2009 Stephen & Walker Russian River Valley Zinfandel

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Mission Codename: The Harmonious

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Operatives have been clamoring for a big, juicy and delicious Russian River Valley Zinfandel, worthy of their exacting tastes. Send Agent Red to our friends at Stephen & Walker to secure an ample cache of their finest Zinfandel

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Stephen & Walker

Wine Subject: 2005 Russian River Valley Zinfandel

Winemaker: Nancy Walker

Winery Backgrounder: Zinfandel is related to the ItalianPrimitivo grape, tracing its origin to the Croatian grapeCrljenak Kastelanski. Zinfandel is one of the most versatile varietals with the ability to make wines, both rich to fruity, dark to light, and dry to sweet. TheRussian River Valley is ideally suited for red grape varietals. Its early morning fog and coastal breezes result in a cooler climate than the neighboring wine growing regions. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report below.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Perfect garnet with a glinting ruby-red edge. Clear and slightly darker at the core, this wine is very pretty. After spinning the wine, tall, chubby, wine-stained legs fall from high up on the glass wall.

Smell – Heady and lush, with smoky, spiced dark cherry chocolate candy that leaps from the glass. As you inhale more deeply, the wine reveals blackberry, black cherry, bramble bush, dried black rose petal, dark strawberry and soft spice.

Feel – Soft, cool and light across the front-palate. Then, very gradually, the wine becomes softly grippy, gaining a light to medium bodied feel at mid-palate. Supple tannins and a soft acidity give the wine a very approachable yet gently complex overall feel.

Taste – Darkly juicy and very delicious, lead by brambly blackberry and dark cherry. Close behind these, dried meats, black plum, subtle cigar box and toasty spice appear.

Finish – Long and very flavorful, lead by that wondrously complex chocolate cherry candy from the nose. This flavor gradually yields to dark berry fruit, cigar box, dried flower petals and soft spice.

Conclusion – We love you, Nancy Walker! This is the best S & W Zinfandel we have ever tasted – and the best one, in a long while, that we’ve tried from any winery. From our first inhalation of this heady wine, we knew what it had in store for the rest of our senses. This wine delivered a sensory experience that had our entire tasting panel gushing with praise and excitement. When asked to characterize the wine in one word, most of us said, “Balance!”. Everything about this wine is held together in harmony. Aromas and flavors run the gamut, from sweet to savory. Bright acids and supple tannins frame the delicious favors. The finish is a delightful progression, with flavors that tail off, one after another, leaving the mouth with a soft dryness and a coating of flavor. If you love fantastic Zinfandel, do not miss out on this fantastic 2009 Stephen & Walker Russian River Valley Zinfandel.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of Stephen & Walker Tasting Room, in downtown Healdsburg, can be seen in this satellite photo.

2009 Hook & Ladder Vineyards and Winery Russian River Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

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Mission Codename: Friends Among Wine

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Revisit Hook & Ladder Vineyards and Winery to secure an exclusive allocation of their 2009 Russian River Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Hook & Ladder Vineyards and Winery

Wine Subject: 2009 Russian River Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Jason De Loach

Winery Backgrounder: Two generations and 30 years after entering the wine trade, the De Loach family are still making extraordinary wines. Cecil, a retired San Francisco firefighter, and his wife, Christine, purchased their first 24 acres of grapes in the Russian River Valley. When the tired of seeing others making award-winning wines from their grapes, they launched their own wine label, under the De Loach family name. The De Loach Winery became synonymous with the Russian River Valley. After selling the De Loach label, the family launched the Hook & Ladder winery, whose purpose it is to ”craft exceptional wines, from the highest quality grapes, that people love to drink.”

Regional Backgrounder: The Russian River Valley, in Sonoma County, produces a range of wines of of remarkable distinction. The cooler maritime conditions of the region make the RRV ideal for growing a variety of grapes. This AVA was officially designated in 1983, but many of the wines in the region used the designation as early as the 1970s (early in California’s wine history) with the many of the vines having been first planted in the early 1900s.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – A deep and dark garnet robe that remains deep to the very edges with a dense but clear heart. When swirled, this wine settles quickly leaves slow fat legs many of which hang on the side of the glass for several moments before descending as thin streaks to the wine below.

Smell – Rich and redolent with abundant ripe dark fruit including dark cherry and blackberry framed by toasted oak and a touch of vanilla toast. Notes of both hot and baking spice, soft earthy undertones and savory hints invites a sip.

Feel – Plush, rich and generous this dry and full-bodied wine is smooth until mid palate when its finely textured but sturdy tannins, vibrant acidity and softly textured minerality adds structure. As this wine opens it smooths but retains its structure long into the finish.

Taste – Ripe and sweet dark black and red cherry, blackberry, currants and other dark fruit and blend with toasted and vanilla toasted oak flavors. Soft earthy undertones along with bittersweet cocoa, sweet baking and hot spice linger with a subtle savory component that lays just underneath the fruit flavors.

Finish – This wine’s ripe and generous fruit lingers long into the finish, and while the fruit gentle fades, the well structured tannins and soft earthy minerality lingers and dries the palate.

Conclusion – Once again, The Wine Spies are impressed with this selection from winemaker Jason DeLoach. The2009 Hook & Ladder Vineyards and Winery Russian River Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. A delicious, and value oriented Cabernet Sauvignon with an inviting nose, a smooth but well structured palate and plenty of great dark fruit and complexity on the palate. Enjoy this wine with a grilled hanger steak and potatoes au-gratin. Enjoy now or cellar for the next five years.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Jason DeLoach

WINE EDUCATION: This year will be my 15th harvest, I just turned 31. Most of my education is all hands on experience, I also did an internship in Chile, took viticulture at the Santa Rosa Jr. college and I did a winemaker course with the UC Davis Extension program. I also worked at a custom crush winery for almost 4 years as a cellar master.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Head winemaker at Hook and Ladder winery

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Make the best wine you can with the tools that are given.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Too much oak in a wine is a crime”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: At Hook and Ladder – Spring 2010


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Jason. We are thrilled to be showing your 2009 Russian River Valley Cabernet Sauvignon today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

JASON DELOACH: I’m glad to be back on another covert mission with The Wine Spies!

WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

JASON: I was lucky enough to grow up in the wine industry. When I was 14 I started working for my Grandfather Cecil DeLoach every summer for half my summer vacation – but I couldn’t start working in the cellar till I was 18. So as soon as I turned 18 I started working in the cellar full time. I really liked the controlled chaos of harvest. I really like to work hard, I like team work and I love science. My dad got me hooked on science early on. So really at the time I just figured I would work towards someday being a cellar master..

WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

JASON: I worked with a lot of wine makers. The 3 years before I started working for Hook and Ladder I was a cellar master at a custom crush winery. Dan Goldfield of Dutton Goldfield, Jeff Mangahas of Hartford Court and Dan Cederquist which was the wine maker for DeLoach vineyards for a long time. He also was a consultant at the custom crush winery where I worked. The thing that was great about working at a custom crush winery is that you work with Winemakers that have really different styles/approaches to what they do and want. There are Winemakers that are super proactive and others that kind of just let the wine do its own thing. I spent the first 6 years of my time just working in the cellar, so I have a pretty good feel for what can be done at a realistic level. I guess I lean towards being realistic but also I’m proactive and expect a lot of what we can accomplish at Hook and Ladder. I know this doesn’t make any sense, but I consider myself a realistic perfectionist.

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

JASON: I make wine for Hook and Ladder Winery ha ha ha. No, really, my goal at Hook and Ladder is to make the very best wine I can with the tools that are given. I want to show case the best wine I can make, so I guess I answer to myself first – then Cecil.

WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

JASON: The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from our Los Amigos Ranch south of Healdsburg on the border line of the Russian River Valley and Chalk Hill. The wine was aged for approx. 17months in a combination of French, Hungarian and American oak 15% to 20% which is new; also incorporated into that is 2nd 3rd and 4th year old oak so we get a nice oak profile that is not heavy, but just enough to compliment the fruit. To round out the mouth and add some volume to the wine we add just a touch of Merlot which comes from the same ranch. This is a nice well rounded wine with flavors of vanilla, full cherry mouth, raspberry, black currant, cocoa, cinnamon spice, with hints of earth and leather and a long cherry and spice finish.

WHITE: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

JASON: This is a wine that would go great with a classic steak & frites .

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Russian River Valley so special?

JASON: Being on the edge of the Russian River Valley is great for varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot because it still gets the coastal fog in the morning which burns off faster then it does in other parts of the RRV. So we still get the extended growing season along with the perfect amount of heat, Los Amigos Ranch tends to be 10-15 degrees warmer during the hot summer days, which produces fruit that has awesome rich flavors perfect for wine making.

WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

JASON: Blending , bottling , and wine maintenance is pretty much what will keep us busy all the way to the end of July.

WHITE: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

JASON: Well for our wines, really like people to take their time and let the wine open up, really take in the nose and when you taste the wine try to let your pallet guide you through the wine. At Hook and Ladder we make premium had crafted wines and we really put our full focus on everything we do. When we build a blends, by design the wine should take your pallet on a little journey, from the front of the pallet, to the mid pallet and on to the finish and take note of all the things that you can pick up along the way. We spent a great deal of time building wines that have a pallet that isn’t one sided or strong in one way and weak in another. We want the pallet and noise to be complete and full of character.

WHITE: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

JASON: I just really hope everyone enjoys our wines. I encourage you to take the time to learn about Hook and Ladder winery and its history. We really do have a great story and I just want to continue to make the best wines I can. Our wines really just keep getting better every year.

WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

JASON: Thanks I really appreciate it, here at Hook and Ladder our mission is to make the best wines we possibly can with the tools provided and for a great value, of course I can’t forget to mention that we have approximately 375acres awesome Estate grown fruit farmed by Cecil DeLoach for over 30years. We have a great hard working wine making team, we try to keep things as “real” as possible and I couldn’t do it without them…..hope you enjoy the wine.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The Hook & Ladder Vineyards and Winery, in the Russian River Valley region, can be seen in this satellite photo.

2010 Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Fumé Blanc

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Mission Codename: Crown Me Champion

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Return to Grgich Hills Estate and acquire the latest vintage of the esteemed Napa Valley Fumé Blanc

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Grgich Hills Estate

Wine Subject: 2010 Napa Valley Fumé Blanc

Winemaker: Miljenko “Mike” Grgich

Backgrounder: In 1976, Mike Grgich rocked the wine world by creating a California that beat out French Chardonnays in the now famous Judgment of Paris. The French were outraged, and Mike Grgich earned the respect of wine drinkers and critics, worldwide. Today, Mike continues to oversee production of what have been heralded as “the finest wines in the world”. We are very proud to be able to bring you today’s fantastic Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Fumé Blanc.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Brilliantly clear straw-yellow with light pale golden and yellow streaks when held to the light. The color lightens only slightly along the edges. When swirled, random clusters of fat legs thin out as they descend, ringing the glass.

Smell – A blend of bright citrus, fresh apricot and green apple leads you in on the nose. These are followed by complex aromas of citrus, blossom honey and flowers, soft spice and subtle hints of green, grassy herbs.

Feel – This dry white is full-bodied with an exceptional and vibrant acidity that balances its weighty feel and sturdy texture that glides over the palate.

Taste – Fresh keylime and citrus fruit, tart green apple, apricot and tropical melon flavors all take center stage. These flavors blend with soft green herbs and grassy notes, with a touch of hot peppery spice that balances against the weighty texture and bright fruit.

Finish – Long clean and fresh, this racy wine leaves just enough of a hint of its bright fruit and other complex flavors to invite another sip.

Conclusion – The 2010 Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Fumé Blanc is an exceptional Sauvignon Blanc, perhaps one of the best we’ve had the pleasure of tasting all year. Great complexity on the nose and palate with a full and sturdy structure for a lighter white. Enjoy this wine with anything spicy, from Thai food to buffalo wings, or as the perfect way to welcome in the spring. This delicious white is drinking beautifully, right now.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Mike Grgich

WINE EDUCATION: I studied winemaking and viticulture at the University of Zagreb in the former Yugoslavia (now Croatia) and then I had to leave to escape communism. In 1995, 41 years after I left Croatia, I returned to the University of Zagreb, at 77 years old, and received my degree.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: I left Yugoslavia to make wine in California and eventually arrived in Napa Valley in August 1958, with no money, just in time for crush to begin. I worked for some of the legends of Napa Valley: Lee Stewart, of the original Souverain Cellars; Brother Timothy at Christian Brothers; for almost nine years for André Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu Vineyards; with for Robert Mondavi and then Chateau Montelena, where the chardonnay I crafted won the famed 1976 Paris Tasting On Independence Day 1977, Austin Hills and I broke ground in Rutherford to build Grgich Hills Cellar.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Our goal remains the same as when I started the winery more than 30 years ago—to craft a wine that is harmonized. To me, that means not too much oak, not too much alcohol, not too much of any one attribute. In other words, we craft a whole wine that is a pleasure to drink.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: The less you process the wine, the more people will like it. Sometimes we are led astray by figures and numbers and percentages, but it is always the taste that is important. Wine is like a long chain, from the vine to the glass. Every link—every step—is important. If one or two links are missed or don’t hold together, the whole chain falls apart. That means paying close attention to every link, from pruning and trellising to applying compost and disking in the vineyards to smelling and tasting every barrel to monitor the progress of the wine.”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: Our first release was the 1977, Johannisburg Riesling in November 1977.



WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Mr. Grgich. It is a pleasure to meet with you again. We are thrilled to be featuring your 2010 Napa Valley Fumé Blanc today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

MIKE GRGICH: Thank you for the opportunity to talk with you.

WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

MIKE: I was the youngest of eleven children and during harvest my parents would put me an open wine barrel with some harvested grapes. So, I was safe and could not wander off and I could eat the grapes if I were hungry or stomp the grapes and drink the juice. So, ever since I was two or three years, I’ve stomped grapes every harvest.

WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

MIKE:When I came to America, André Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu Vineyards was the best known winemaker. He was called the maestro. I wanted to learn from the best so I applied to Beaulieu. I worked there for nine years, from 1959 until 1968. I was the first quality control person in the Napa Valley.

While I was there I worked at improving the white wines, which in the early days would oxidize and become worthless. I was part of developing the use of Millipore sterile filtration, which was important to prevent bacteria from going into the bottle. Beaulieu was the first in California to induce malolactic fermentation in all of the red wines.

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

MIKE:You have to make the wine that you like.

WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

MIKE GRGICH: All of our grapes are certified and Biodynamic. Relying on naturally-occurring yeasts, we fermented 80% of the grapes in 900-gallon French oak casks, called foudres, with the remainder in previously-used small French oak barrels. We then aged the wine six months on its lees (the spent yeast) in neutral barrels.

WHITE: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

MIKE: The cool growing season produced crisp, yet rich, flavors of lychee, jalapeno and white pepper that are perfect with a wide range of foods, including green salad topped by Chèvre cheese, grilled seafood and spicy Mexican or Asian cuisine.

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes your vineyards so special?

MIKE: We grow our Sauvignon Blanc in our American Canyon and Carneros vineyards in the southern tip of Napa Valley, not far from San Pablo Bay, which spills into the San Francisco Bay. The cool maritime breezes and fog allow the grapes to slowly ripen to develop complex flavors while maintaining a pleasing natural acidity that is impossible to achieve in warmer areas.

WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

MIKE: We have pruned our Chardonnay and now we’re just waiting for the rain to stop so we can get back in the vineyard. In the cellar, we’ve made our first evaluation of the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon and we’re pleased with the results. This week we’re making the final blend of the 2011 Fume Blanc so it will be ready to bottle.

It’s exciting to be enjoying my 52 vintage in the Napa Valley.

WHITE: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

MIKE: My father taught me, “Every day do something a little better,” and that’s not only good advice for winemaking but for living.

WHITE: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

MIKE: We hope you enjoy the wine and we invite you to visit us at the winery in Rutherford.

WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

MIKE: Thank you for your interest. We enjoy working with The Wine Spies

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Grgich Hills Estate can be seen in thissatellite photo.

2007 Epiphany Cellars Stagecoach Vineyard Syrah

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Mission Codename: Geronimo!

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Revisit our good friends at Epiphany Cellars to retrieve their delicious, award-winning, Stagecoach Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Epiphany Cellars

Wine Subject: 2007 Stagecoach Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah

Winemaker: Blair Fox

Backgrounder:

France’s Rhone Valley stretches from Vienne in the north down to the Arles in the south may be best known for its intricate blends of red varietals as demonstrated by its legendary Chateauneuf-du-Pape. And, the white varietals of this region are not to be underestimated. It is in the spirit of these unique Terrior driven varietals that inspires today’s selection. Syrah, a native to the Rhone Valley also finds an excellent home in California’s wine growing regions, and in tasting today’s exceptional wine, we are sure you’ll agree.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Very dark and deep purple, with a darker core that is nearly black and just barely clear in this black heart. The color remains dense to the very edges and when swirled, widely spaced thin legs hang, color stained, on the side of the glass before slowly descending to the wine below.

Smell – Bold and expressive with earthy, savory and spicy aromas that frame its dark, ripe and rich blackberry, boysenberry, dark plum and cassis. These bold aromas are followed by a more delicate floral notes, zesty smokey and toasted oak, and coffee.

Feel – Rich, deep and full-bodied, this dry wine generously expands over the palate with its well developed and finely but sturdy and firm grained tannins, softer acid and textured dark minerality reaches the far corners of the palate as a touch of spice hits on the tip of the tongue creating a full and chewy mouthfeel.

Taste – Plush and rich with the dark black fruit, earthy and savory notes blending with a touch of peppery spice that lingers with the other complex flavors that are found on the nose. Plump and spicy, smokey toasted oak framing the fruit and hints of vanilla and coffee.

Finish – Dark, ripe black fruit and this wine’s other complex flavors grasp a hold of the palate and linger long into the finish as the sturdy structure lasts and lasts drying the tongue and inviting another mouthwatering sip.

Conclusion – The 2007 Epiphany Cellars Stagecoach Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah is a delicious, full-bodied and chewy Syrah that both packs an aroma and flavorful punch but has great depth of complexity when explored fully. This is a wine that you eat by it self or enjoy with bold and rich game meats. We paired this lovely wine with grilled lamb chops from a local farm seasoned Herbes de Provence. Enjoy this wine now or cellar for the next five to ten years.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Blair Fox

DATE OF BIRTH: October 1974

PLACE OF BIRTH: Santa Barbara, CA

WINE EDUCATION: B.S. Viticulture and Enology, UCDavis

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Enologist for Fess Parker Winery ‘99, Winemaker Sunstone Winery 99-02, Consultant winemaker Fess Parker Winery 02, Vintage Winemaker- Haselgrove Winery- McLaren Vale South Australia 03, Associate Winemaker in charge of the Rhone Varietal programs at Fess Parker 03-05, Head Winemaker for Fess Parker Winery 05-present

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: I spend a lot of time in the vineyard because I feel that wines are truly made in the vineyard. I try to show the different qualities of the different vineyards and create wines with distinct varietal character.

SIGNATURE VARIETAL: I have always been particularly fond of Syrah.

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Traveling throughout the Rhone Valley in France and tasting some of the best examples of Syrah and other Rhone varietals the world has to offer.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: I feel privileged to work with some of the best vineyards and fruit in Santa Barbara County.


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Blair. It’s great to be with you, again. Our operative’s love your wines. We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 Stagecoach Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

BLAIR: Thank you for showing my wine today!

WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

BLAIR: My parents were always traveling the globe and bringing home wines to be drunk around the dinner table. I was planning on going to medical school to become a doctor but was lured into the Viticulture and Enology program at UC Davis.

WHITE: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?

BLAIR: I really enjoyed the viticulture side of the program, but then fell in love with the enology courses and being able to see the conversion of grapes to a final wine.

WHITE: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

BLAIR: I feel the best wines are made in the vineyard. You have to be diligent with your vineyard practices to grow grapes worthy of making great wine. It is all about fruit quality, canopy management and managing your yields to produce the most exciting wines possible.

WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

BLAIR: I am impressed by all great wines made around the world. I have gained experience making wines in two different hemispheres and like a sponge have absorbed as much knowledge from every winemaker I have ever worked with.

WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

BLAIR: As an exploratory mission, we decided to search out some of the best vineyards in different growing regions that would be a counterpoint stylistically to the great Syrahs of Santa Barbara. Fortunately, we found a renowned vineyard to work with in Stagecoach, and the results are everything we hoped for after bringing the grapes down to our Los Olivos facility on temperature-controlled trucks.

WHITE: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

BLAIR: This is an earthy, meaty, dense wine that needs something equally meaty to stand up to it. My call would be a leg of lamb roast with rosemary, garlic, and sea salt.

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Stagecoach Vineyard so special?

BLAIR: The Stagecoach Vineyard is perched about 1,800 feet above the Napa Valley floor and benefits from the well-drained oxidized soils, southernly exposure and slightly cooler night-time temperatures associated with mountain vineyards. I personally love Syrah vineyards planted in that red dirt… it reminds me of my time in Mc Laren Vale.

WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

BLAIR: We are in the middle of racking and blending a lot of our wines right now. I taste every barrel for quality and defects to make sure only the best wines are produced.

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

BLAIR: I make wines to be enjoyed by all. At Epiphany Cellars we specialize in the production of Rhone Varietal wines and blends. I want these wines to be balanced with intense fruit character, rich mouthfeel and beautiful aromatics.

WHITE: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?

BLAIR: I am very casual about my approach to wine. I feel wines are best drunk with food, but are also great as an aperitif or after dinner. I feel you should drink what you enjoy regardless of price or region. It is fun to be adventurous with wine and see what else is out there.

WHITE: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?

BLAIR: I love Syrah and would choose something like an old Grange from Penfolds or Cote Rotie from the Northern Rhone.

WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

BLAIR:Thanks!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Epiphany Cellars in Solvang can be seen in this satellite photo.

2010 Chateau Clarettes Grand Cuvee Cotes de Provence

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Mission Codename: Leap Into Spring

Operative: Agent Blush

Objective: Visit the south of France and return with a classic Côtes de Provence Rose just in time to celebrate spring!

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Château Clarettes

Wine Subject: 2010 Grand Cuvee Côtes de Provence

Winemaker: Philippe Crocé-Spinelli

Backgrounder: The wines of the Côtes de Provence are synonymous with springtime where the Mediterranean sun kisses the vines of the south of France and are enjoyed with classic fresh coastal foods. The wines of this region must be at least 70% of Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and/or Tibouren with no two varietals accounting for more than 90% of the blend. Today’s selection is predominantly Cinsault.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Brilliantly clear with pale pink with subtle salmon tints that become pale clear along the edges. when swirled, tightly spaced chubby legs cling to the upper rim and slowly descend to the wine below.

Smell – Bright and fresh aromas of both citrus and white tree fruit including tart white peach and grapefruit and even hints of red fruit also. A lovely floral component blends with limestone minerality and subtle wild and herbes de Provence that invites as sip.

Feel – Fresh and crisp, this medium-bodied dry rose has racy acidity and a touch of spice that blends with a mouth drying minerality that lingers into the finish.

Taste – Deliciously bright flavors of lively citrus, white tree and tart red fruit and even hits of tart tropical fruit blend with a touch of spice, wild herbs and textured limestone minerality.

Finish – Long, clean and crisp with lingering textured minerality that dries the palate as the lively and tart fruit and herbal notes linger on the palate.

Conclusion – The 2010 Château Clarettes Grand Cuvee Côtes de Provence is a classic rose that inspires thoughts of a lingering afternoon at a seaside cafe. Bright and racy with classic fruit wrapped in a dry and elegant structure. Pair this snappy with seafood grilled with generous amounts of olive oil and local herbs. Drink this wine young so enjoy now and through the spring and summer.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Château Clarettes can be seen in this satellite photo.

2004 Westwood Winery Los Carneros Pinot Noir

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Mission Codename
: A Clear Sense of Place

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: At the behest of our Operatives around the world, return to Westwood Winery to secure the final allotment of their budget-minded 2006 North Coast Pinot Noir, a wine that delivers real value.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Westwood Winery

Wine Subject: 2004 Pinot Noir – Los Carneros

Winemaker: John Kelly

Backgrounder: We first featured fantastic wines from our friends at Westwood Wines a few years ago. Since then, our operatives have been asking us to feature another. Through careful negotiation, Agent Red was able to procure a limited quantity of their outstanding North Coast Pinot Noir, a budget-minded Pinot that canhang with its more pricey brethren.

Varietal Backgrounder: Some of our favorite California Pinot Noir comes from the Carneros viticultural area, a winegrowing region which straddles the Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley. The cool Carneros region provides ideal growing conditions for Pinot Noir. Pinot thriveshere. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report to learn more about this fantastic Pinot Noir.

 

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark garnet hued with perfect clarity. At the edge of the glass, the finest ring of pink cuts a beautiful circle around the wine. Swirl the wine, and watch a witness skinny, wine-hued tears emerge quickly, before running slowly down the glass.

Smell – Equal parts Burgundy and California leap from the glass to greet your nose. On the Cali side, bold red cherry, strawberry, raspberry and subtle minerals give clues to the flavors to come. The more Burgundian aromas are all soil, black cherry and a hint of farmyard.

Feel – Soft and round, on entry. Then, the wine becomes very quickly grippy on the mid-palate as it coats the tongue and gains some weight. Plush tannins and a soft acidity frame the fruit beautifully.

Taste – Dark and earthen, at first, and as the wine opens up it reveals black cherry, dark plum, strawberry, and soft spice. Just beneath these, secondary flavors of cola, dried violets and a hint of black pepper emerge.

Finish – Long and very flavorful with dark fruit that lingers. As the fruit fades, minerals, spice, black tea, violets and black pepper make a lengthy appearance.

Conclusion – Today’s 2004 Westwood Winery Los Carneros Pinot Noir was quite a score for us. John Kelly’s wines are known to not just hold up, with age, but to really improve. In fact, I had the recent good fortune to taste a Westwood Pinot from the 2000 vintage. It was amazing. So, too, is today’s wine. Brilliantly balanced, this wine seems to convey equal parts California, with great red fruit, and Burgundy, delivering more earthy and austere characteristics. The wine is, simply, delicious. It invites extended, swirling – and conversation, as you sniff and sip your way through the many nuances of the wine. Be sure to give this wine your careful consideration. Better yet, just get some. Right now!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Westwood WineryTop Secret Tasting Salon can be seen in this satellite photo.

2008 Irish Monkey Cellars Lodi Cabernet Franc

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Mission Codename: The Luck of the Primate

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Investigate reports that Irish Monkey Cellars has crafted an outstanding and delicious Cabernet Franc, a growing favorite varietal among our Operatives. Secure an ample allocation.

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Irish Monkey Cellars

Wine Subject: 2008 Cabernet Franc

Winemaker: Bob Lynch

Varietal Backgrounder: Cabernet Franc is one of Agent Red’s favorite red varietals. Perhaps this is because its flavors are often rich, layered, complex and elegant. Or, perhaps he loves Cabernet Franc so much because it pairs so exceptionally with many different foods. One of the most notable things about Cabernet Franc is the fact that finding excellent examples can be very difficult. This explains why we have not shown a Cab Franc here in some time.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark burgundy at its core. This darkly concentrated color falls off to brilliant magenta at the edges of the glass. Swirl the wine, and skinny, wine-stained tears fall from high on the glass wall.

Smell – Full on the nose and loaded with blackberry jam, dark blueberry, smoky plum and braised fig. These aromas gradually give way to berry brush, cocoa shavings, spice and toasted oak.

Feel – Plush and grippy with great structure and a rich medium body. After the wine coats the palate with flavors, it leaves behind a slowly spreading dryness that moves from the center of the palate, out to the lips and cheeks.

Taste – Dark and rich and packed with flavor, this wine leads with juicy dark blackberry and plum. As the wine opens, it introduces additional flavors of braised Mission fig, crushed violets, spice, minerals and a hint of anise.

Finish – Long and super dark, with bold dark fruit that slowly yields to earth, flowers and spice.

Conclusion – This 2008 Irish Monkey Cellars Cabernet Franc is a truly fantastic example of the varietal. We’ve long been enamored with Zinfandels from Amador County, and this is the first time we’ve showcased a Franc from the region. Rich, bold, and packed with flavor, this aromatic wine is so delicious on the palate. With absolutely none of the green character than can sometimes be found in the varietal, this wine is all fruit, earth and spice. We are very pleased with our find, today, and we really look forward to bringing you more offerings from this new favorite. If you love great Cabernet Franc, this is one wine that we encourage you to bring home!

Mission Report:

AGENT RED: Greetings, Bob. We are thrilled to be showing your Cabernet Franc today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

BOB LYNCH: Great to talk with you, “Red”. You know how the racks and racks of quietly ageing wine are pretty much incommunicative. We winemakers get lonesome for real conversation with higher life-forms than fruit flies.

RED: Thanks for the compliment, though I’m not sure I qualify! Tell me, was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

BOB: Yep, beer. There are a lot of sayings about that here – there’s always a small keg on tap for the winemakers because “it takes a lot of good beer to make good wine”. No, actually, there were two experiences – my perpetually empty wallet ‘cuz of loving Bordeaux every night, and my underage determination to learn all I could about wine before I was 21.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

BOB: There are 300,000 wines in the world, and you want me to pick one? Are you mad? Well, there is Chateau Petrus, of course, a life-changing wine. And there’s Dominus. And Yquem. And life changes palpably when we drink great old Cabernets from before the time when they all had to edge toward 19% alcohol. And there’s Portugal: the “other” reason I went into winemaking. Wisely, they simply don’t ship their awesome wine outside the country. I’ve learned to make it!

RED: Who do you make wine for?

BOB: Beef, Lamb and exotic chicken, that is why I make wine. Cheeses, artisanal breads, handmade salume, Spanish pinchon de Bilbao. I make wine for my winery’s wineclub, to amuse my friends, to wow critics, to win awards. I make it because its endlessly fascinating, goddamned challenging, exasperating and quixotic. It may well be the longest-lived foodstuff of Humanity, and through winemaking I connect to the ancients. PRE-Egyptians, baby. Sumaria! The Cro-Magnons undoubtedly made their sadly ill-recorded versions of Mastadon Bourguignon with whatever was Vintner Thunk’s finest. I grok that, you know?

RED: I also grok, accordingly. Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

BOB: Well … its red of course. But you were probably hoping I’d get a bit more serious. OK, OK. 
The lovely Cabernet Franc from 2008 was grown on the side of a hill deep in the Amador foothills, at a secret location that I’ve promised to keep quiet about. It was harvested a bit high-in-Brix (26), but that’s pretty normal for this vineyard. We brought it in only a couple hours after a 6 AM harvest, so it remained ice-cold on the trip. Crushed by hand, fermented in the very same pick-bins it arrived in, punched down by Igor The Monkey (me) twice a day. At the 10th day of fermentation, I tasted that the flavors were becoming quite banana like, so I stopped punching down for another few days to see how it would restructure. Yep, Banana gone. Monkey happy. The rest was straight winemaking: basket pressed it with firmness and constant tasting. Stainless for a couple days to settle out the heavier lees. A few more rackings while barrel-space was being freed up. Transfer to American primary barrels. Finished a year later by racking to French. You know, pretty much didn’t mess with what was becoming a good, good thing. Tasted it a month ago (yep, 3 years in barique!) and decided, “well garsh durn it, I think its ready”. And so the monkeys agreed. So we bottled it.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

BOB: Oh, I don’t know. I’m usually pretty opinionated about this, but ‘tis hard with the Cab Franc. I’ve been blown away by pairings with Manchego cheeses, and small smoked trout bits. I’ve had it with a great kick-in-the-pants leg of lamb and plum-cab-franc reduction, and gone cross-eyed with happiness. Or maybe too much wine, but that’s never happened, you know? Then there was the afternoon we made 750 home-made raviolis … and went thru a whole case, and were found in the Library looking for more. I don’t know, Red. Savory! Complex! Long-cooked! Or cheesey. Take your pick.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Amador Valleys so special?

BOB: Mmmm… trick question, right? ‘Cuz everyone knows … they’ve got the warm weather, but cooler nights. And everyone knows their soil [terroir] is red-red eroded volcanic rock, rich in Iron and the Leftovers bits from the 1849 Gold Rush. And I’m sure most everyone knows its pretty breezy, and that the very dry late-summer weather all but knocks out any possibility of mold or mildew setting in. Well, I’ve heard somewhere that 80% of a great bottle of wine is a great Grape. And 80% of a lousy bottle is a lousy winemaker. So … I’d be happy settling on “Bob the Monkey didn’t screw it up”.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

BOB: Apparently, carrying on and on with interviews! No, really… making wine, dude. Making wine. Its March, and we’re racking, topping off, transferring. We’re having our debauches [ahem… blending round-tables], and we’re trying to figure out which of the barrels are rapidly ageing versus more slowing progressing in their matriculation. And keeping the tasting room open on weekends. You know … winemaking.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

BOB: Grab the bottle by the neck. Use a knife to make a ring on the wax seal at the top. Insert corkscrew. Pull cork. Find a suitable vitreous vessel (glass), and pour some. Don’t tell anyone. Enjoy half the bottle before confessing, and then share with everyone else. That is how I would “address the wine”. Oh, I might – if I happened to have 4 or 5 bottles – I might caress them, and hide them from myself behind something less noble. They WILL keep. But that’s only if I had 4 or 5 bottles.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

BOB: Sure! Remember folks – wine is a BEVERAGE first and foremost. A big convoluted, partially fictional story of the wickedly unique characteristics of where a wine grows, or how it was rubbed on the thighs of virgins might make for great conversation over a fine repast, but what counts are the precious squeezings of nature’s most versatile fruit. And, contrary to what many often mistake, we winemakers don’t add any of the “cinnamon, cassis, dark vanilla and hints of elderberries” to the wine – they do these amazing things all by themselves. Open a wine, pour gracefully, hold it to the sun to see the beauty that sparkles within. Then drink it. And be happy.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

BOB: Had a great time, “Red”. Hopefully you have the space to include most of my maunderings. I do enjoy talking it up, but I also like drinking the product. Let’s give our customers a High Five for venturing into the land of fine Cabernet Franc.

2008 Toasted Head Russian River Valley Reserve Chardonnay

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Mission Codename: Burn it Free

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Send Agent Red Toasted Head, a winery best known for producing wines that are distinctive and delicious. Their wines are made using fine oak barrels that have been hand-toasted, in order to impart additional character and finesse. In time for springtime enjoyment, procure every last bottle of their 2008 Barrel Reserve Chardonnay.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Toasted Head

Wine Subject: 2008 Barrel Reserve Chardonnay – Russian River Valley

Winemaker: Blake Kuhn

Backgrounder: The Russian River Valley, in Sonoma County, produces Chardonnay (as well as Pinot Noir and Old Vine Zinfandel) of remarkable distinction. The cooler maritime conditions of the region make the RRVideal for growing Burgundian varietals. This AVA was officially designated in 1983, but many of the wines in the region used the designation as early as the 1970s (early in California’s wine history) with the many of the vines having been first planted in the early 1900s.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Gorgeous medium golden-yellow, with perfectly even color, from core to edge. Skinny tears start high on the glass. After a few moments, they move slowly down the glass.

Smell – Zesty lemon, sweet lemon curd, citrus custard, vanilla and pineapple leap from the glass. As the wine warms and airs out, it also reveals Asian mango, sweet white spice, white flowers and toasty oak (imagine that!).

Feel – Out of the wine chiller, the wine has a somewhat lightweight feel. Allow the wine to warm, slightly, and it magically becomes more weighty, soft and silky smooth. Bright acids and subtle spice give added complexity.

Taste – Tart and sweet, leading with citrus, pineapple, lime zest and a flinty minerality. Again, allow the wine to warm up a little, and receive the rewards of sweet white flowers, custard and toasty vanilla.

Finish – Long and clean, with lingering flavors of citrus and pineapple that give way to minerals, French custard and white flowers.

Conclusion – This distinctive limited-availability Chardonnay is a big, flavorful wine with plenty of character. With lots of dark oak flavor, this wine still shines with solid fruit. Smooth, but not buttery, this wine is a real palate-pleaser, as well. Be sure to allow the wine to warm up in the glass, for best flavors and aromatics. As the wine warms, it really opens up, revealing characteristics that were not there on opening. Pair with something zesty, like a BBQ chicken! Also, act quickly, as we will sell out!

2006 David Noyes Wines Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

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Mission Codename: Live Freestone or Die

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Return to our friends at David Noyes and retrieve his fantastic Crane Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: David Noyes Wines

Wine Subject: 2006 Freestone Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Winemaker: David Noyes

Backgrounder: Since 1970, winemaker David Noyes has made fine wines, all around the world, and for some incredible wineries. Early in his career, David made wine at Ridge and Kunde Estate. In 2006, David left Kunde to launch his own label. Today, as then, David is especially well-known for his delicious Zinfandel and Pinot Noir, and we are proud to bring you David’s wonderful 2006 Freestone Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.

The Russian River Valley, in Sonoma County, produces Pinot Noir of remarkable distinction. The cooler maritime conditions of the region make the Russian River Valley nearly perfect for cultivating Pinot Noir. This AVA was officially designated in 1983, but many of the wines in the region used the designation as early as the 1970s (early in California’s wine history) with the many of the vines having been first planted in the early 1900s.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark and deep ruby red with darker burgundy hues that glisten in its clear core, the color remains dense to the very edge. When swirled, randomly spaced legs descend at varying speeds and fatten as the drop to the wine below.

Smell – Rich and deeply redolent with its red cherry and dark raspberry blending with savory bacon fat, spring flowers and and notes of tea and cola. Classic earthy undertones, green herbs and brown baking spice adds depth and invites a sip.

Feel – Smooth, dry and rich, this full-bodied Pinot has a generous and well developed tannins tannins, balanced acidity and soft textured dark minerality that dries as the wine expands across the palate.

Taste – Dark red cherry, ripe raspberry and red plum fruit flavors blends with brown spices, earthy undertones and a touch of savory bacon fat. Enhancing this classic Pinot’s palate are smokey notes and the green herbs, floral notes and black tea found on the nose.

Finish – Medium long and lingering with this wine’s ripe red fruit and other savory, spice and herbal notes fading slowly leaving behind mouth drying tannins and earthy earthy mineral texture.

Conclusion – The 2006 David Noyes Wines Freestone Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noiris a delicious Pinot that shows the rich and deep flavors you’d expect from prized single vineyard fruit. Depth and richness on the nose all the way through the palate and into the finish, this full-bodied Pinot really stands up on its own. Drinking perfectly right now, we enjoyed this lovely wine with grilled sausage over a medley of white beans, fennel and spinach and polenta.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: David Noyes

WINE EDUCATION: Ridge Vineyards and UC Davis

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Currently making my own wine, working, consulting…

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: If it tastes good, they will drink it.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: Wish I could encapsulate the numinous quality of wine in a single sentence…glad I cannot…

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: Under my own label, 2001 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir…first commercial vintage I had a hand in…1970…oh that’s a long time ago!


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, David. We are thrilled to be showing your 2006 David Noyes Wines Freestone Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

DAVID: Thank you! Its good to be back with you, today.

WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

DAVID: Not really, I like to say I grew up in Palo Alto during the 60’s and wine was just one of the mind and mood altering paths we all enjoyed… Wine begins in the earth—there’s nothing more grounded than farming, yet, once in the bottle its as subject to fad, fancy and folly as any item of fashion or style. I find the spectrum fascinating.

WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

DAVID: Both David Bennion and Paul Draper of Ridge had profound effects—the Dionysian and Apollonian, as someone said. Wine as a sensual product and an expression of earthy pleasure as well as a calling, a profession and a practice…

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

DAVID: For myself, of course, but I enjoy pleasing people, so, for others…I like to make wine that I believe most people can relate to, can enjoy sensually…That said there’s also a story that appeals to the emotions and a respect for tradition and for style that can appeal to the intellect.

WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

DAVID: .

WHITE: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

DAVID: .

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Freestone Vineyard so special?

DAVID: .

WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

DAVID: .

WHITE: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

DAVID: I like, currently, the metaphor of fashion…choose your wine as you would choose your clothes, or whatever it pleases you to make a choice in…ultimately it is a all matter of choice. Please, drink my wine as an homage to the tradition of zinfandel winemaking in California, or because it tastes good!

WHITE: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

DAVID: I think I’ve said enough…

WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Winery Check:

The location of the tasting room where David’s incredible wines can be found can be seen in thissatellite photo.

2006 Galante Vineyards Blackjack Pasture Cabernet Sauvignon

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Mission Codename: Double Down

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Operative favorite, Galante Vineyards, and secure Cowboy Jack Galante’s newest Blackjack Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, his stunning 2005. Wrangle a some for our range-riding Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Galante Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2006 Blackjack Pasture Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Greg Vita

Backgrounder: Each year, The Wine Spies eagerly anticipate Jack Galante’s latest Blackjack VineyardCabernet Sauvignon. Grown in select blocks of his estate vineyard on his Carmel Valley ranch, the Blackjack is always our favorite of his wonderful Cabernets. This 2006 vintage is the finest yet. This bold wine is expressive, delicious and intriguing. Read Agent Red’s tasting analysis and mission report , below.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deeply dark garnet hues, with even coloration from the heart of the wine, right out to the ruby edges of the glass. When swirled, tall, skinny, wine-colored legs start high on the glass and then streak quickly downward.

Smell – Cherry and cigar box rush up to greet your nose. These sit atop blackberry, leather, dried meats, braised Mission fig, black cherry, dark raspberry and dark chocolate.

Feel – Cool and light on the initial attack. Then, the wine becomes softly dry and grippy as plush tannins take hold. Soft minerals and a balanced acidity add a softly chewy complexity on the palate.

Taste – Sweet red cherry and cranberry juice burst forth onto the palate. As these fade, they are replaced by blackberry, young strawberry, cigar box and dried red flower petals. As the wine opens up, it also revels leather, tobacco leaf, soft black pepper and a hint of mocha.

Finish – Very long and elegant, lead by juicy red cherry and cranberry that yield to darker and more earthen flavors.

Conclusion – This latest vintage of Jack Galante’s flagship 2006 Blackjack Pasture Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunner! Juicier and with more red fruit than in previous vintages, today’s wine is a delicious treat. This wine isn’t all bright fruit, though. It does a beautiful job of balancing its fruit against darker elements of tobacco, mocha, leather, dried meats and spice. Each sip I took of this wine was accompanied by the word, “Wow”. I am simply crazy about Jack’s latestBackjack, which shows nearly perfect balance – on the nose and on the palate. If you’ve never had the pleasure to sample a Galante wine, we warn you, this one will turn you into an instant devotee of all of Jack’s fantastic wines. We’ve known Jack for a long time, and we have been featuring his wines for the last five years. In all that time, we have only been impressed. Enjoy this wine now, but be sure to hold some for the next several years. This powerful wine will continue to improve for the next several years.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: As always, Jack, thank you so much for allowing us to showcase your wines for these last four-plus years. It has been a pleasure and an honor to get to know you and to have enjoyed your wines.

JACK: Thank you, Agent Red. We love that your Operatives love our wines so much! Tell me, though, when will I finally get my own Agent name?

RED: You have one, already! It’s [REDACTED], but be careful who you reveal this to… Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

JACK: The Blackjack Pasture is our signature Cabernet. It is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 100% new French oak barrels. This wine comes from a specific vineyard block on our property in Carmel Valley. Our Blackjack is known for its chewy tannins and bold chocolate and black currant flavors. Although this wine drinks wonderfully now, it is extremely age worthy and would easily do well in your cellar for the next 5 to 10 years.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

JACK: Hands down, a big, thick cowboy cut rib eye steak.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Carmel Valley so special?

JACK: Our small appellation is known for its cool nights and warm dry days. Although we are close to the coast – only 10 miles as the hawk flies – we are not subject to the well known Monterey fogs. We are in our own little mountain valley that is influenced by the coastal coolness but sheltered from the fog so our Bordeaux varietals do extremely well.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

JACK: Racking wine and pruning the vines.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. The Wine Spies remain loyal fans.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of Galante Vineyards can be seen in thissatellite photo.