Happy New Year

Another year has come and gone

Sorry I'm late - time slipped away too fast.

2005 Ramey Napa Valley Claret

From Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Inky ruby. Finely etched cassis, blackberry, cherry and tobacco aromas are complicated by dried rose and white pepper. Bright red and dark berry flavors are crisp and unadorned (this saw no new barrels), with gentle tannins adding grip to the finish. Ramey told me that this is made from his cabernet press wines and that it's 'for roast chicken, not steak.' " (May/Jun '08) From Robert Parker: "Fashioned from lots culled out from all of David Ramey’s Cabernet projects, the 2005 Claret is a stylish, delicious red that is meant to be consumed during its first 7-8 years of life. It offers up aromas of cherries, underbrush, black currants, and cedar. Evolved and medium-bodied with a silky finish, it will drink well for 5-7 years." (Dec. 2007) From Wine Spectator: "Aromas of strawberry and plum jam are medium-bodied, supple and graceful. Well-balanced and easy-drinking, firming up on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2016. 6,100 cases made." (Jul. 31, 2008)

88 Points | Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine

89 Points | Stephen Tanzer's IWC - May/June 2008

86 Points | Wine Spectator

($38) Inky ruby. Finely etched cassis, blackberry, cherry and tobacco aromas are complicated by dried rose and white pepper. Bright red and dark berry flavors are crisp and unadorned (this saw no new barrels), with gentle tannins adding grip to the finish. Ramey told me that this is made from his cabernet press wines and that it's "for roast chicken, not steak."

This wine was drinking wonderfully right now. A good Bordeaux blend from California, it had good fruit with hints of spice. Tannins had mostly gone, but the wine was nicely balanced with acidity and a fairly long aftertaste.  Very nice – received as a gift from the Matt man.

The 2011 Moniker Mendocino County Cabernet Sauvignon begins with pleasant aromas of black cherry, blackberry, plum, spice and a little vanilla and other oaky notes. When tasting this very flavorful wine you’ll find lots of oaky, spicy notes (the wine spends 14 months in used French oak) along with juicy black cherry, plums, leather and cola. Dry, grippy tannins leads into more juicy fruit streaks plus tobacco notes on the long, lingering finish. Pretty darn tasty right now but I’d venture a guess it’ll be even better in a year or two

94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petite Sirah from Mendocino County, California.

Not bad, but not one for long term keeping.  Fruit was good in it, although the balance wasn’t as refined as I would like.  Consider it a little rough around the edges, but OK for under $10.

2013 Force of Nature Zinfandel, Mossfire Ranch, Paso Robles, Ca.

TASTING NOTES:

Vintage 2013 Varietal  100% ZINFANDEL Vineyard  MOSSFIRE RANCH Clone ROCKPILE  A.V.A. PASO ROBLES Time in Barrel  12 MONTHS New Oak 20% NEW FRENCH, 80% AMERICAN (3yr) Alc. by volume 14.7% Aging Potential  10+ YEARS

Atypical for Paso Robles zinfandel, this gem exudes spicy raspberries in a dusty field of lavender and lilac.  Opulence; an engulfing mouth feel of velvet cherries, rhubarb, brittle chocolate and finely crushed peppercorn.  The finish is uplifting, with layers of bright acidity dancing on fine lush tannin.  Part Primitivo in style, part California zinfandel, this is the progeny of a dusty Paso Robles farmer and a stunning Italian minx.  Drink now through 2015.

The first thing about this wine and other wine from this winery are the striking labels. The picture does not do justice to the actual bottles. Just awesome – you’d want to keep the bottles for your display shelf. Then, the wine is really good – wow.  This is a gentler zinfandel – not all in your face with red fruits.  A refined style, with plenty of mouthfeel and some tannin.  Has red fruit layers, with hints of spice and nice acidity to go well with food. Or not, good as a straight sipper.  This is on sale around $20, a real nice Zin at that price.

2009 Ravenswood Barricia Vineyard, Sonoma  Valley, California

There’s bracing heat in this Zin that’s blended with 20% Petite Sirah. The heat comes partly from the high alcohol, partly from the notes of crushed white and black peppercorns, partly from the charred new oak and partly from the baked quality that marks the blackberry note. Everything about this lusty, delicious wine begs for grilled and roasted meats and poultry—especially game birds.

90 Pts Wine Enthusiast

Winemaker Notes: Ripe black raspberry, cherry pie, cracked black pepper, and spice-driven scents with hints of smoke, dry earth, and new leather add complexity to the aromas classically associated with Barricia vineyards. Delicious, sweet dark fruit flavors at the heart of the wine give way to an intense finish with silky tannins and lingering flavors of blackberries and candied cherries. This is a wine with lovely structure and focus.

Only 600 cases were produced – this is one of the pricier Single Vineyard designates that Ravenswood puts together.  Although the winery was purchased a few years ago, Joel Peterson is still steering the ship and putting his heart and soul into wines like this. What makes this different from the everyday Ravenswood zin? Wow, where to start – modtly everything. This zin is built on a cabernet chassis – the tannins are very large, needing a couple more years to mellow out. The fruit is big and upfront – red fruits everywhere with spiciness, herbs in a tightly structured wine.  Not a wine for the weak of taste, this bad boy is meant for a chunk of red meat. Not cheap, if you can find it, but still under $40. Freak out your “Cab” only friends with something like this!

2013 The Great American Wine Company by Rosenbloom, Red Blend, California

Winemaking - Our blend is made from Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each varietal was vinified individually then blended together to create a well-balanced, fruit-forward wine. The Zinfandel forms a fruit-forward base, complemented by the rich color and bold structure of Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintage 2013 Varietal Composition 74% Zinfandel 20% Petite Sirah 6% Cabernet Sauvignon

Barrel Aging 12 months Appellation California Alcohol 13.0% Acidity 6g/L pH 3.6 Ageability 2014 – 2016

OK - I had about 1 of each of these - this was the best. A zinfandel blend that was good with food, fruit forward, no tannins but very pleasant. Non-red wine drinkers could have this, as well as more novice drinkers. Nice for the price - around $10.

That's it for now, keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grape vines!