The Wines of August 2020

I guess I messed up and didn't post August. So here it is, late but available.

2015 Garnet Pinot Noir, Monterey County, California

Aromas: Blackberry cobbler, toasted hazelnuts, Chinese five spice powder, cloves and dried juniper berries.

Flavors: Red and black fruits and berries followed by notes of coffee and vanilla. To us, this wine brings to mind strawberry jam and butter slathered on freshly toasted home-made bread. The long finish is delicious and mouth-filling.

Our Monterey Pinot Noir is blended from a few acres in each of four vineyards scattered along benchlands near the Santa Lucia Highlands that are subject to the cool, foggy influence of Monterey Bay.

This was a pleasant Pinot, California style with nice fruit in the strawberry line. Finish was fair, not as long as described, no real tannins, decent backbone to fit to a meal.  Winery price is $20, generally available for $10. Decent school-nite wine.

2017 Jepson Syrah, Mendocino County, California

Middle weight, intensely fruited with wonderful earthen texture Brambly blackberry aromatics flow seamlessly into plum and berry fruit forward flavors on an impressive balanced tannin foundation.

Staff Comments: An intense Syrah from Mendocino, California! Rich ripened blackberries on the nose with a touch of peppercorns. This is full bodied and superb. Notes of caramel latte, smoked almonds, espresso, and baked boysenberry pie. Serve this with lasagna al forno, a skirt steak salad with Bleu cheese crumbles, or BBQ’s ribs.

Jepson was bought out about the time this wine was in barrels. The surprise for me was that this was a nicely rich, heavy style (Rhone-like) Syrah, not an Aussie fruit bomb. The black fruits were prevalent, but the body and backbone supported the weight. Needed a heavy type meal, but was good with that. Generally available around $12, a good bottle to have for those ribs.

2018 Natale Verga Primitivo, Salento, Italy

"Aromas of sun-dried prunes and pine syrup and good flavors of black cherries and fudge. Try it with veal and peppers, sausage grilled with onions, penne vodka and grilled sirloin medium rare." Winemaker's Notes

The perfect everyday pizza wine! Primitivo is Zinfandel's exotic Italian cousin. Fruit-forward but a bit more suave and probably rides a motorcycle. With notes of olive and black cherry it's one of our go-to's

Rarely do I find a wine that I really think I do not want to finish the bottle. This might be an exception; the general condition of the wine was fine, but the flavor components were all wrong. I didn’t get all the flavors from the winemaker notes, but I did get a big streak of green olive through the mid-palate. Made the aftertaste unappealing, as well. Even for $8, I can’t say I’d drink this again. (Yes, I have had some good primitivos, this wasn’t one.)

2014 Jarhead Red, California

Our mission is to make distinctively robust red wines in support of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, which provides educational assistance to children of U.S. Marines, with special consideration given to families of fallen and wounded Marines.

“The 2014 Jarhead Red offers generous aromas of plum, cherry and spice with a hint of smokiness. A rich, mouth filling texture unfolds with flavors of black cherry, blackberry and cassis. Notes of vanilla emerge on a broad, juicy finish. This boldly flavored wine is a perfect match for classic American fare, such as grilled steak, barbecued chicken and hamburgers.”

It helps to know that Marines call each other “Jarheads” (How did you get that round hat on such a square head?). My brother was a Marine, served in Vietnam, so I know a little about the Corps. This wine is made from the Firestone vineyard as well as other grapes from parts of California. A red blend, mostly merlot with a few other complimentary grapes. Not a bad wine, no tannic backbone to make it cellar worthy, but a pleasant, red fruit driven bottle for pasta and pizza. Priced from $9 to $13, pick up a bottle and feel patriotic.

2016 Wakefield Jaraman Shiraz, South Australia

Wakefield Jaraman is a zesty, full-bodied, Shiraz from Clare Valley wine region in South Australia. This Australian red wine is a regional blend of Shiraz grapes of about two-thirds Clare Valley and one-third McLaren Vale regions. The wine was partially cold-soaked for 4 days, then aged in 100% new American oak barrels for 11 months. Dark chocolate and sweet black fleshy plums on the nose with a pleasant zing of acidity mid-palate for lots of dishes from tangy meat sauces to grilled meats. More black fruit and mouth-filling roundness. A consistently good producer at fair prices for the quality. This Australian red wine is a regional blend of Shiraz grapes of about two-thirds Clare Valley and one-third McLaren Vale regions. The wine was partially cold-soaked for 4 days, then aged in 100% new American oak barrels for 11 months. Deeply concentrated and flavoured.

This is a typical fruit forward style of Aussie Shiraz; Nose comes off like black fruits and the flavor follows with more black fruits and some herbs added in. Good acidic backbone to go with heavy meat style dishes. Nice to have if you haven’t had a big Aussie in a while. Goes with BBQ and grilled meats. Priced around $20, available for about $15, nice bottle for that outdoor meal.

 

A touch short this month, will have more in September. Stay safe, wear a mask and social distance. Until next time, keep popping those corks and I’ll meet you out behind the grapevines.