Sep/100
7 Daughters Winemaker’s Blend (White)
I tried the 7 Daughters Winemakers Blend last night. These folks put out two versions of their 7 grape blend, and I had the good fortune of trying their white wine style. First I was taken aback by the number of grapes used to make this wine, but in the end they pulled it off. I would definitely rank this as a good every day white, that would go well with all things summer. For around $12.00 a bottle it is definitely worth a try.
Cheers!
- Brandon
Winemaker Notes:
Color: Pale straw
Aroma:The intense aromatics for this wine feature notes of orange blossom, tangerine and melon with a subtle hint of apricot and lychee.
Taste:This crisp, balanced wine opens with the fresh flavors of lychee and mandarin oranges. The citrus influence continues with an intense tangerine flavor. The presence of Gewurztraminer complements the wine with a closing note of spice.
Alcohol: 13.5%
Pairings: Sushi, fruit salad, gulf fish (snapper and grouper), scallops, Asian Chicken salad, Cantonese, Thai and Latin cuisines.
Varietal Composition/Growing Region:
- 26% French Colombard
- 18% Chardonnay
- 18% Riesling
- 17% Symphony
- 11% Orange Muscat
- 5% Gewurztraminer
- 5% Sauvignon Blanc
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Aug/100
We told you drinking wine will make you more intelligent…..
This is a short clip highlighting a seven year study conducted in Norway testing cognitive skills in women who drink wine versus those that do not. Now I know why my wife is so smart:) Are we encouraging you to drink yourself into oblivion in hopes of becoming the next Albert Einstein or Steven Hawking, not exactly. It is exciting though to see more health benefits tied to that bottle of wine we keep opening. So the next time dinner chit chat turns mentally stimulating is it really us, or is it the wine talking? Hmmmm…makes you wonder.
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Aug/100
Ultimate New Jersey Wine Tour
Thank you so much Stephanie for your enjoyable read regarding a lesser know wine growing area. A definate highlight of this story is the listing of different wineries, restaurants, etc.. Enjoy!
Cheers!
- Brandon
By STEPHANIE AUTERI
When I first set off to discover New Jersey wine culture, I didn’t expect to find a whole lot. Within my immediate geographic area (I live in Clifton) are several wine bars and discount wine shops that sometimes offer free tastings, but there are no vineyards — no place where I can track a wine’s humble origins, the process of vine to grape to barrel to bottle.
In the past, my husband and I always drove to upstate New York’s Finger Lakes region to get our wine fix. I didn’t think we had any other choice. But once I started researching wine spots across New Jersey, I discovered that we really had been missing out. I shouldn’t have been surprised.
This is, after all, the Garden State.
Through the course of three frantic months, we spent every single weekend traveling across all of New Jersey. We drove to the tippy-top — where small family vineyards like that of the Ventimiglias operated — and all the way down to Cape May (which had four of its own wineries, all well worth visiting). In a blur of vineyard after vineyard, our palates slowly changed.
At Four JG’s Orchards & Vineyards in Colts Neck, we salivated over chocolate sauce made with chambourcin, a French-American hybrid grape that is popular in New Jersey. At California WineWorks in Ramsey, we destemmed grapes, crushed them and added yeast, enjoying the hands-on process of making our own cabernet.
At La Griglia in Kenilworth, a restaurant recognized by Wine Spectator magazine, I fell in love with an incredibly light sparkling dessert wine.
At Plagido’s Winery in Hammonton, I couldn’t help gushing over the sangria.
When we visited Sylvin Farms Winery in Germania — a one-man operation — we had to run through the fields in order to find owner Franklin Salek. It was well worth it, as he then treated us to a history of the New Jersey wine business while we sampled bottle after bottle.
At Turdo Vineyards in North Cape May, we reveled in the unseasonal warmth of late last September by sipping from generous glasses of pinot noir on its outdoor patio. And at Ventimiglia Vineyard in Wantage, we tasted zinfandel straight from the barrel before sitting down to an intimate barbecue with the entire family.
By the time we made it to Hopewell Valley Vineyards in Pennington, we had to invest in a wine journal. The bottles cluttering the floor of our one-bedroom condo were all favorites, and we didn’t want to risk forgetting any of them.
Over the course of it all, we learned what we loved (and we also learned that seven wineries in one day is too much). The wine spots listed here — a mix of wineries, restaurants, shops and wine bars — aren’t everything New Jersey has to offer. In fact, the state has at least 33 wineries alone registered with the Garden State Wine Growers Association, and you can follow the entire trail by picking up one of their free “passports” (newjerseywines.com). Rather, these spots are the ones I felt had the most to offer not only the taste buds, but the soul.
Does that sound cheesy? Thankfully, wine and cheese go well together.
* Four JG’s & Vineyards
127 Hillsdale Road,
Colts Neck
(908) 930-8066
4jgswinery.com
Owner: John and Janet Giunco
Acreage: 60-acre farm, with 35 acres of planted vines
Wines: 10
Best-sellers: chambourcin riserva, Cayuga white, Vignole, cabernet Franc
Tastings: Weekends, 1 to 5 p.m., October through December
Price: $5
* Alba Vineyard & Winery
269 Route 627, Village of Finesville, Milford
(908) 995-7800
albavineyard.com
Owner: Tom Sharko
Acreage: 93.5-acre farm, with 42 acres of planted vines
Wines: 19
Best-sellers: pinot noir, dry Riesling, chardonnay
Tastings: Sunday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Price: $10 for a cheese and cracker plate, and a taste of anything you’d like
* Amazing Grapes
23 Wanaque Ave., Pompton Lakes
(973) 831-5700
amazing-grapes.com
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Bonus: There is a bar in the back featuring live music on weekends
Owners: Donna Garvey, Bill Lowe Jr. and Tony Greco
Bottles: 12 by the glass, and around 100 bottles
Best-sellers: pinot grigio (especially bottles under $15), malbec wines from Argentina, tempranillo from Spain
Tastings: Free, every Saturday afternoon
* Bacchus
Winemaking Club
1540 Route 37 west, Toms River
(732) 505-6930
bacchusnj.com
Attend winemaking sessions and other classes and events throughout the year
* Bellview Winery
150 Atlantic St., Landisville
(856) 697-7172
BellviewWinery.com
Owner: Jim and Nancy Quarella
Acreage: 32
Wines: 27
Best-sellers: fiesta/cranberry sangria, 2007 petit verdot
Tastings: Daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: Free
* California WineWorks
476 Route 17 North, Ramsey
(201) 785-9463
cawineworks.com
Participate in grape crushing and other aspects of the winemaking process. End up with your own barrel
* Cape May
Winery & Vineyard
711 Townbank Road, Cape May
(609) 884-1169
capemaywinery.com
Owner: Darren Hesington and Toby Craig
Acreage: 15
Wines: 19
Best-sellers: 2008 riesling, 2007 Cape May cabernet ranc, Isaac Smith cabernet sauvignon, Cape May merlot, Cape May chardonnay
Tastings: Daily, 12 to 5 p.m.
Price: $5 for your choice of 6 wines, plus a souvenir wine glass to take home
* Endless Vine
823 Franklin Lake Road,
Franklin Lakes
(201) 891-3669
endlessvine.com
Hours: Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Owner: Simonyan family Bottles: 15 wines by the glass and close to 5,000 bottles
Best-sellers: Patz & Hall pinot noir Sonoma Coast 2006, Gnarley Head old vine zinfandel 2006, Bruno Giacosa Barolo “Le Rocche del Falletto” 1999, cheval blanc 1996, Caymus cabernet sauvignon Napa Valley 2002
Tastings: Check for tastings and other events on the website
* The Grape Escape
12 Stults Road, Suite 101, Dayton
(609) 409-9463
thegrapeescape.net
Make your own wine, starting at $355 for of a barrel
* La Griglia
740 Boulevard, Kenilworth
(908) 241-0031
lagriglia.com
Hours: Lunch: Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m.to 3 p.m. Dinner: Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 1 to 9 p.m.
Owner: Chris and John Tocci
Bottles: 600
Best-sellers: Bisol, “Crede” Prosecco Di Valdobbiadene (Veneto), Cantalupo “Il Mimo” Rosato 2005 (Piemont), Ocone, Taburno Falanghina, 2005 (Campania), Fatascia, “Almanera” nero d’Avola, 2003 (Sicily), Marenco, Brachetto D’Acqui, 2005 (Piemont)
* Hopewell Valley
Vineyards
46 Yard Road, Pennington
(609) 737-4465
hopewellvalleyvineyards.com
Owner: Sergio Neri
Acreage: 75-acre farm, with 20 acres of planted vines
Wines: 16
Best-sellers: chambourcin, pinot grigio
Tastings: Daily, 12 to 5 p.m., except for Friday and Wednesday 12 to 8 p.m. because of happy hour
Price: $5
Events: Weekly. Find out about everything from harvest and wine festivals to music nights by signing up for its e-mail list
* Knife & Fork
3600 Atlantic Ave., Atlantic City
(609) 344-1133
knifeandforkinn.com
Hours: Lunch: Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dinner: Sunday through Thursday, 5 to 9:30 p.m., Friday and-Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.
Owner: Frank Dougherty
Bottles: 1,000-plus
Best-sellers: Mason Cellars sauvignon blanc 2005, Orogeny pinot noir Green Valley RRV 2006, BR Cohn cabernet sauvignon north coast 2007
* Park & Orchard
240 Hackensack St.,
East Rutherford
(201) 939-9292
parkandorchard.com
Hours: Lunch: Monday through Friday, 12 to 4 p.m. Dinner: Monday through Friday, 4 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 4:45 to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 to 9 p.m.
Owner: Kenny and Buddy Gebhardt
Bottles: 2,000
Best-sellers: I Terrieri Corvina Passita 2006 Verona, Italy, Macon- Villages Les Pierres Dorees Domaine Barraud 2008, Purple Mountain chardonnay 2005, Stag’s Leap Hawk Crest cabernet sauvignon
Events: Scheduled wine tastings can be found on the website
* Plagido’s Winery
570 N. First Road,
Hammonton
(609) 567-4633
plagidoswinery.com
Owner: Ollie Tomasello
Acreage: 15
Wine: 27
Best-Sellers: chambourcin, Plagido’s Choice, merlot blend
Tastings: Daily, 12 to 5 p.m.
Price: Free
* Rosie’s Wine Bar
514 North Ave., Garwood
(908) 518-9463
rosieswinebar.com
Hours: Dinner: Monday through Wednesday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 4 to 9 p.m. Bar: open past 1 a.m.
Owner: Josh Rosenberg
Bottles: 250
Best-sellers: Covey Run riesling, Crosby cabernet sauvignon, Sonoma-Cutrer chardonnay, Faust Events: The website lists live music events, tastings, parties, education and more
* Sylvin Farms Winery
24 N. Vienna Ave., Germania
(609) 965-1548
sylvinfarmswinery.com
Owner: Franklin Salek
Acreage: 40-acre farm, with 11 acres of vines
Wines: 15
Best-sellers: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, sauvignon blanc, sparkling blanc de noir, chardonnay Tastings: Call ahead to schedule a tasting. This is a one-man operation, but it’s worth the effort to go.
Price: Free
* Tomasello Winery Inc.
225 N. White Horse Pike,
Hammonton
(800) 666-9463
tomasellowinery.com
Owners: Charlie and Jack Tomasello
Acreage: 70
Wines: 43
Best-Sellers: 2006 Tomasello American white zinfandel, Tomasello American Ranier rosé, Tomasello Atlantic County Nevers Oak chardonnay, Rainier white, Tomasello Epilogue Atlantic County riesling ice wine 2007, Tomasello American Almonique, Tomasello mulled spice wine, sparkling blueberry
Tastings: Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Price: Free
* Turdo Vineyards & Winery
3911 Bayshore Road, North Cape May
(609) 884-5591
turdovineyards.com
Owner: Sal Turdo
Acreage: 6-acre farm, with 4.5 acres of planted vines
Wines: 15
Best-sellers: The Italian reds: barbera, dolcetto, nebbiolo, sangiovese, and nero d’Avola
Tastings: Thursday through Saturday, 12 to 5 p.m., Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m.
Price: $5 for choice of 6 wines and a souvenir wine glass to take home
* Undici Taverna Rustica
11 West River Road, Rumson
(732) 842-3880
undicirestaurant.com
Hours: Monday and Tuesday, 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Wednesday-Sunday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Owners: Victor Rollo (general manager) and Giovanni Atzori (executive chef)
Bottles: 640
Best-sellers: Chiantis
Events: Follow twitter.com/undici11 on Twitter to keep up-to-date on all of its upcoming events
* Ventimiglia Vineyard
101 Layton Road, Wantage
(973) 875-4333
ventivines.com
Owner: Gene Ventimiglia, with his family
Acreage: 50 acres
Wines: 16
Best-sellers: Buon Giorno, Rocky Ridge red, chambourcin, carignane
Tastings: Saturdays and Sundays. now through Sept. 30, 1 to 6 p.m.; Oct. 1 through April 30, 12 to 5 p.m.
Price: $5 for a tasting and, if you’re lucky, you’ll also be offered a tour
* Wine List of Summit
417 Springfield Ave., Summit
(908) 277-6565
winelistsummit.com/wine/classes.php
class@winelistsummit.com
Become a wine connoisseur in three easy lessons
* The WineMakers Cellar
1050 Goffle Road, Hawthorne
(973) 238-1400
thewinemakerscellar.com
info@thewinemakerscellar.com
Make your own wine, starting at $425 for ⅛ barrel of wine
* Wine Ventures
7 Washington St., Tenafly
(201) 568-4341
wineventures.com
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 12 to 6 p.m.
Owner: Craig McManus
Bottles: 1,000-plus
Best-sellers: New Zealand sauvignon blancs, Rhone Châteauneuf-du-Papes
Tastings: Friday, 5 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 1 to 8 p.m.
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Aug/100
Chalone Monterey Chardonnay 2008 – Wine Review
I had the chance to enjoy this Chardonnay over the weekend with one of the other owners of Corx Wine Bags. I had not had the chance to try this wine before, but upon pulling it out Kevin told me that we would not be disappointed. Kevin was spot on with this wine being properly balanced between the flavors of pear, apple and oak, as well as a butteriness that complements the bright crispness of this wonderful chardonnay.
Cheers!
- Brandon
Chalone Vineyard Monterey County Chardonnay 2008 Overview
Wine
In our 2008 Chardonnay, bright, fruit-focused flavors keep cadence with sweet essence of oak. Baked pear, Braeburn apple and sweet tangerine are accented by wafts of floral and nutmeg. Across the palate, the flavors are joined by juicy stone fruit and guava, developing creaminess through the middle. Well-balanced, the fruit remains bright and crisp, complemented by just enough oak to lend structure and complexity. This wine’s versatility makes it pleasant for sipping as well as a perfect complement to sautéed scallops or stuffed chicken breast.
Vineyard
Chalone Vineyard was one of the first wineries to recognize the amazing potential of Chardonnay from Monterey County. With moderate winters and a maritime-influenced climate, Monterey has one of the coolest, most consistent growing seasons in the state, ideal for this thin-skinned varietal. Our grapes come from the northern Salinas Valley, in the Arroyo Seco American Viticultural Area, and other cool, well-drained sites auspiciously influenced by the wind and fog that carry the cool Pacific air down the valley. Here, budbreak is generally early and the growing season long, allowing the grapes to hang on the vine and develop slowly for ripe, flavorful Chardonnay with a nice core of acidity.
Winemaking
The unique climate and terroir of Monterey guides the profile of this Chardonnay. From vine to bottle, our winemaking decisions were chosen with this abiding ideal. For a hint of complexity, structure and gentle spice influence, we aged 60 percent of the wine in a combination of French, American and European oak for six months.
Vintage
Aug/100
August is Washington Wine Month
August is Washington Wine Month
According to the Washington State Liquor Control Board, “each August, state liquor stores broaden and diversify the selection of Washington wines and feature displays surrounding the annual theme. This year’s theme “Washington Wines… Our Passion, Your Pleasure” celebrates the unique Washington climates producing some of the very best in grapes and wines known around the world. This is the 26th Washington Wine Month celebrated by state liquor stores.”
The list of featured Washington Wine Month wines available at Washington State Liquor Stores can be found here.
Aug/100
2008 Lange Estate Winery Pinot Noir
Greetings! My friends from Liner & Elsen have another wine recommendation…the 2008 Lange Pinot Noir. It has been awhile since I’ve tasted Lange’s juice, but I remember it being pretty good.
Enjoy the review below!
Cheers!
-Kevin
2008 Lange Estate Winery, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon 18.99/203.00
Spotlighting the outstanding balance and superb terroir expression that marks the Willamette Valley’s finest 2008 Pinots, Lange’s so-called entry level release offers silky Burgundian texture and earthy terroir signature inside a solid core of classic cranberry and loganberry fruit. Writing for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Jay Miller concurs: “[Lange’s] 2008 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley provides an early look at just how good this vintage is. Very expressive aromatically with aromas of cherry, raspberry, and rose petal, on the palate this medium-bodied wine has layered succulent fruit, superb balance, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. It has enough structure to evolve for several years but will provide plenty of immediate gratification.” We think the 2008 Lange is a classically styled Willamette Valley Pinot, and we encourage you to buy a case for enjoyment now and another to cellar over the coming three years. Serve with braised duck, roast chicken, cedar-plank salmon, grilled summer squashes and roast pork preparations.
Wine Advocate—90 points; Best Value
http://www.linerandelsen.com/
LINER & ELSEN, WINE MERCHANTS
2222 NW Quimby St.
(off 22nd Ave.)
Portland, OR 97210
503-241-WINE (9463)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Aug/100
2008 Bogle Pinot Noir – Wine Review
Without a doubt the 2008 Bogle Pinot Noir is one of the best value Pinot’s available today. Due to the increasing popularity of Pinot Noir over the past several years we have seen the average price point move higher and higher. Fortunately for all of us the Bogle Family has done a tremendous job of deliveringa knock out Pinot Noir that delivers the goods for a suggested price point of $11.00 a bottle. With subtlespiciness, and hints of cherry and strawberry this Pinot Noir had me wanting more and more. A huge thumbs up from the Corx Wine Bags crew!!
Cheers!
- Brandon
WINEMAKER NOTES
The 2008 Pinot Noir from Bogle represents some of the best varietal growing regions our state has to offer. Fruit from the cool confines of the Russian River Valley, from the coastal hills of Monterey and from the unique Clarksburg Delta combine to create a garnet-colored wine of complexity and finesse.
The first impression recalls a sun-dappled forest clearing, scattered with sweet wild strawberries and rustic mint. These hints of pine, bright berry and fresh herbs follow on the well-balanced palate, surrounded by soft suggestions of tea leaves and violets. Toasty vanilla winds itself throughout, wrapping around the finish: long, silky and elegant.
SERVED BEST WITH
Aged cheeses and unique patés, as well as saucy mushroom dishes, poultry and pork.
• Vintage: 2008
• Appellation:Russian River Valley, Monterey, Santa Barbara
and Clarksburg
• Barrel Program: 12 months in French and American oak
• Release date: January 2009
• Wine pH: 3.68
• Wine acidity: 0.57g/100ml
• Alcohol: 14.2%
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Jul/100
L’Ecole No 41, 2008 Columbia Valley Semillon – Wine Review
Just had the chance to get my hands on a bottle of this tasty wine. This crisp and wonderfully complex Semillon is another winner from this famed winery in Lowden just outside of Walla Walla, WA. The hints of citrus and melon, and subtle spiciness paired wonderfully with our sun dried tomato and goat cheese crostini appetizer, and was still pairing well through our entree of Spicy Seared Scallops. All in all a great wine, and a great dinner!
Cheers!
- Brandon
2008 Columbia Valley Semillon
Columbia Valley Appellation
Released: September 2009
Variety: 89% Semillon, 11% Sauvignon Blanc
Vineyards: This wine is a blend of several premium vineyards including: 28% Klipsun Vineyard; 26% Rosebud Vineyard; 15% Double River Ranch; 9% Fries Vineyard; 8% Stillwater Creek; 8% Les Collines Vineyard and 6% Seven Hills Vineyard.
Winemaker Comments: “Few Semillons show their richness and complexity as those produced in Washington State. Our cool harvest nights help to ensure crisp natural acidity, making this a wonderful food pairing wine. Try it with a goat cheese appetizer, spicy seafood or your traditional Thanksgiving turkey and dressing.”
Harvest: A slow, cool spring in 2008 slightly delayed bud break into early May. However, warm May weather set the stage for uniform bloom and fruit set. Summer heat units were normal and July ended without typical heat spikes. Windier conditions increased vine stress resulting in added efforts to manage canopy growth for balance. August veraison was smoothrequiring very little green thinning. With near perfect fall conditions – sunny, warm, no rain – harvest commenced slightly later than normal for most varietals. Considered a cool year in general, we saw higher acidity levels with yields a little below average.
Technical: Bottled 4,154 cases June 8-9th, 2009; 3.44 pH, acid 0.60 g/100ml, 14.2% alcohol by volume, <0.2% residual sugar
Harvest began with the Sauvignon Blanc the second week of September at Klipsun, a warmer Red Mountain vineyard, followed the third week with the Klipsun and Fries Vineyard Semillon. Rosebud, one of our principal Semillon vineyards on the Wahluke Slope and all of our Walla Walla vineyards, including Seven Hills, were all harvested during the last week of September. Average ripeness was 24.8 Brix, 0.65g/100ml acidity, and 3.30 pH.
Description: Remarkably brilliant with rich fruit and balanced acidity, this wine shows fragrant citrus blossom, lemon and floral aromas, with melon, pear, lychee nut and key-lime flavors on a honeysuckle mineral-rich finish.
Vinification: The fruit was lightly whole-cluster pressed to tank and allowed to settle. The juice was then racked off the solids into mostly second and third year French oak, then barrel fermented. 50% of the wine was aged sur lie for several months.
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Jul/100
Where Great Grapes Are Born…
This is a wonderful article by Dave McIntyre about the Bien Nacido Vinyards and the Santa Maria Valley.
Nicholas Miller seemed reluctant to extol the virtues of Bien Nacido Vineyards as he drove me around the property his family has farmed for four decades in California’s northern Santa Barbara County. I was there to write about an iconic American vineyard that is famed for producing some of the country’s best wines, but all he wanted to talk about was the weather.
By Dave McIntyre, Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
“The Santa Maria Valley has the longest growing season of any wine region in California, with bud break sometimes as early as February,” Miller said. Although it’s in Southern California, the valley, like much of Santa Barbara County, is considered a cool-climate region for grapes. He pointed to the west, where the Santa Maria River flows into the Pacific 17 miles away through flat land that offers no barrier to ocean fog and cooling breezes. “Most of California’s valleys are shielded from the ocean by north-south mountain ranges, but the San Rafael Mountains run northwest to southeast, channeling the cool air past Bien Nacido and throughout the Santa Maria Valley,” he said.
The cool mornings and evenings benefit the grapes. A coastal inversion that hits the area each June and July suppresses temperatures and slams the brakes on photosynthesis. Even when the heat returns in August, it rarely spikes above 90 degrees for more than a few hours.
Bien Nacido is ideally situated to take advantage of this climate. The estate lies where the Sisquoc and Cuyama rivers join to become the Santa Maria, at the northern end of the San Rafael chain, where the mountains dissolve into a series of dramatic folds, as though a giant long ago clawed the earth. Most of the nearly 600 acres of vineyards are on south- or southwest-facing slopes in poor, loamy soils, territory seemingly destined to grow grapes.
California wine is still young compared with its centuries-old, tradition-laden European counterparts. The Golden State does not have storied vineyards such as Clos de Vougeot or Romanee-Conti in Burgundy, Clos Ste. Hune in Alsace and Clos du Mesnil in Champagne. Certain vineyards, however, have performed superbly enough – if over decades rather than centuries – to earn them special status as America’s premier vineyards.
Bien Nacido ranks among them. The key to its success and its terroir lies in the good fortune of its climate and geography, as well as shrewd management by its owners and the talents of dozens of winemakers who have crafted wines from its fruit.
The vineyard’s history extends into California’s colonial past. The area was part of a Spanish land grant of 9,000 acres in 1837, when it was called Rancho Tepusquet. In the late 1850s, Don Juan Pacifico Ontiveros built an adobe home for his family and planted several crops, including wine grapes. A descendent, James Ontiveros, now works for the Millers, helping to manage the estate. The adobe, recently restored, remains a centerpiece of the property.
Nicholas Miller’s father, Stephen, and his uncle Robert, fourth-generation farmers, bought the property in 1969 and began planting grapevines four years later. They called the estate Bien Nacido, or “Well Born,” a nickname given to it by the Mexican vineyard workers who joked that the land was as coddled as a privileged child. The first lots they planted were named less imaginatively as A through Z. (When they ran out of letters, they started over with Block 1.)
In the early years, most of the grapes were sold to large wineries such as Korbel, but in the late 1980s, the Millers began looking for artisanal, small-production winemakers to take advantage of the vineyard’s full potential. They recruited Jim Clendenen and Adam Tolmach of Au Bon Climat and Bob Lindquist of Qupe to make wines from their fruit and label them with the vineyard name. The wines excelled, and Bien Nacido’s reputation skyrocketed.
Today, Clendenen, Lindquist and Tolmach – who launched his own winery, Ojai Vineyard, in 1991 – are still the winemakers most associated with the property. Au Bon Climat and Qupe share a winery at Bien Nacido. (Another winery that uses their grapes, Tantara, is nearby.)
Over the years, the quality of Bien Nacido grapes has attracted other big names in California wine, such as Whitcraft, Lane Tanner, Gary Farrell, Longoria and Sine Qua Non. Even “northern” wineries such as Villa Mt. Eden in Napa County and Landmark in Sonoma produce wines from Bien Nacido fruit. The vineyard is so prized among winemakers and wine lovers that some wines are even labeled according to the particular block where they originated. Block Z is famous for syrah, while blocks I, Q and N are noted for pinot noir. The Millers contract by plot or block rather than by grape tonnage, and they farm each parcel according to the client’s specifications, including organic and biodynamic methods on some blocks.
What makes Bien Nacido fruit so sought after? Miller says the long growing season helps promote balance and structure in the wines. “Slow ripening helps maintain acidity while avoiding late sugar spikes,” he said.
Clendenen credits the site’s varied topography for extending the harvest. “This place is unique because we have very specific growing conditions that allow us to harvest grapes over three months’ time,” he said. Pinot noir ripens in early September, while syrah typically is ready to pick in October. In some years, the harvest can extend into November, which is possible because Santa Barbara County does not get the autumn rains that hit wine regions farther north in California and Oregon.
Bien Nacido’s location at the northern end of the Santa Maria Valley is important, said Jeff Wilkes, who worked there in the 1980s and now makes wine under his J. Wilkes label. “Just a little farther inland down the valley, the temperature gets a little warmer, and you don’t get the same balance in the wines,” he said. And “closer to the ocean, the grapes won’t ripen.”
Do those factors translate into the wines? “There’s no question that Bien Nacido pinot noir has a certain personality,” Tolmach said. “There’s a certain herbal tinge to the fruit, and I mean that in a positive way.”
Lindquist agreed. “There is definitely a Bien Nacido terroir,” he said. “There’s a level of spice in the pinot noir and syrah grown here. It’s hard to put my finger on it, but it’s a hard spice, like cardamom or cinnamon – an Asian spice.”
The Miller team now consists of Steve, Nicholas and Steve’s second son, Marshall, along with vineyard manager Chris Hammel, who joined the company in 2001. (Robert Miller died in 2006.) For nearly 40 years the family has farmed Bien Nacido and let others express the vineyard’s voice through their winemaking. This year, however, the Millers will release their first wines under their own Bien Nacido Vineyards label: a 2007 pinot noir that manages to be silky and voluptuous yet tightly structured, and a 2007 syrah that offers sweet cherry, olive and prosciutto flavors with that Bien Nacido spice on the finish. There will also be a 2008 chardonnay from Solomon Hills Vineyard, another Miller-owned property a few miles to the southwest, that combines lush California fruit with refreshing acidity.
Was it difficult to make wine after so many years concentrating on growing the grapes? I asked Nicholas Miller.
He smiled and said, “Well, we had some good consultants to help.”
Hope you enjoyed this great article!
Cheers!
- Brandon
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Jul/100
Stone Paddock Sauvignon Blanc, Hawkes Bay – Wine Review
This Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc shows great aromatics, fine acidity and length. Passionfruit, pear and citrus flavours mingle with subtle mineral aromas. Excellent drinking young, whilst some aging will enhance the weight and structure of the wine.
Foodmatch
An elegant and refreshing wine that works well as an aperitif or as a versatile accompaniment to dishes featuring seafood or oysters. Try pairing it with full flavoured salads, vegetarian dishes, poultry and Asian dishes. We enjoyed this wonderful wine with wild Sockeye Salmon, Asparagus and a Caprese salad.
Viticulture Fruit
for Stone Paddock Sauvignon Blanc is grown at their Paritua Vineyard estate, which is comprised of red and grey metal soils, allowing good drainage and ripening. French clones, two of which originated from Sancerre, and one from Bordeaux, add complexity and depth of flavours. Lower cropping rates produce fruit with good balance between varietal herbaceous notes and ripe, tropical fruit flavours.
Winemaking Notes
Machine-harvested grapes were de-stemmed and crushed to press. 90% of the juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks. The remaining 10% of the juice was barrel fermented in two-year-old French oak barriques on the lees for two months to enhance weight and complexity.
Technical Notes
Alcohol: 13.5% by vol.
pH: 3.23
TA: 5.4
I am sure that you will enjoy this wine as much as I did! Cheers…Brandon
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com