2008 Churchill Cellars Two Vineyard Blend Pinot Noir


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Mission Codename: Opportunities won

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Churchill Cellars, makers of some of our favorite small-production Pinot Noir. This time around, evaluate their newest, budget-minded Pinot, the 2008 Two Vineyard Blend Pinot Noir. Secure an ample allotment for our Pinot-loving Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Churchill Cellars

Wine Subject: 2008 Two Vineyard Blend Pinot Noir – Sonoma Coast

Winemaker: Anthony Austin

Backgrounder:

We first featured Churchill Cellars Pinot Noir nearly five years ago. We fell in love with Ken Churchill’s Pinots, then, and we’ve been eagerly awaiting their return to our pages. For today’s wine, Agent Red returned to Churchill Cellars to evaluate Ken’s newest release, the budget-friendly 2008 Two Vineyard Blend Pinot Noir from two special vineyard sources in the Sonoma Coast Appellation. Agent Red loved the wine and he was able to retrieve a small number of cases for our Operatives. Read Red’s mission report and tasting notes, below.

The Sonoma Coast AVA is the 750 square mile area with the Pacific ocean on its western boundary, the San Pablo Bay to the south and Mendocino County to the north, headed inland to the other designated AVAs in Sonoma County. The region is heavily influenced by the cooler ocean climate, increased rainfall and fog that lingers long on the coastal mountains. The specific climate suits the demanding Burgundian varietals of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay very well.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Perfect ruby red hues, with completely even coloration from core on out to the ruby edge of the wine. When swirled, the wine settles quickly, leaving behind short, branching columns of skinny legs that move swiftly down the glass.

Smell – Bright and vibrant, with cherry, brambly raspberry, young strawberry, spiced blackberry with hints oak, forest floor and kola nut.

Feel – Soft and round on the attack. Then, quickly, the wine becomes softly weighty and mouth-filling, with a bright acidity that makes the mouth water. Supple tannins and a soft minerality give the wine a soft complexity.

Taste – Bright red cherry, earthy raspberry, bramble, young strawberry, dried red flower petals, subtle forest floor and kola nut.

Finish – Long, bright and mouthwatering, with flavors that start sweet and then go softly tart and softly spicy, with brown spice, chalky mineral and a hint of black pepper. At the very end, a soft dryness spreads to all corners of the palate, reminding you to take another flavor-filled sip.

Conclusion – Prepare to be impressed by this bright, juicy, delicious, approachable Pinot Noir! This is a juicy, bright and delicious wine that has plenty of flavor and character. Well-balanced, the bright red fruit is held in check by earthen components that make the wine complex – and interesting. Pair with a roasted chicken or a creamy pasta dish. Enjoy now, or lay some down for up to 5 more years. What ever you do, don’t miss out on this terrific wine!

Mission Report:

Sir Winston Churchill once said, “A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.” It is almost as if he were speaking about Churchill Cellars and their relentless pursuit of Pinot perfection.

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Anthony Austin

DATE OF BIRTH: November, 1951

PLACE OF BIRTH: Healdsburg, CA

WINE EDUCATION: B.S. Vit/Enology, University of CA, Davis Post grad with Andre Telistcheff.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Asst Winemaker, Simi, Healdsburg; Winemaker/V.P. Enology/Viticulture, Firestone Vineyard; Winemaker/General Partner, Austin Cellars; Winemaker/partner, Sonoma Coast Vineyards.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Guidance, not manipulation, nature, not technology.

SIGNATURE VARIETAL: Pinot Noir.

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: “Worlds best Chardonnay” MWLondon, 3 “Best of Show 3 years running (2 time “Best Red” , 1 time “best White”. Centeral Coast Wine Comp.) “Americas best Pinot Noir” , Wine and Spirits Buying Guide, 2Cordon Bleu Awards (only one other winery recieved 2) SoCal Wine and Food Society.

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: First work as Head Winemaker by age 23, and it just gets better, though now I am doing 500 case lots, not 25,000.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: Consumable art requires work on the part of the observer to truly enjoy. Preception requires focus.


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Anthony. We are thrilled to be showing your 2008 Churchill Cellars Two Vineyard Pinot Noir today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

ANTHONY: Thank you, Agent Red. It is great to be back with you.

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

ANTHONY: Not so much love of wine, rather LOVE of the ART of wine. Wine is many things, on many levels, a beverage, a food, and on that rare level, consumable art. Emote and it is art. So many wines are not that emotionally inspiring, many just beverages, and there is not enough there to “love”.

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

ANTHONY: Most about the Science, UCD, most about elevating wine from beverage status, Andre Telistcheff, and inspired and inspiring Winemaster who would not accept good as enough. Most about my expression as winemaker from the 30+ years as winemaker.

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

ANTHONY: Elegance is of utmost importance, balance is a requirement.

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

ANTHONY: See Andre Techelistcheff.

RED: I can’t tell you how many times we hear that! How long have you been making wine?

ANTHONY: First vintage as Winemaker, 1975

RED: Who do you make wine for?

ANTHONY: Foremost, myself, to be personally rewarding and artistically relevant, I am the first and only “conductor” to the wines, and therefore must have the freedom to realize the concept, vision, or interpretation of what that grape/barrel/billions of yeast and bacteria can work together to produce. The labels I make are CV, Sonoma Coast Vineyards, Clouds Rest Pinot Noir, Grandpa Moses Cabernet Sauvignon.

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

ANTHONY: The wine is a blend of two different vineyards. The Bella Sonoma Vineyard located near Cotati and my own Left Edge Vineyard located in Occidental. It was my vineyards first harvest.

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

ANTHONY: I would recommend paring the wine with duck, salmon or pork. It has a very nice minerality that is causes your mouth to water on the finish. So I think it is a really great food wine.

RED: Tell me, what makes the Sonoma Coast such a special place for Pinot Noir?

ANTHONY: Kosta Browne just won Wine of the Year with their 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. This recognition proves what I have been saying for a long time, that the best Pinot Noir fruit comes from the climatically challenged regions of the Sonoma Coast. That is why I moved back to Occidental from the Central Coast. I wanted to work with fruit from this region. I know this region will produce the best Pinots in the world.

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

ANTHONY: If you love it, do it, forget about trading dollars for your time.

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

ANTHONY: The 2011 wines are still aging in the barrels and we will probably start bottling the Sauvignon Blanc and Roses from 2011 in April. The 2010 Pinots we will bottle in September. I usually age my red wines about 18 months before bottling.

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

ANTHONY: “Everyday” to a winemaker is interesting. One of the great things about being a Winemaker is that “everyday” wine can and should be special.

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

ANTHONY: beverages should be opened and consumed. Art should be anticipated, approached to maximize the wines potential and expression. Great wines, young or old should be opened to “breath” if not outright decanted. Proper stemware a must. Spend time with the wines, and for Pinot Noir especially, get the largest glass and pour what you are going to enjoy at that sitting, let the wine develop and open and ripen in the glass over the time you can.

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!

ANTHONY: Thank you, Agent Red! Enjoy the Pinot!!

 

2007 Optima Wine Cellars Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

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Mission Codename: Oh, Seven!

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Optima Winery, a long-time Wine Spies Operative favorite. Procure their 2007 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, the fantastic successor to the previous vintages that we’ve showcased, here.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Optima Winery

Wine Subject: 2007 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Mike Duffy

Backgrounder: Today’s Cabernet Sauvignon comes to us from one of our favorite new wineries, Optima Winery, in Healdsburg. Grown in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley, today’s wine is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from select premium vineyard sources

The Alexander Valley AVA in northeast Sonoma County is located on the western side of the Mayacamas range and extends westward to the edge of the Russian River Valley. This appellation was formerly considered a part of Dry Creek Valley but became its own appellation in November 1984. The region is best known for exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.1984. The region is best known for exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Darkest black cherry hues, with a darker, inky core. At the edge of the glass, a line of fine burgundy runs a fine ring around the wine. When swirled, the has a dense and springy look. When the wine settles, skinny legs glide slowly down the glass.

Smell – Bold and lush, with black cherry, currant, dried mission fig, blackberry and spicy toasted oak. As the wine opens up, softer aromas of bramble, dried fall leaves, bramble, clove and dried red flower petals begin to emerge.

Feel – Crushed velvet on entry, then big and weighty as the wine settles onto the mid-palate. Gradually, the wine takes on a dry and darkly mineral feel as structured tannins add complexity.

Taste – Bold, dark and complex with bold black fruit out in front. Black plum, blackberry, spiced blueberry and dried current takes the lead. Beneath these are black cherry, toasted oak, spice, dried black flower petals and espresso bean.

Finish – Very long and vibrant, with black fruit gradually giving way to the secondary flavors. As the wine dries the palate, spice, soft oak and minerals emerge.

Conclusion – The 2007 Optima Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a bold and darkly delicious wine that delivers a rich, concentrated and complex Cabernet experience. The Alexander Valley is home to vineyards that are composed of gravel, clay, and volcanic soils – and Optima does a fantastic job of getting the most from their grapes from this region. 2007 has been such a stunning vintage, and today’s wine is richer, darker and more bold than many of the Cabs from this vintage. Enjoy this big boy Cab with a well-marbled, grilled to perfection, steak!

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Mike Duffy

DATE OF BIRTH: May 1959

PLACE OF BIRTH: Oregon

WINE EDUCATION: Graduate of UC Davis in Enology

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: When I finished my Enology degree from UCD in 1981, I was already employed as the Assistant Winemaker at Trefethen Vineyards in Napa Valley. “I was very motivated to earn my degree and start working after being a broke college student for so long. I moved to Field Stone as winemaker in 1988, studying under the legendary Andre Tchelistcheff. For nine years, I worked full-time at Field Stone, saving weekends to tend to my own fledging winery, Optima.

SIGNATURE VARIETAL: Cabernet Sauvignon


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Mike. I know how busy you are right now, so I really appreciate the opportunity to talk with you – if even for a few scant minutes, today.

MIKE: My pleasure, Agent Red.

RED: Tell me, was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

MIKE: Yes, I was raised around wine. My first job in High School was helping my parents, Bill and Della, at their wine shop, that is what sparked my interest. Later I played with making wine out of anything I could get out of my parents garden. I would take flats of strawberries, peaches and blackberries and craft them into wine. One time I even raided the rose bushes in the neighborhood so I could make a rose petal champagne

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

MIKE: UC Davis gave me an excellent technical background. It was the basis for my ability to solve problems when they arise. The experience of making wine came from getting in and getting dirty at my internship at Trefethen in 1980. That’s where it all came together for me. I have a unique work ethic and a strong mechanical background, both of which I have my father to thank for. Both those qualities served me well when I left the academic world and helped distinguish me from other classmates and co-workers.

RED: Great places to get your footing! What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

MIKE: Andre Tchelistcheff was the biggest influence on how I make Cabernet, and the greatest source of perspective, history and wine knowledge that I have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed. He approached the entire winemaking endeavor, from the vineyard in the spring, to harvest, and through barrel aging, as one integrated whole. I learned to take Alexander Valley Cabernet and to use its brilliant fruit as the basis for my wines. “Don’t bother making one of those huge Cabernets like many do in Napa, Mike. Anyone can make wines like those.” Andre would say. He inspired me to make a Cabernet that spoke to the virtues of Alexander Valley. A wine with an intense core of fruit and coco, balanced with vanilla and oak. Complex and powerful, yet subtle and soft. He also impressed on me the critical concept of not manipulating the wine, rather helping it become its best.

RED: You don’t know how many winemakers mention Andre as an influence! How long have you been making wine?

MIKE: Well one could say since I was a child but 2009 was my 30th harvest in Napa and Sonoma. I still enjoy the “seasonality” of winemaking.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

MIKE: I began making wine for my own creative satisfaction. I worked for several top wineries that produced Cabernet, and there was always some step in the process when I said to myself, “If this were my wine I would do this differently”. That need to satisfy my own creativity from beginning to end is why I started my own winery when I was 25. My approach to winemaking combines art and practicality. “I always liked the honesty and hard work of agriculture and to me, winemaking is the ultimate fusion of agriculture and art.

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

MIKE: Like I said, we are in the thick of Harvest and it feels great, this is one of my favorite times of the year. When things slow down I hope to continue working on some old cars that I am restoring. I know that the two sound dissimilar, but a restoration embodies some of the same qualities needed to make great wine. Patience, attention to detail, craftsmanship and pride. When you finish restoring an old car, people can appreciate the quality and craftsmanship just by looking carefully. Wine is the same, but you’ve got to pop a cork.

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

MIKE: I enjoy cooking; to me this is another form of taking an ingredient and using your creativity to make something incredible. My wife thinks I cook so well that she refuses to cook anymore. I love watching all of the cooking shows on TV, especially Iron Chef. I just can’t get enough, they are very inspiring.

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

MIKE: I enjoy drinking a dry Gewurztraminer from Sonoma County, Anderson Valley, or from the Alsace region of France. It’s a wonderful wine that you can drink alone or with Thai, Asian or Mexican food all of which I enjoy cooking and eating. The best examples have a depth and a perfume that is unbelievable.

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. Your Alexander Valley Cab is stupendous!

MIKE: Thanks, very much, Red. Now, back to the grapes!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of Alexander Valley vineyard where today’s exceptional wines was born can be seen in this satellite photo.

2006 Ottimino Estate Vineyard Zinfandel.

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Mission Codename: Lucky Number 8

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Ottimino, a smash hit with our Zinfandel-loving Operatives. This time around, infiltrate their private library – and secure a stash of their best library Zin.

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Ottimino

Wine Subject: 2006 Zinfandel Ottimino Vineyard – Russian River Valley

Winemaker: William Knuttel

Backgrounder: Zinfandel is often aptly namedCalifornia’s grape. Its history and lore and the wines that result are often the makings of legend. In this case, Starry Night’s winemaker selected the best old-vine grapes from a number of the Russian River’s best vineyards, many of which have been planted for nearly 100 years. The Russian 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. For today’s wine, Agent Red returns to Ottimino, to bring you their delicious, single vineyard Russian River Zinfandel, a wine that is bursting with flavor.

Zinfandel is related to the Italian Primitivo grape, tracing its origin to the Croatian grape Crljenak 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. Russian River Valley Zins, which are characterized by their bold flavors, are among the most popular wines with our Operatives.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Darkest garnet, with a dark and slightly opaque center. Coloration is evenly concentrated, right out to the burgundy edge of the wine. After swirling, skinny, wine-stained tears move down the glass in an achingly slow manner.

Smell – Lush and very fragrant, with sweet blackberry jam, dark cherry candy, blueberry pastry, blackberry bramble, cocoa dust and dried cherry. These are closely followed by sweet chocolate, sweet brown spice, soft oak and a hint of dried fall leaves.

Feel – Smooth, cool and light across the front-palate. Then, as it passed the mid-palate, it becomes gently grippy, plush and mouth-coating. A soft dryness then eases its way around the palate, leaving behind flint and bright spice. Structured medium tannins and balanced acidity contribute to the complexity of the wine.

Taste – Darker than the sweet nose would lead one to expect, this wine is still juicy, delicious and bursting with flavor. Earthen blackberry, black cherry juice, black plum, blueberry and dark chocolate lead the way. These delicious flavors are followed by black tea leaf, espresso bean, oak, brown spice and black pepper.

Finish – Ultra long and lingering, with dark fruit slowly giving way to the earthy components of dried leaves, oak and tea leaf. After these flavors tail off, minerals, spice and black pepper take longer to disappear.

Conclusion – Of all of the Ottimino Zinfandels we have showcased, this one is our very favorite! Their 2006 Ottimino Vineyard Zinfandel delivers true Russian River greatness, at a price that makes the wine even harder to resist. Sweet and juicy on the nose, this wine is a pleasure to simply inhale. Sip the wine and be pleasantly surprised to find that it drinks more darkly than the nose had suggested. The feel is plush, with a crushed-velvet appeal that our tasting panel really enjoyed. The more you spin this wine in the glass, the more it opens up, revealing additional aromas and flavors. Pair with zesty BBQ or a thick grilled steak with plenty of salt and pepper. A medium dark chocolate is also a delicious treat with this delicious Zin.

Mission Report: