2005 Rutherford Grove Winery & Vineyards Napa Valley Estate Merlot

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Mission Codename: Into the Deep

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: We’ve been given access to the secret wine archive at Rutherford Grove Winery and Vineyards. Send Agent Red to taste through the wines found there, and return with an allocation of their best library wine wine.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Rutherford Grove Winery and Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2005 Napa Valley Estate Merlot

Winemaker: Andy Pestoni

Backgrounder: Merlot, one of the primary grape varietals from Bordeaux finds an exceptional home in the Napa Valley. The Rutherford AVA is among the most famous of names in the valley and is primarily know for its exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon and the other big Bordeaux varietals. Ironically, Rutherford was the last of the major districts to receive AVA status and is home to about 30 wineries. Its well drained soil made of a combination of marine sediment and volcanic gravel, sand and loam is distinct and contributes to its famed ‘Rutherford Dust’ component found its its great wines.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Beautiful ruby red, with pinkish edging. after swirling, chubby, wine-stained tears start high up on the glass. They take a very long time to emerge and even longer to run downward. A little bit of sediment

Smell – Sweet red raspberry and blueberry leap from the glass. Then, a sweet and spiced red cherry emerges, with strawberry, leather, lightly toasted oak and earthy bramble following close behind.

Feel – Plush and soft, on entry, this wine glides across the mid-palate. There, it gains weight and complexity, settling in and introducing a flinty dryness that spreads outward to the corners of the mouth. Bright acidity and soft tannins frame the fruit beautify, giving the wine great balance.

Taste – Juicy bright red cherry and tart young strawberry wrap themselves around raspberry, chocolate cherry, brown spice, toasty oak, bramble and red plum. As the wine opens a little, it also reveals dried violets and cocoa.

Finish – Ultra long and packed with flavor, leading with brilliant red fruit. These stick around for a long time, gradually giving way to darker fruit, spice, fruit and crushed dried black flower petals.

Conclusion – Delicious and delectable, this wine really too me by surprise! I really loved the 2006 and so I had high expectations, to be sure, but this 2005 Rutherford Grove Winery Estate Napa Valley Estate Merlot was so much better. Juicy and bursting with red fruit, this wine starts off sweet and then gradually goes more earthy, revealing a complexity that eases its way onto your palate. Beautifully balanced and elegant on the palate, heaven on the nose and really delicious, this is a wine that is equally suited to sipping and to pairing with a great meal. Pair this flexible wine with almost anything.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

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

ANDY PESTONI: We are proud to release this 100% Estate Merlot sourced exclusively from our Estate vineyard located east of our winery and tasting room in the heart of the Rutherford Appellation.
This Merlot features great opening aromas of white pepper and blackberry. Well balanced tannins, leading to soft and lingering finish.

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

ANDY: A nice rack of lamb is a great dish to have when drinking this wine, we also really enjoy the braised chuck gnocchi from Farmstead Restaurant in St. Helena.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Rutherford region so special?

ANDY: The well-drained soil of this area is composition of gravel, loam and sand with volcanic deposits and marine sediments or better known as terroir. The fruit for this wine comes from the historic growing area of Rutherford that is known for its famous dusty characteristic and we have great success farming our Rutherford vineyards. This Merlot came from the vineyard literally our front yard we are able to maintain a close eye on it year round to produce the best possible grapes.

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

ANDY: Getting our Sauvignon Blanc ready for bottling.

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!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Rutherford Grove Winery and Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

2009 Mauro Molino Langhe Nebbiolo DOC

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Mission Codename: Pure Fog

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Secure an allocation of exclusive and limited production Nebbiolo for our operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Mauro Molino

Wine Subject: 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo DOC

Winemaker: Mauro Molino

Backgrounder: The Langhe DOC in Italy’s Piedmontoverlaps the same regions as Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera d’Alba. The red wines from Langhe DOC can blend specifically approved (including Dolcetto, Barbera, Freisa, along with some non-domestic grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) with the base local varietal Nebbiolo. Given the more flexible rules, the wines from Langhe are the Piedmont’s version of the popular Super Tuscan. This DOC was established in 1994, the DOC occupies mush of the province of Cuneo.

Today’s selection is a 100% Nebbiolo, the region’s most prolific and admired grape, is grown on the family’s La Morra (Barolo area) vineyard, carefully harvested by hand and is aged is stainless steel letting the purity and character of the fruit to be fully revealed.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep ruby red with bright ruby streaks and reflections in its clear core. Lighter ruby red with orange and pinkish hues along the edges and when swirled, slow medium-to-thin legs cling to the side of the glass.

Smell – Bright aromas of fresh tangy and tart red fruit including red cherry and raspberry blend with zesty wild anise, soft earthy notes, mocha and dark chocolate. Sweet and a touch of hot spice along with floral rose petals invites you to take a sip.

Feel – Smooth and rich with plush but well structured and youthful tannins and bright acidity that lingers along with a soft but textured minerality making this medium-to-full bodied dry wine perfect for pairing with food.

Taste – Fresh, sweet and tart red fruit including red Italian cherry, cherry liquor, raspberry along with some plum and dried fruit notes. Blend in some zesty sweet spices, wild anise, a touch of spicy pepper and other mocha to complete the picture. The racy acidity grasps the fruit well as this wine transitions into the finish.

Finish – Very long and with the tangy and zesty red fruit lingering for several minutes, generously mouth coating and expansive with all of its flavors lingering on the palate.

Conclusion – The 2009 Mauro Molino Langhe Nebbiolo DOC is a wine that expertly highlights the Nebbiolo grape in its purest form. Unconstrained by oak, the fresh red fruit, spice and texture provides a fresh and vibrant drinking experience. This is a lovely wine to pair with food and will go perfectly with anything from creamy cheeses, creamy pastas or any meat from lighter white to wild game. Enjoy now or cellar for three to five years.

Mission Report:

We are working to gather an interview with winemaker Mauro Molino and will post it as soon as it becomes available.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location La Morra where the grapes for this wine were grown can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Wing Canyon Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

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Mission Codename: On the Wing

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Respond to reports of a small, premium Cabernet Sauvignon producer on the spectacular cool-climate Mount Veeder. Investigate their wines. If worthy of our exacting Operatives, secure an ample allocation.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Wing Canyon Vineyard

Wine Subject: 2007 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Bill Jenkins

Backgrounder:

Mt. Veeder, located on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas range has a climate that is cooler than the valley floor below. This climate and the more difficult (less fertile) volcanic mountain soil influence the flavors of the wines from this region. Best known for Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder vineyards produce grapes of exceptional character and intensity.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Beautiful ruby red, with prefect clarity through the slightly darker heart of the wine. After a soft swirl, the wine settles quickly, leaving behind tight clusters of slow-moving legs.

Smell – Blueberry! This lovely prime note is followed by black cherry, sweet spice, blackberry, red plum and dark strawberry. Softly toasty oak and a hint of chocolate cherry candy appear after the wine opens up.

Feel – Cool and light on entry, this very bright wine seems to light up the palate, driving an edgy acidity and plush tannins around the palate.

Taste – Spiced Bing Cherry candy and raspberry blaze the path for follow-on flavors of young strawberry, cocoa powder, blackberry, star anise and dusty bramble. Brown spice, black pepper and flinty minerals appear at the end.

Finish – Very long and flavorful with spiced cherry and red fruit that gradually give way to cocoa, anise, pepper, spice and flint.

Overall – This bright Cabernet is great, right out of the bottle, but our tasting panel found that once it has a chance to breathe, it really softens and opens up. Estate grown, produced and bottled at the winery’s Mount Veeder Estate, today’s 2007 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon is a great wine with wonderful aromatics, unique flavors and an ultra-long finish. Be sure to decant for best results. Pair with a hearty, flavorful red meat dish. Enjoy now, but be sure to cellar a few bottles. This gem should continue to improve for the next 10 years!

Mission Report:


WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Bill Jenkins, winemaker

WINE EDUCATION: self taught

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: vineyard worker, cellar rat +25years @ Wing Canyon

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: wine is made in the vineyard

WINEMAKER QUOTE: oenogeeks love the story of the scrappy winemaker defying all odds to make handcrafted wine with character and personality that shows up the big corporations and their non-descriptor plonk.

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1991 was our first vintage, released in 1993


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Bill. We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

BILL: no problem

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

BILL: more like a lucky decade of drinking old Bordeaux

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

BILL: Andre Tchelistcheff

RED: Who do you make wine for?

BILL: myself and my customers

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

BILL: From a very interesting split harvest. The merlot and 1/3 of the cab picked by 9-19-07, then a week of rain and hail, then the rest of the cab and cab franc picked 9-27 through 10-3-07. Canopy control was very good in 2007, so the rain interruption didn’t have any adverse effects. In fact by extending the harvest the weather 
helped develop some extra nice ripeness.

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

BILL: wild pheasant

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Mount Veeder so special?

BILL: Mount Veeder, cool climate approximating Bordeaux

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

BILL: deciding how much merlot and cab franc to blend with the 2009 Cab Sauv

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

BILL: with the expectation that attention and patience will be rewarded

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

BILL: you’ll be pleased if you save a few of these bottles for awhile

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!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Mt. Veeder Appellation in Napa can be seen in this satellite photo.

2005 Domenico Wines Napa Valley Meritage

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Mission Codename: Italian Heritage Meritage

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Return to Domenico Wines and secure a limited allocation of their delicious Napa Valley Meritage

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Domenico Wines

Wine Subject: 2005 Napa Valley Meritage

Winemaker: Dominick Chirichillo

Backgrounder: Meritage (pronounce like ‘heritage’, no French style accent) wine, blends made in the tradition of the great wines of Bordeaux can only carry the name if the winery is a member of The Meritage Association based in Sonoma County. Most wines made in the US are varietal wines, comprised of over 75% of a single varietal. Unfortunately, this labeling requirement is believed to impair many winemakers from making exceptional blends, since they are often labeled as simply Red Table Wine with the noble grapes of Bordeaux. Thus in 1988 Meritage was born as a way to highlight the winemaker’s art of careful blending and crafting of wines in the tradition of some of Europe’s finest wines.

Today’s selection is 72% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark but clear ruby red with glistening streaks that reflect as held to the light. Along the edges the color lightens slight to a pinkish ruby red and when swirled thin legs of varying speeds ring the glass.

Smell – Well integrated aromas of plum, black and red cherry and other dark fruit blend with vanilla and toasted oak. Distinct black olive tapenade notes along with hints of graphite, green bell pepper and a touch of cocoa adds character.

Feel – This dry wine is medium-to-full bodied with a round well developed tannic structure. Softer, but present, acidity, a little spice and subtle earthly minerality adds to the plush feel of this wine.

Taste – A bit more restrained on the palate than the nose would indicate with flavors of both black and red cherry, plum and other ripe berries. A touch of spice, dark chocolate, green bell pepper and toasted vanilla melds with notes of the black olive from the nose.

Finish – Long and lingering with the ripe fruit gently fading leaving behind notes of vanilla toasted oak, cocoa and just hints of the other complex flavors found on the nose and palate.

Conclusion – The 2005 Domenico Wines Napa Valley Meritage is lovely and value oriented Meritage that is drinking very well right now. An inviting nose of red and black fruit and other classic ‘Bordeaux’ aromas are carefully woven into a well structured package. A lovely flavor profile that doesn’t overpower and remains well balanced. A lovely wine to pair with a variety of foods where a traditional Napa red blend would be too rich. Enjoy this wine tonight or cellar for the next three to five years.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Dominick Chirichillo

WINE EDUCATION: Self-taught winemaker, I started making wine with my Italian Grandfather Domenico Giovinazzo in a basement in Staten Island New York when I was probably 2 years old, and continued until college. He made wine with California grapes shipped into the produce dealers. I then picked up wine making in 1987 making 2 barrels with my Brother Patrick in a 1000 sq. ft. basement in Seaside Heights New Jersey; using my Grandfathers press and hand crusher.

I shared the wine and the excitement of winemaking with family and friends and invited everyone I talked about it, and come make wine with us, we went from 2 to 20 barrels the next year and expanded to 67 barrels over the next few years then moved to a 3000 sg ft facility and got up to 300 barrels and launched the Bacchus School of Wine. I kept that going for a number of years then Franchised the concept in 1997 sold 4 franchises in NJ until 2001.

In 1998 I moved my wife Gloria and our 2 sons Nick and Matt to Half Moon Bay California, I commuted to NJ till 9/11 happened and our first Franchisee died in the World Trade Center Bombing. At that point my wife and I rethought our dream and decided it was time to pursue our dream in California. We then decided it was time to stop the franchising and start something in California.

We unraveled our franchise business, kept our New Jersey, Bacchus operation and in late 2001 planted a 8 acre vineyard in Amador County 5 acres of Syrah and 3 acres of Primitivo.

In June of 2004 we opened our Urban winery on the Peninsula in San Carlos, CA. and became members of the Santa Cruz Mountain Winegrowers Association, we source Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from that viticultural region. Since we opened Domenico Winery named in honor of my Grandfather I have received 300 winemaking awards.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Owner and wine maker.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Less is better! Let the vineyard and the grapes make good wine.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: I enjoy making in your face red wines.

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: June 2004



WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Dominick. We are thrilled to be showing your 2005 Napa Valley Meritage today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

DOMINICK CHIRICHILLO: Thanks Agent White, I’m excited to have The showcase my this delicious wine.

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

DOMINICK: YES my experience growing up in an Italian family and the many times I was lucky to learn the basics of winemaking from my grandfather, Domenico Giovinazzo.

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

DOMINICK: It’s a 2005 Meritage consisting of 72% Napa Valley Merlot 25% Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petite Verdot, It is a full bodied wine with aromas and flavors of cassis, tobacco and blackberry.

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

DOMINICK: This wine will pair well with most hearty meat dishes such as venison, rib eye steak, grilled tuna with a wasabi sauce, aged hard cheeses, or gorgonzola.

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

DOMINICK: Well Napa Valley is known to produce some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon’s and Merlot’s in the world. These grapes are from the Oak Knoll AVA, the Cabernet is a Trethefan clone.

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

DOMINICK: I first make wine to satisfy my selfish love of food and wine, and more specifically make wines to pair with food

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

DOMINICK: We are racking wines and preparing several whites and a rose for bottling. Going thru all our wines to see what reds we will be getting prepared to do blending trials on and then bottling

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

DOMINICK: with an open wine, and willing to try new wines.

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

DOMINICK: I love what I do and I love sharing my wine and spending time with our winery wine club members and especially new customer that find their way into the winery.

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 Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Domenico Wines Tasting Room can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Random Ridge Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

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Mission Codename
: Next In The Line Up

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Return to Random Ridge and secure an allocation of their latest Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Random Ridge

Wine Subject: 2007 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Bill Hawley

Backgrounder:

Mt. Veeder, located on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas range has a climate that is cooler than the valley floor below. This climate and the more difficult (less fertile) volcanic mountain soil influence the flavors of the wines from this region. Best known for Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder vineyards produce grapes of exceptional character and intensity.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Extremely dark garnet and purple with a dense, nearly black core that is only clear when held to the light. Along the edges the color remains deep purple and when swirled this seemingly thick wine settles quickly leaving broadly spaced slow legs along the side of the glass.

Smell – Rich and bold black and red fruit including red and black cherry, plum and blackberry are laced with hot spice, wild fennel and dark earthy minerality. A sturdy toasted and smokey oak component makes its presence known and blends with bramble herbs and other savory notes.

Feel – This full-bodied and dry wine shows all the textural character you’d expect from its mountain fruit. Sturdy and finely etched tannins blend with dusty mineral notes and lively acidity giving this wine an exceptional and expansive structure and mouthfeel.

Taste – Plush and ripe dark black cherry red cherry, raspberry, plum and blackberry fruit lead the way are are immediately followed by toasted oak and hot spice. The generous and slightly tangy fruit glides over the palate and is buttressed by this wine’s other complex notes of dark cocoa, wild anise, savory herbs and dusty earthy undertones.

Finish – Extremely long, with a the textured and etched mouthfeel component grasping onto the rich and ripe fruit as the other flavors gently fade away leaving behind only the sip inspiring mouth drying tannins and minerality.

Overall – Once again Bill Hawley really delivers with his 2007 Random Ridge Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon. A fantastic mountain Cabernet Sauvignon with great mouthfeel and texture, generous fruit and other complex aromas and flavors and a finish that lingers for several minutes. A great wine to enjoy all by itself in front of the fire or paired with grilled game or a giant bone-in rib-eye steak. Enjoy this wine now (decant or let it breath) or cellar for seven to ten years.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

WINE EDUCATION: Bill graduated with honors with a degree in poetry from Sonoma State College in 1974. His senior project focused on the influence of Zen Buddhism on the poetry of the San Francisco renaissance and the Beats.

He met Phil Coturri studying poetry at college and was inspired by him and his brother Tony in the cult of winemaking and grapegrowing. He has taken courses in winemaking and viticulture at UC Davis extension, Napa College, and Santa Rosa Junior College. He has traveled to many wine regions to study winemaking and surfing, including France (Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Languedoc, Champagne), Spain (Rioja), Portugal, Madeira, Chile, Baja Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia (Margaret River).

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Bill lived and worked at BR Cohn Vineyards in 1975, spending a full season on the Cohn ranch in the heart of the Sonoma Valley. He worked at Kenwood Winery in 1977 and In 1978 helped build a winery in Sonoma for Walter Benson that later became Haywood and is now Ravenswood. He then worked as vineyard manager for Chalone at Carmenet Vineyards from 1982-1988, and at the same time planted the first vines at Random Ridge.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Wine is made in the vineyard

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Grow good grapes and get out of the way.”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1988

WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Bill. We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

BILL HAWLEY: It’s always great to be on another mission with you, Agent White!

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

BILL: In grapegrowing, Joe Miami, the longtime manager at Louis Martini’s Monte Rosso. In winemaking, I was very intrigued by Martin Ray at Mt. Eden and Andre Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu. Later, Dick Graff from Chalone opened my eyes wide to the pleasure of food and wine combinations.

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

BILL: A perfect growing season with extended hang time led to a leisurely and bountiful harvest of luscious ripe grapes from a single vineyard, meticulously farmed at 2200’ on the edge of an ancient caldera. With a minimalist & gentle hand in the cellar, the synergistic typicité of Bordeaux varietals (6% Cabernet Franc) show a wine vibrant with personality & well endowed, powerful, intense, effusive, balanced, persistent & focused terroir driven – a true expression of a special spot on earth. Dark extracted and generous in flavor, fleshy, hedonistic, plush, engaging, redolent in red currant, plum, spice, licorice, cocoa, cedar & garrique with an explosion of pure fruit properly bottle conditioned & good to go.

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

BILL: I like it paired with meats grilled over a wood fire of manzanita or seasoned oak barrel staves. Rack of lamb with potato risotto is also a perfect accompaniment. This wine also works well with rustic crusty bread and local goat cheese.

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

BILL: I make wines that suit my palate. I am not making wines for review, I am making wine for myself, my family, and my friends and that I hope reach out to kindred souls who appreciate a rich man’s wine at a poor man’s price.

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Mr. Veeder appellation so special?

BILL: It’s the elevation, inclination, climate, rocks, and volcanic soil. What’s not often talked about with grapegrowing in the mountains is that we are above the fog, and the intensity of the sunlight influences the flavors and colors of the grapes. Growing grapes up here takes a certain maverick spirit and tenacity—this is labor-intensive viticulture. We have a long growing season and the vines struggle to survive. All farming up here is a hand job.

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

BILL: Just finishing up the pruning and tying. Looking at an early budbreak, makes for a worrisome frost period. In the winery, assessing the 2011s and working on blending trials for the bottling of the 2010s.

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

BILL: With a meal or without, in crystal or a mason jar, but definitely with friends and by candlelight.

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 Vineyard Check:

The location of the Mt. Veeder Appellation in Napa can be seen in this satellite photo.

2003 Berthoud Vineyards & Winery 'Ursus Minor' Red Table Wine

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Mission Codename: The Little Bear

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Secure a limited allocation of the the second wine released by Michael Berthoud.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Berthoud Winery

Wine Subject: 2003 ‘Ursus Minor’ Sonoma Valley Red Table Wine

Winemaker: Michael Berthoud

Backgrounder: The Sonoma Valley AVA is one of the oldest wine growing regions in California with the first vines being planted in the early 1800s. The AVA is located along California Route 12 and its eastern boundary are the southern end of the Mayacamas mountains. The unique micro-climate with less rainfall and fog than other parts of the region along with its unique soil provides ideal growing conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon and other red varietals. Today’s exceptional blend is comprised of estate grown Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petite Verdot.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep and dark garnet that becomes almost inky black in its slightly opaque core. Along the edges the color lightens only slightly and shows hints of garnet clarity. When swirled, clusters of very slow fat headed tears thin as they descend to the wine below.

Smell – Rich and bold, this fruit forward wine invites you in with aromas of ripe black and red berries including blackberry, currants, raspberry and cherry liquor all framed by by earthy and toasted oak notes. Black licorice along with bittersweet chocolate, soft green herbs and spice adds depth and complexity.

Feel – This dry and full-bodied wine has well developed but sturdy finely grained tannins that meld with dusty minerality and its balanced acidity.

Taste – Classic red Bordeaux flavors abound in this ripe, rich and deep blend that shows great varietal character. Ripe, spiced and earthy red and black berries linger with black licorice, toasted and smokey oak and dark bittersweet chocolate. Notes of spice, a hint of leather and cigar box also make an appearance

Finish – Very long and rich with the ripe fruit clinging to the palate along with this wine’s other flavors for several minutes as the textured tannins dries the tongue and invites another sip.

Conclusion – The 2003 Berthoud Winery ‘Ursus Minor’ Sonoma Valley Red Table Wine is a delicious, and great value, red blend that is fruit forward without lacking complexity on the nose and palate. A sturdy and textured structure makes this wine great for grilled meats. Enjoy this wine tonight, after letting it breathe, or cellar for three to five years.

Mission Report:



WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER Micheal (Mike) Berthoud

SUBJECT: 2003 Ursus Minor

WINE EDUCATION: Enology Degree from California State University, Fresno.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Chateau St. Jean 1986 – 1989; Arrowood Winery 1989 – 2004; Berthoud Vineyards & Winery 1998 – Present; Mayo Family Winery 2004 – Present

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Minimal intervention. Old world techniques to achieve wines of austerity that can age well.

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: March 1999 – Chasselas Dore



WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Mike. We are thrilled to be showing your 2003 Ursus Minor today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

MIKE: It’s a pleasure to be featured.

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

MIKE: Growing up in a European family where wine was served at the dinner table my entire life and where I was served wine with water from the age of 12.

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

MIKE: I have always been a fan of great Bordeaux style wines. They are my favorite to drink as well as the ones I wish to emulate.

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

MIKE: Myself, every time.

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

MIKE: 2003 Ursus Minor – entirely estate grown, produced and bottled from our 4 1/2 acres of grapes. It is 60% Merlot, 30% Cab, 8% Cab Franc, 1% each of Malbec, and Petit Verdot.

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

MIKE: Anything bold enough to match up with it. Steak, big sauces and finally, my personal favorite, a European style cheese plate.

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

MIKE: Sonoma is the birth place of California wines. Plus the fact that I have spent most of my life here, makes it a special place!!

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

MIKE: Racking the reds

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

MIKE: With a very open mind. I always say, “it is basically very simple, if you like it, it’s good” I really try to not over complicate things.

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

MIKE: Enjoy our wine in the same spirit in which it was made – with good food and surrounded by family and friends!!

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! Thank you very much

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of Berthoud Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2008 Fess Parker Winery Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir

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Mission Codename: The Deep Thinker

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to our dear friends at Fess Parker Winery, in Santa Barbara County, procure the newest vintage of their award-winning Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Fess Parker Winery

Wine Subject: 2008 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Blair Fox

Backgrounder: The Wine Spies have been featuring some really incredible Pinot Noir of late, but requests have been pouring the return of Fess Parker, whose Bien Nacido (Santa Barbara County) Pinot Noir has been breaking records and winning awards.

California’s Central Coast region, and specifically Santa Barbara and San Luis Obisbo County has become one of the state’s premier regions for Pinot Noir. The generally warmer climate, moderated by the coastal fog, its sandy and clay loam soil, and broad exposure results in Pinot of exceptional purity.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Darkest burgundy with a slightly brickish hue at the core. At the edge of the wine, a fine band of lightest pink encircles the wine. After a good swirl, fat tears meander slowly down the glass.

Smell – Bold, rich dark cherry and soft brown spice are the predominant notes and as the wine opens up, it reveals stewed plum, cola, toasted spiced oak, espresso bean and subtle fresh herbs.

Feel – Soft and very smooth on entry, the wine gradually reveals a medium to full body as plush tannins gently encroach on the corners of the mouth. Balanced acids and soft white minerals give the wine additional backbone.

Taste – Bold and dark with spiced cherry candy, cola and dried cranberry. These intermingle with exotic brown spice, black pepper, espresso, bramble, subtle tomato vine and a hint of dried mission fig.

Finish – Long and very flavorful, with dark spiced cherry and cola giving way to more earthen flavors of spice, pepper and bramble.

Conclusion – Score another success with today’s brilliant, bold and very tasty 2008 Fess Parker Winery Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir! Each year, this wine earns 90+ point scores, and each year seems better than the last. Today’s wine is among the very darkest Pinots we have enjoyed. Dark aromas, dark flavors and a plush, bold feel all contribute to the complexity of this delicious wine. 2008 must have been a very ripe year, in Santa Barbara, for this wine shows off a darkly extracted and fruit-forward quality that we have not seen from this vineyard – or this region. Enjoy this wine now, and be sure to cellar a few bottles of this age-worthy Pinot Noir for the next few years.

Mission Report:

Below is a recap of Agent Red’s original mission when we first featured Fess Parker.

When I was a little Agent, my father took me on a journey through my family history. It was rife with intrigue, unsavory characters, artists, criminals, tales of fortunes won and lost – and even actual spies, and even an honest-to-god (only) horse thief.

My fathers father, a gentleman professor of romance languages and a student of history, had traced our roots back many generations. The generations which fascinated me the most were those that occupied early American history. The distant relative that held the most fascination was Daniel Boone.

American Folk Hero, explorer, businessman, military man and woodsman, it was Boones role in extending American civilization and his moniker, ”the Columbus of the woods”, that interested me most about the man. Or at least the popularized versions of the man. I became an avid student of the Disney series, Daniel Boone, and even took to wearing a coonskin cap. Granted, I was 6 years old.

Many years hence I became a Wine Spy, blazing trails of my own with Wine Spies co-founder, Agent Red. Red suggested that we were pioneers and that comment triggered memories of long-ago relative, Daniel Boone. A few days later, I rented the Disney series and, as I was watching the credits, spotted a name familiar to me from the wine industry, Fess Parker! Fess played played Daniel Boone in the Disney series of the same name.

This revelation led me to call on the winery immediately, declaring to them excitedly that I was ‘related’ to them. When I explained myself, I was met with a somewhat quizzical chuckle. Apparently, they felt that my claim was a bit of a stretch. Imagine that!

Long story short, I made an appointment with the winery, to taste their wines – and I fell in love. Their 2006 Ashley’s Vineyard Chardonnay was particularly wonderful and, right then and there, I secured a cache for our Operatives. With fruit from the Sta. Rita Hills appellation, this wine strikes a great balance of serious, fun and sincere – just like Fess Parker himself.

As for Daniel Boone, while he was not perfect by any means, he did blaze trails and he did make important discoveries – just as I try to do with the wines that I spy for you every day, dear Operative…

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Fess Parker Winery in Santa Barbara’s famous Foxen Canyon can be seen in thissatellite photo.

2009 Vignobles Brumont Gros Manseng-Sauvignon

Mission Codename: Great White Gascon

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Secure an exclusive allocation of famed winemaker Alain Brumont’s Merlot-Tannat

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Vignobles Brumont

Wine Subject: 2009 Gros Manseng-Sauvignon

Winemaker: Alain Brumont

Backgrounder:

The southwest of France, is home to one of France’s most famous winemakers, Alain Brumont. It is his genius that has tamed the expressive and often overpowering Tannat into a wine that rivals its northern neighbors from Bordeaux. The Gascony region, made famous by Alexandre Dumas and theKing’s Musketeers has tremendous diversity of varietals and its climate is primarily influenced by the Atlantic ocean. Today’s unique and exclusive selection is 50% Gros Manseng and 50% Sauvignon Blanc.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Pale and brilliantly clear golden straw yellow, subtle green tints that shine through its core, and fading to nearly clear at the edges. When swirled, evenly spaced fat legs slowly descend to the wine below.

Smell – Fresh aromas of apricot, citrus and quince lead you in and are followed by classic Sauvignon Blanc notes of stone and soft smoke. Very subtle green herbs and spice also make an appearance on the nose.

Feel – Racy acidity hits right away on this dry and medium bodied white wine and is followed by a touch of spice and creaminess. Soft limestone and chalky minerality adds texture and grasps the fresh fruit.

Taste – Fresh citrus and quince leads the way and is followed by a unique balance of hot spice, subtle toasted nuts and creaminess that is both tasted and felt. Soft white floral, herbal and chalky stone also emerge as you explore this wine.

Finish – Clean, lingering and fresh with with spice and citrus lingering with a touch of creaminess as well.

Conclusion – The 2009 Brumont Gros Manseng-Sauvignon is a delicious and unique wine that will appeal to any lover of Sauvignon Blanc but also those looking for a wine of a little more depth and character, as you’d expect from Alain Brumont. Enjoy this wine with soft and ripe cheeses or Thai food.

Mission Report:

bq Below is a transcript of our original mission when we visited the region in search of Alain Brumont’s famed Madiran AOC, also made with the indomitable Tannat grape.

It was a couple years back that I originally tasted the wines from legendary winemaker Alain Brumont.Agent Terroir was escorting me through some of France’s best vineyards as we also enjoyed the Tour de France. If you are a fan of the race, it is perhaps one of the most magnificent displays of athletic ability through the largest and most beautiful of ‘stadiums’, the entirety of the country.

As someone who has followed the race for nearly two decades my personal favorite are the mountain stages of in the Pyrenees and the Alps. But its the Pyrenees that brings out the true excitement. Tens of thousands of mostly Basque cycling fans line the narrow one lane mountain roads cheering on their countrymen to the prestigious stage wins in the most difficult of mountain climbs.

It was one of those stages that started in the village of Pau . We arrived in the evening before the start start and Agent Terroir wanted to take me on a very special vineyard trip. We would head north for a short drive to the appellation most famous of its bold, tannic and expressive Tannat and once there we would taste the wines of famed winemaker Alain Brumont. The vineyards, steep hillsides clay and ancient Pyrenees stone and gravel soil. This coupled with an aspect and southern exposure ensure maximum sunshine. Add to that a grape that many consider an indomitable force with another indomitable force in winemaking and you’re starting to get the idea about today’s unique selection.

The 2005 Chateau Montus Madiran AOC is one of those very special wines. Certainly not a wine for everyone, but if you are a fan of big bold expressive reds that have a ton of character then this is a wine for you.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the heart of the Gascony region lies the historic town of Armagnac which can be seen in thissatellite photo.

2007 Vitus Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

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Mission Codename: Sipping with the Stars

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: After and extended absence, return to Vitus Napa Valley to secure their stellar 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon – before they run out!

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Vitus Napa Valley

Wine Subject: 2007 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: John Gilpin

Backgrounder: Vitus Napa Valley was a big hit with our Operatives, the first time we featured them. Their wines are so hot that they are in tight supply. And, their wines are beloved by us that we’ve been trying to secure an allocation, ever since. Today, Agent Red returns with what are likely the last bottles, anywhere. Snap them up while you can!

The Oakville AVA, centrally located and adjacent to Napa Valley’s famous Rutherford AVA, was established in July 1993. Oakville is considered on of the most diverse AVA’s in the Napa area and grows some of the best Merlot in California. Napa Valley is revered worldwide as the ultimate area in which to produce Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2007 vintage, in particular, has produced some of the finest wines of the recent vintages.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Darkest ruby red, with color that is evenly concentrated, from core to edge. After a hearty swirl, thick, branching legs move slowly down the glass.

Smell – Bold and dark, with blackberry, black currant and red currant that jump from the glass. These sit atop bramble bush, dried black flower petals, fresh fennel, toasty oak and soft brown spice.

Feel – Plush and softly dry, the wine begins with a medium that expands onto the palate, becoming more rich and full-bodied. As a soft, mineral-laden dryness spreads, the feel becomes decidedly more chewy. Fine tannins are beautifully framed by the balanced acidity and flinty minerality..

Taste – Bold black candied cherry and blackberry coat the palate almost instantly, delivering flavors to the far corners of the mouth. After a moment, additional flavors follow on, including dark raspberry, toasted oak, dark dried flower petals, earth and dark minerals.

Finish – Very long-lived, with dark fruit that gradually yields to earthen flavors of dried flowers, minerals and subtle dark spice.

Conclusion – Our tasting panel loved this generous, elegant and approachable wine, and we give the wine our heartiest recommendation. The 2007 Vitus Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is a fantastic successor to the previous (exceptional) vintage of this great wine. Classic Napa Valley, this wine deliver bold, bright flavors, a plush and elegant feel, with great fruit, spice and subtle minerals. Enjoy this delicious wine now, but be sure to lay a few bottles down for the next several years.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: John Gilpin

WINE EDUCATION: Cal Poly B.S U.C Davis – Oenology

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Winemaker for three labels

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Blending will always produce a better wine!

WINEMAKER QUOTE: ” Be Patient”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 6-1-04


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, John. We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 Oakville Cabernet today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

JOHN: Thanks, Agent Red, we are excited to be sharing our wine with your operatives.

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

JOHN: My very first taste.

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

JOHN: Helen Turley – she really got what Napa really was all about: Big, ripe wines.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

JOHN: I make the wine first for myself, because if I don’t like the wines I am making why bother.

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

JOHN: Within all my years of winemaking the this is by far my favorite vintage. The 2007 Cabernet from the Oakville area of Napa Valley is truly the best vintage I’ve ever tasted.

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

JOHN: Beef short Rib Bourguignon.

RED: In your opinion, what makes Oakville so special?

JOHN: The cool foggy mornings that preserve the acidity then warm afternoons that ripen the grapes.

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

JOHN: Getting ready to bottle the 2009 vintage.

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

JOHN: With an open mind and with no preconceived ideas about the wine. Let the wine speak for itself!

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

JOHN: I hope you enjoy the wine because there is a part of myself that goes into each bottle! Cheers!

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!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

Vitus Napa Valley can be tasted at the tasting room of our friends at Napa’s Bourassa Vineyards, the location of which can be seen in this satellite photo. Be sure to mention you are a wine spy when visiting.

2008 Canihan Family Cellars Exuberance Syrah

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Mission Codename: The Spirited

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Canihan Family Cellars and, for the third time, return with an ample cache of their delicious flagship Sonoma Valley Syrah.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Canihan Family Wines

Wine Subject: 2008 Exuberance Syrah

Winemaker: Alex Beloz

Backgrounder:

We showcase very few Syrah’s on our pages so when we do, you can be assured that it is a very special one. Today, we return to our friends at Canihan Family Wines to bring you the latest vintage of their extraordinary Exuberance Sonoma Valley Syrah, their delicious interpretation of the noble varietal.

The Sonoma Valley AVA is one of the oldest wine growing regions in California with the first vines being planted in the early 1800s. The AVA is located along California Route 12 and its eastern boundary are the southern end of the Mayacama mountains. The unique micro-climate with less rainfall and fog than other parts of the region along with its unique soil provides ideal growing conditions for Syrah. Grown on their tiny estate vineyard, today’s wine is a special treat.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Darkest garnet, with a clear but darker burgundy heart. Color is even, from core to the soft magenta edging. After swirling the wine, chubby, wine-colored legs take a long time to appear, before moving very slowly down the glass wall.

Smell – Deeply aromatic, with chocolate covered cherry cordial, blackberry and soft spice that leap from the glass. After the wine breathes for a little while, additional aromas of sweetwood, leather, cigar box and black pepper emerge.

Feel – Ultra soft and round, on entry. Then, a plushness takes over, introducing a dry, crushed velvet feel that spreads from the center of the palate, outward. Plush tannins and balanced acids work together to give the wine complexity and texture.

Taste – Overripe blackberry, black cherry, cassis and blueberry fill the palate. As the wine opens up, it reveals raspberry, cherry, brown tobacco leaf, dried meats and soft brown spice.

Finish – Very long and packed with flavor. Dark fruit slowly yields to red fruit, spice and earthy bramble. At the very end, hints of black pepper and flinty mineral put the perfect punctuation on the deep flavors.

Conclusion – This is another extraordinary Syrah from our friend, Bill Canihan and his winemaker, Alex Beloz! This is a wine that fills the senses and encourages you to take a long time sniffing, sipping, analyzing and discussing the myriad layers of aromas and flavors. The feel is elegant and rich, with just the right balance of brightness to make it a terrici – and easy – companion for a hearty meal. We enjoy each and every encounter we have with Bill and Alex – and we are always impressed with the wines that they craft. This 2006 Exuberance Sonoma Valley Syrah is the third vintage of the wine that we have had the great fortune to present. It is also the best, by far. Enjoy now, but be sure to hold onto a few bottles for the next few years.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Alex Beloz. We are thrilled to be showing your 2008 Exuberance Syrah today. Welove this wine! Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

ALEX BELOZ: I’m so glad to be back with you – and your Operatives.

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

ALEX: Travels to Europe, specifically Italy, after university. Met some great families that taught me about wine appreciation. I got the wine bug right away. When I returned home I pursued a career in wine.

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

ALEX: My first crush position. There’s nothing like getting the hands-on experience.

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

ALEX: To make delicious, compelling wines from fruit grown under strong viticultural practices.

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

ALEX: I suppose it’s more a region, the North Coast, that has influenced me. It’s where I learned how to make wine and where I work on a daily basis.

RED: How long have you been making wine?

ALEX: About 13 years now!

RED: Who do you make wine for?

ALEX: For my clients. In the end I make delicious, compelling wines that my clients will enjoy. Ultimately its they who will sell the wine. If they like it and are proud of it, they will be successful.

RED: Tell me, what makes the Sonoma Valley so special?

ALEX: Sonoma Valley is quite a large appellation. Many grape varieties thrive in this region because of that unique climate of warm summer days and cool evenings. As you move north in the region the days can become quite warm. Our vineyard happens to lie in the southernmost part of Sonoma Valley where it rarely gets too warm and so it’s a fine place to grow Syrah with plenty of ripeness and spice without forgoing finesse.

RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?

ALEX: Consider and research it well. Get plenty of hands-on experience before committing to a full-on career in winemaking. There is a lot of romance that blinds folks into pursuing such a career not knowing that there is a lot of inglorious hard work and sacrifice in making wine.

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

ALEX: The vines are dormant and we’ve just finished pruning the vineyard. It’s been a bit dry this winter but we’re looking at some rainfall in the forecast that will replenish the moisture needed for the upcoming growing season. In the cellar we’re racking and blending our wines from previous vintages.

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

ALEX: 2008 was a very warm year in Sonoma Valley. We were able to extend hang-time of the fruit on the vine in order to achieve unprecedented levels of ripeness. We knew early on that this would become aBIG Syrah and because of that we aged the wine in a bit more new French and Hungarian oak barrels. This added a nice array of spicy notes to the wine. Dark chocolate and hints of blackberry jam envelope the aroma while the mouth-feel is sweet and dense on the palate. If you like your wines with plenty of character then look no further!

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

ALEX: Because of that bold, rich body it has, I love having a glass of this Syrah on its own. When I pair it with food I usually go with hearty meat dishes that are either braised or oven-roasted.

RED: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know

ALEX: Wine is not my job. It’s my lifestyle.

RED:What is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?

ALEX: No favorites. I like tasty, well balanced wines of all colors, varietals and regions…but it’s got to be good!

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

ALEX: Most of my wines are nice right out the bottle. They’re always better a year out from release. However, if one has little time or patience, as we all do sometimes, I recommend my wines to be uncorked a couple hours before tasting.

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

ALEX: Corton-Charlemagne. Small production. Very pricey. Very good.

RED: What is the one question that I should have asked you, and what is your answer to that question?

ALEX: Do you love what you do? I would respond: “I’m one of the luckiest guys on the planet!”

RED: 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!

ALEX: You bet!