Another month and so little time to Wine

Here we go again! Another month and a few more wines

2010 Montevina Zinfandel, Amador County, California

This wine delivers all the zest of Amador County in an accessible package that is perfect for everyday enjoyment. The Zinfandel bursts with aromas of juicy, red raspberries, strawberry, and just a hint of clove and cinnamon. The mouthfeel is soft and elegant and ends with juicy finish. The Montevina Zinfandel is perfect for toasting the simple pleasures of life and pairs well with spare ribs, spicy BBQ or a beautifully grilled hamburger.

Generally, “old” zinfandel lacks the spice and fruity base the wine is known for. This one was OK – still had some fruit and spice but not one you would want to hang on to any longer. Good for the $100 case it was in, wouldn’t look for this vintage – get something newer…

2011 Koyle Reserva, Syrah, Colchagua Valley, Chile

The 2011 Koyle Reserva Syrah is a vivid purple color, with blackberry and violet flowers on the nose. The palate has notes of cassis and espresso flavors. Bright fruit on the palate -- fresh and muscular on the finish, this is a well constructed wine with fine tannins and an elegance finish.

Winemaker Notes

 The grapes were picked in selected lots, coming from Colchagua Valley. The vineyards are carefully pruned, with stringent canopy management and a green harvest. At optimum ripeness, the grapes are hand-picked and brought to the cellar for sorting. The Koyle team select only the healthiest and best clusters for their wines. In the tank, cold maceration (for aroma and flavor extraction) takes place over five days, followed by fermentation over two weeks at 75°- 78° F (24°- 26oC). Finally, warm maceration (to extract just the most rounded and silky tannin) takes place. After this, the wine is aged in French Oak barrels for twelve months. One soft cartridge filtration takes place before bottling.

Serving Hints

This wine is ideally served with oily fish, spicy foods, rack of lamb and Thai foods. 

 Grape Variety: 93% Syrah and 7% Malbec

OK – there is something about wines from Chile. They often start with a bunch of “funk” in the nose.  Maybe more barn-yard, or earthy, but after a short while, it blows off and you get the essence of the fruit. Could be all the organic activity in the country; could be the land or the llamas in the grape vines. Initial nose was full of funk but after an hour it had become elegant. It was even better the second day – good fruit in a French style syrah. Lots of red fruit with a decent aftertaste.

2012 Great American Wine Co by Rosenblum, Cabernet Sauvignon

Like the American spirit, our 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon has a bold, rugged character. The nose is big and captivating, offering heady dark fruit, cigar box, leather and dried sage. The palate is smooth and supple, with juicy boysenberry and black cherry flavors. It is layered with toasty oak spices, followed by firm tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Pair with big flavors, such as grilled meats or rich pastas.

Vineyard

The stunning California landscape, with its golden hills rolling toward the Pacific Ocean, is grape paradise. Cool maritime breezes temper warm, dry days throughout the growing season, allowing the grapes to hang on the vine well into September and October. This produces excellent fruit with balanced acids and rich, concentrated flavors. Our Cabernet Sauvignon is selected from various vineyards that gave us a range of flavors and textures.

Winemaking

Our Cabernet Sauvignon was barrel aged for 12 months providing toasty oak spices and firm tannins. We blended in Merlot and a small percentage of Petit Sirah to add depth and complexity to the palate.

Vintage 2012

Varietal Composition 80% Cabernet Sauvignon 18% Merlot 2% Petite Sirah

Barrel Aging 12 months

 Appellation California

Alcohol 13.5% Acidity 5.5g/L pH 3.6

Ageability 2013 to 2016

This was a decent little bottle – not something I would seek out, except to help with the cause. The nose was the best, the flavors were a little underwhelming for a Cabernet. Didn’t specify the appellation on the label, but pretty typical of fruit from the central plains and Lodi area.

NV Juvé & Camps Brut Rose       

Wine Description

This Rosé Brut is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes that come from the newly acquired Feixa 1 vineyard on the historic Juvé y Camps estate. The free run juice undergoes a cold-soak maceration followed by fermentation in stainless steel. The resulting wine blends the traditional methods of Juvé y Camps with international flair and flavor.

Tasting Notes

This Cava is beautiful, salmon-pink in color. On the nose, the delicate aromas evolve from notes of fresh red apple and strawberries to hints of honey white flowers and toasted almond. On the palate the texture is rich and creamy with a fine perlage.

Food Pairing

Pair this wine with sushi, salmon pâté, strawberry sorbet, and foie gras.

Yes, I am a sparkling wine lover – this is a wine I’ve had several times and always enjoy. Spanish cava tends to be at a great price point – affordable and a good option when the Chateau Ste. Michelle Brut is sold out.  I really like this in the summertime – the pink bubbly is clean and not sweet – hits the spot on hot days.  Price is always under $20, making it affordable fun.