in the glass. It greets the palate with flavors of further apple and lemon, plus a touch of steeliness from the cold fermentation and minimal oak. The wine is enlivened with the addition of 5% Chenin Blanc, and the finish is bright and fresh.

This wine would work well with Vietnamese turkey and glass noodle salad, sea bass with golden mash, or kedgeree risotto.

Imagery Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

This Cab starts out with a nose of dark fruit, vanilla, and toasted oak. Then come the flavors of blackberries, plum, and cherries. The blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petite Syrah, the latter lending unusual spice and pepper notes. The wine is fruit forward and velvety soft, with moderate tannins and medium acidity. The winery is targeting this wine at the hotel trade, so it might take a bit of effort to locate.

Serve this easy-going red with pancetta-wrapped sausages, finger-lickin’ ribs, or saffron roast lamb with sticky garlic potatoes.

www.imagerywinery.com/

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Domaine Chanson

Domaine ChansonA Bastion in Beaune

Beaune, France, may be the wine capital of the Côte D’Or, if not all of Burgundy. It is home to important vineyards, as well as influential wine merchants, or négociants.

One of the oldest of these is Domaine Chanson, founded in 1750. Chanson’s holdings comprise some of Burgundy’s most coveted vineyards (over 94 acres, 17 in white, the rest in red), including 10 Premier Crus and one Grand Cru.

In 1777, Chanson bought the cellars they still occupy today. To store the 100,000 bottles then in inventory, in 1794 they acquired the large round Bastion de l’Oratoire. The bastion is a massive 15th-century fortress and an internationally celebrated icon of Burgundy.

Chanson still vinifies and cellars its wines in the bastion as it has for over 200 years. The 30-foot-thick walls of this ancient fortress make it ideal for winemaking. While the ground floor (the coolest) serves as a vinothèque or “vintage wine library,” vinification and cask-aging take place on the second and third floors.

The bastion holds Chanson’s approximately 3,000 barrels of wine. The proportions of new oak are roughly 25% for whites and 30 to 35% for the reds.

“The temperature of the bastion never varies,” explains Chanson general manager Gilles de Courcel. “It is ideal for cold maceration of the bunches. In the springtime, we might open one of the cellar doors to allow the warm air in. We never accelerate malolactic fermentation. We allow it to occur spontaneously and naturally. We use only the best cuvées and we never hurry the process. This is how we maintain the freshness, purity, and fragrance of the wines.”

Domaine Chanson Clos des Mouches Chardonnay 2010

This Chardonnay is classified as a Premier Cru, Burgundy’s second highest ranking. The grapes came from a vineyard on a mere 4.9 acres of difficult soil mixed with limestone, clay, and silica.

Although this pale gold wine spent 14 months in French oak, both on the nose and palate the wood is delicate and restrained. Aromas and tastes of citrus fruit predominate, with a hint of spice on the long finish. This is a white that needs to breathe for at least 30 minutes.

The generous acidity makes this an excellent food wine. Fish Fillets Poached in White Wine and a Julienne of Vegetables, Fresh Shucked Oysters, or Chicken Fricassee would all pair well.

Domaine Chanson Clos Des Fèves Pinot Noir 2010

Clos loosely translates as “enclosed vineyard.” Clos des Fèves is a rare ‘monopole’ Premier Cru vineyard, where the entire vineyard is owned by a single grower. This 9.4-acre site is one of the highest in Beaune, with an unforgiving soil of clay and limestone.

This Pinot Noir is a transparent ruby in the glass, with aromas of blackberry and plum. After an hour of exposure to air, the wine comes alive with the flavors of the fruit (although as the French prefer, not fruit-forward) and the elegant tannins. The finish is quite long for a Pinot Noir.

This wine calls for classic dishes such as Steak au Poivre, Boeuf Bourguignon, Cassoulet, or Rôti de Porc Grand’ Mère.

www.domaine-chanson.com/en

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Holman Ranch Wines

Holman Ranch WinesMeanwhile, Back at
the Ranch

Much more than just a winery, Holman Ranch in Carmel Valley, California, has a long and rich history. When what is now California was a colony of Spain, the ranch was part of the lands bestowed to the Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo.

The Spanish colonies in North America were transferred to Mexico when that nation won its independence in 1821. Between 1834 and 1836, the Mexican government secularized the mission lands, ostensibly to return the land to the Indians. Nonetheless, one of the first ranchers in Carmel Valley, Don Jose Manuel Boronda, was granted the Los Laureles Rancho. This enormous 6,625 acre parcel of land occupied a huge area of Carmel Valley, including the land where Holman Ranch now sits.

After Boronda’s death, the land passed through many hands, until the Pacific Improvements Company acquired it in 1882. Pacific Improvements eventually sold a section of this land to the man who began the modern story of Holman Ranch, San Francisco businessman Gordon Armsby.

In 1928, Armsby purchased 600 acres in the Los Laureles area of the Valley, including what would eventually be Holman Ranch. Armsby built a classic Spanish-style hacienda on the property. The ranch and its newly-constructed hacienda became Armsby’s secluded vacation estate. Quickly seeing an income opportunity as well, he decided to rent it out to other people looking for a similar escape. The hacienda at the ranch became an exclusive hideaway for many celebrities from Hollywood’s Golden Age, including Charlie Chaplin and Theda Bara.

 

In the 1940s, financial troubles hit Armsby, forcing him to sell the property. The buyer was Clarence Holman, the eldest son of the Holman family of Pacific Grove, and scion of Northern California’s Holman department store empire which thrived from 1891 to 1984. Holman transformed the property into a guest ranch, and it featured the only rodeo arena in town. He built guest bungalows, stables, and the first in-ground pool in Carmel Valley, which is now a historical landmark.

The then newly-christened Holman Ranch quickly became the center of social life in Carmel Valley. In the tradition of their predecessors, the Holman family hosted some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Clark Gable, Vincent Price, Joan Crawford, and Marlon Brando to name a few.

When Clarence Holman died in 1962, his wife Vivian carried on the legacy of Holman Ranch. She dedicated herself to ensuring that the ranch would never become subdivided, and that it would continue to be the center of local social and community activities.

Rodeos, horse shows, trail rides, barbecues, and fiestas filled the calendar. The Fiesta de los Amigos (the ranch’s birthday celebration), was an annual highlight, often attracting more than 2,000 guests. Vivian Holman presided over the ranch until her death in 1981.

In 1989, Dorothy McEwen stepped in with a commitment to preserve the ranch’s historic past as a private estate and event facility. Back in 1976, she had co-founded Digital Research, Inc., with her husband, Gary Kildall, the developer of  CP/M, the first commercial operating system for personal computers.

Over the course of 16 years, she rebuilt what had become the run-down Holman Ranch, transforming it into a site for weddings, corporate parties, photo shoot,s and charity events. She also built a state-of-the-art equestrian center with facilities for training, riding, and boarding. She planted Holman Ranch’s first acre of grape vines, although her dream of a winery was never realized.

A year after McEwen’s death in 2005, Thomas and Jarman Lowder purchased Holman Ranch, and the winery finally became a reality. The ranch has proven to be quite hospitable for winemaking. The local hills hold back the marine moisture layer and breezes, which is beneficial for producing quality fruit. Sedimentary soils throughout the vineyards provide good soil drainage.

Holman Ranch Carmel Valley Chardonnay 2011

This Chard shows pale gold in the glass. The nose is mostly citrus, with hints of honey and acetone.

The citrus really comes through on the palate, with plenty of lemony tartness. Although this wine spent some time in barrel, you’d hardly know it. If you are averse to heavy, buttery Chardonnays, then this is the wine for you. That hint of honey is repeated on the long (for a white) finish. And, don’t over chill. Remove it from the refrigerator after just a half-hour or so.

The citrus and acid here would nicely complement Cold Poached Scallops, Sesame Chicken, or Pheasant with Leek and Pecan Stuffing.

Holman Ranch Heather’s Hill Pinot Noir 2011

Heather’s Hill pours a bright, clear ruby into the glass. The nose suggests dusty boysenberry. There is a light to medium body, typical of Pinot Noir. The taste is all about dark stone fruit (and a little cola), supported by moderate tannins and good acidity. There is some zing to the finish, with hints of tobacco as well. Be sure to air out this wine for an hour, or even two.

Enjoy this wine with Pasta Primavera, Raspberry Chicken, or Pork Chops with Black Currant Preserves.

In addition to wines, Holman Ranch also produces olive oil from their 100 tree olive grove. These fully mature trees were originally planted at a Carmel Valley orchard in 1994, and in 2007 were transplanted to Holman Ranch.

The trees are planted in shale, striving for the highest quality production and harvesting results. The fruit is harvested by hand in December. Although the olive grove is not certified organic, organic farming is practiced.

www.holmanranch.com/

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Stoller Vineyards

Stoller VineyardsOn the Trail to Oregon

Dayton, Oregon, in the Dundee Hills AVA and 25 miles southwest of Portland, is home to Stoller Vineyards. Oregon started to become generally known for their wines, particularly Pinot Noir, only about 30 years ago. Stoller is even newer, bringing in their first wine in 2001.

In 1993, Bill Stoller purchased from a cousin the turkey farm where he had been raised as a boy. He knew that the rocky terrain, low-yield soils, and steep hillsides of the property that made general agriculture a difficult and frustrating endeavor would be perfectly suited to grape vines.

He started with 10 acres each of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which have now expanded to over 225 acres under cultivation. (Stoller was not a winemaking novice, however. He was already a partner in Chehalem Winery in nearby Newberg, Oregon.)

In addition to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the vineyards are home to Pinot Gris, Riesling, Tempranillo, Syrah, and Pinot Blanc.

Stoller is committed to sustainable farming practices, employing such innovations as a water reservoir that collects runoff from the winter rains, a solar-powered weather station, and a spring-fed irrigation system that minimizes drip. Stoller is currently working with Oregon State University to study the effects of different cover crop regimes on soil health, vine vigor, and wine quality.

Stoller Vineyards Estate Chardonnay 2008

This all-Chardonnay wine offers an excellent balance of bright fruit and acidity. It was barrel fermented and aged in French oak, but since only 30% was new, the wood is present but not dominant. The finishing 100% malolactic fermentation imparted softness and smoothness.

On the nose, aromas of almonds, lemon zest, and brioche are evident. The dry, silky palate features citrus (especially lemon), minerals, and spice.

Serve this Chardonnay with Grilled Lemon Chicken, Crispy Salmon with Spiced Lentils, or Swordfish with Mango and Avocado Salsa.

Stoller Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir 2007

This Stoller Pinot Noir was sourced from their oldest vineyard plantings, at the end of a cool growing season. The wine spent 10 months aging in 60% new / 40% neutral oak.

The wine presents aromas of oak, spice, and vanilla. The taste is well-balanced, with good acidity, medium tannins, and flavors of tart plum, wild strawberry, and raspberry.

This Pinot Noir will go well with Baked Tuna with Tomatoes, Capers and Black Olives, Coq au Vin with Autumn Vegetables (try making the chicken with white wine, though), and Lamb Chops with Prune Chutney.

www.stollerfamilyestate.com/

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