2007 B Cellars Blend 25

Media_httpthewinespie_iwtma

Mission Codename: The Limitless

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Send Agent Red back to B Cellars, whose spectacular wines are made by all-start winemaker and winemaking favorite, Kirk Venge. Procure every last available case of their flagship red wine, their Blend 25, a wine made from some of the finest, ultra-premium vineyards in the Napa Valley. These include Stagecoach, Gorges III, Garvey, Williamson and others. the resulting wine is their most sought-after wine in their line-up.

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: B Cellars

Wine Subject: 2007 Blend 25

Winemaker: Kirk Venge

Backgrounder: Since we first featured the fantastic blends from B Cellars a few years ago our operatives have been clamoring for us to feature another vintage! The focus at B Cellars is blending. This is evident, not only among the B Cellars team, but also among their wines. Each wine, or potion, is a unique proprietary blend that highlights the strengths of each component varietal and balances with its other varietals. Today’s delicious selection is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Syrah. The blending of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah has become one of our most popular blends among our operatives and once you taste this wine, you’ll understand why they are so loved.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark garnet hues at the core, with concentrated color right out to the pretty burgundy edge. Wave after wave of chubby, wine-colored legs thin out as the move swiftly down the glass.

Smell – Lush blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and bramble mix with sweet spice, tobacco leaf, toasty vanilla, cured beef, black pepper and a hint of anise.

Feel – Full bodied and rich, right from the start, this wine becomes softly grippy at the center of the palate. Form there, a chewy feel seems to emanate outward, spreading a dark, mineral dryness as it grows. A lively acidity gives the wine a very balanced overall feel.

Taste – Dark and very rich, with overripe blackberry, black cherry and black plum with mocha, dried cherry, dried cranberry and cassis. As the wine opens, it reveals expanded follow-on flavors of dark chocolate, dark spice, dark tobacco leaf, dried meats and a hint of sage.

Finish – Extra long and loaded with dark, ripe fruit that takes a very long time to fade. As it fades, the wine leaves the mouth with a chewy coating of dried red and black fruit, spice, pepper and dark cocoa.

Conclusion – The 2007 B Cellars Blend 25 is a truly remarkable wine. We really enjoyed the previous vintages that we’ve featured here, but we are absolutely in love with this vintage. If you love dark, extracted, boldly delicious wines, please act quickly as this wine will sell out. We grabbed up every last case of this limited-production wine and when it is gone, it’ll be gone forever. Pair as you would a classic Napa Cabernet or a rich, fruit-driven Syrah. We paired this classy wine with a classic grilled burger, with all the fixings. This wine gets our heartiest Wine Spies recommendation!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the B Cellars Tasting Room can be seen in this satellite photo.

2009 Portalupi Wine Mendocino County Barbera

Mission Codename: Tradizione di Piemonte

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Secure an allocation of Portalupi’s prized Mendocino County Barbera.

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Portalupi Wines

Winemaker: Tim Borges

BackgrounderBarbera, the third most planted varietal (after Sangiovese and Montepulciano) in Italy finds its most classic expression in the Piedmont and specifically in Asti and the much smaller Alba region also finds an exceptional home in California’s Mendocino County.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark ruby red with glistening streaks of bright ruby when held to the light. A clear heart of dense ruby red and slightly more pale ruby edges. When swirled, randomly spaced fat legs hang on the side of the glass and broaden as they descend to the wine below.

Smell – Earthy red fruit including plum, red cherry and raspberry blend with notes of exotic spice and dark mineral notes. Ripe sweet fig and zesty tar components invite a sip.

Feel – Plush, generous and round on the initial attack. At mid palate with vibrant acidity and finely textured but firm tannins grasp hold and blend with a little heat from the spice and additional texture from the mineral components.

Taste – Bright and fresh red fruit including red cherry, raspberry and red plum blend with exotic and hot spice and a solid dark earthy minerality. Hot spicy pepper follows and is framed by the rich red fruit flavors

Finish – Long and lingering with plenty of red fruit, spice and earthy dark minerality lingering and the mouth drying tannins and vibrant acidity lasts and lasts.

Conclusion – The 2009 Portalupi Mendocino Barberais a delicious example of this Italian classic. Great red fruit on the nose and palate, fantastic acidity and minerality makes this wine perfect for food and a complex but approach feel will make this wine a crowd pleaser. Enjoy this wine now or for the next several years and pair it with any of your classic Italian recipes.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Tim Borges

WINE EDUCATION: Self-taught. Audited enology classes at Santa Rosa, Junior College

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: 1977-1985 self-employed wine retailer (Two Street Wine &Cheese); Self-employed wholesale wine broker (Western Wine Marketing); Amateur winemaker, 1986-2002; General manager site developer (Cosentino Winery, Russian Hill Estate Winery);
2002-present owner/winemaker, Portalupi Winery

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Avoid being a (J.A.W.) just another winery

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “If the wine you’re having causes you to do more thinking than drinking then it’s probably not for you.

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1987


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Tim. We are thrilled to be showing your 2009 Portalupi Mendocino Barberatoday. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

TIM BORGES: Great to be here with you and yourOperatives, Agent White!

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

TIM: Sharing a glass of Almaden French Colombard with my mother when I was a teenager

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

TIM: 3 wines inspired me, including a 1969 Chalone Pinot Noir Pinnacles Monterey County, a 1976 Montevina Barbera Special Selection Amador County, 1976 Carneros Creek Zinfandel Esola Vineyard Shenendoah Valley. As for winemakers, Mitch Cosentino, old Ying and Derek Irwin, young Yang.

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

TIM: For my friends!

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

TIM: The 2009 Barbera is classic Italian, D’Alba style. Unctous black mission fig,plum and subtle mushroom are the main flavor components, held together with great acidity and firm tannins the perfect match with rich Norther Italian cuisine.

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

TIM: A traditional smoked egg plant parmigiana!

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Mendocino such a special place for Barbera?

TIM: Northern interior Mendocino County(Redwood Valley) mimics the mother land of Piemonte,Italy where Barbera originates.Hot days during the growing season with cool evening breezes of the Coast Range similar to those from the Italian Alps also the similarity of slatey gravely soil which are similar in both Redwood Valley and the Asti and Alba regions of Piemonte.

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

TIM: Preparing to bottle 2010 Reds and 2011 whites and then getting everything tuned for 2012 harvest.

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

TIM: Think about a food that fits the wine, our wines are crafted to be enjoyed with all types of foods from Cheetos to braised lamb shank.

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

TIM: remember there’s no right or wrong to what wine you should drink. It’s all about what works for you. Also, remember the best wines come from great grape growers who deliver their grapes to great winemakers – who in turn make great wines.

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 Portalupi Wines tasting room can be seen in this satellite photo.

2009 Troubadour Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Codename: Oh, Occitania!

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: For our special Elite Operative Saturday, infiltrate Maroon wines, in the Napa Valley. Extract their Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – a true Napa Valley gem – and make it available at a Top Secret price.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Troubadour Cellars

Wine Subject: 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon – Napa Valley

Winemaker: Jason Moore

Backgrounder: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon continues to dominate as the leader in California red wine. For good reason, too, as Napa produces some of the richest and most delicious examples on the planet. Approachable, richly flavorful and deeply delicious, today’s wine shows off the winemaking skills of our long-time friend, Jason Moore. At a price that is hard to resist. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report to learn more about this fantastic Napa Cab.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Darkest burgundy, with a deeper, inky core. Rich magenta hues show at the edges of the wine, when sitting in the glass and when swirled. When the wine settles, tall, skinny, widely-spaced tears crawl downward from high up on the glass wall.

Smell – A rich rush of ripe blackberry, blueberry, and raspberry preserves leap from the glass. These full aromas are followed by candied black cherry, fresh red flower petals, dried red rose petals, cigar box, leather and a subtle hint of fresh fennel.

Feel – Soft, round and very silky at the tip of the tongue. The wine then coats the palate, gaining weight and dimension at the mid and back palate. A soft dryness spreads all around the palate, leaving behind a mineral-laden cracked pepper flavor.

Taste – Ripe, dark and bursting with flavor, this wine leads off with rich, overripe blackberry and blueberry jam. These are quickly joined by black cherry, tobacco leaf, cigar box, roasted Mission fig, black currant, flinty minerals, cracked pepper and softest brown spice.

Finish – Dark fruit sustains for a very long time. As fruit flavors fade, cedar and tobacco remain for even longer. At the tail end, when all of the fruit flavors have finally faded, the palate becomes dry and mineral and cracked pepper flavors persist until you take the next delicious sip.

Conclusion – The 2009 Troubadour Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic, bold and big Napa Valley Cabernet. With layers of flavor and an amazingly long finish, this wine is a delicious delight. A little tight, at first, this wine really opens up as you swirl it in your glass. If you perfer, just decant the wine for 30 minutes or more. Enjoy this complex and elegant wine with a hearty grilled steak or your favorite red meat dish. We enjoyed our sample bottles all on their own. Highly recommended, please don’t miss out on this special wine.

Mission Report:

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Napa Valley can be seen in this satellite photo.

Alberto Quacquarini Vernaccia di Serrapetrona Secco

Mission Codename: Scintillare Fresco Rosso

Operative: Agent Sparkle

Objective: Secure an exclusive Italian sparkler for our operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Alberto Quacquarini

Wine Subject: Vernaccia di Serrapetrona Secco DOCG

Backgrounder:

Produced in the Marche province of Macerata,Vernaccia di Serrapetrona Secco DOCG is primarily made from Vernaccia Nero grapes and sometimes has some Sangiovese and Ciliegiolo added. These rare and unique red sparkling wines can be made in form drysecco or semisweet to sweet. These wines undergo three fermentations that result in its spumantecharacter.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark ruby red with brighter ruby streaks that shine though this wine’s clear and effervescent heart when held to the light. Moderately persistent ruby tinged mouse when initially poured that descends to a slow stream of steady small bubbles. Pale ruby along the edges and when swirled, slow medium legs hand on the side of the glass.

Smell – Fresh, bright and youthful on the nose with aromas of red fruit including cherry and raspberry along with floral violets, slate minerals and herbal notes as well.

Feel – This dry wine has exceptional minerality that balances over the finely textured medium tannins and fresh acidity. Its effervescence adds to the vibrant and fresh. Medium-bodied, clean and crisp with itsspumante lingering on into the finish.

Taste – Fresh, sweet and tart flavors of fresh red fruit including red cherry, raspberry and red plum meld with slate minerality and the floral violet notes found on the nose. A touch of green herbs and medium hot and exotic spice adds depth and complexity to the fun wine.

Finish – Crisp and clean with a lingering minerality that supports its fresh red fruit flavors as the minerality, spice and floral notes linger on and on inviting another sip.

Conclusion – The Quacquarini Vernaccia di Serrapetrona Secco DOC is a clean, bright and very fresh with red sparkling spumante with plenty of character. Fresh red fruit, floral violets, subtle green herbs and fantastic minerality on the nose and palate and into the finish. This is a great wine to serve at any spring gathering_. Enjoy this wine right now as there is no reason to cellar this lovely fresh sparkler.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Macerata in Italy can be seen in this satellite photo.

1999 Renteria Cabernet Sauvignon

Media_httpthewinespie_asgce

Mission Codename: If you wish long enough…

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: After a two year hiatus, send Agent Red back to Renteria. Raid the winery’s stash of 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that was recently reported to be drinking brilliantly.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Renteria

Wine Subject: 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon – Napa Valley

Winemaker: Karen Culler

Backgrounder: Napa Valley is revered worldwide as the ultimate area in which to produce fine Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2006 vintage has produced some remarkable examples and we were lucky to get our spy-hands on today’s fine offering from our friends at Renteria. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and winemaker interview, below

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – With remarkable coloration, there is non of thebrickish quality that one might expect from an ‘aged wine’ like this. With beautiful crimson hues, throughout, the wine shows slightly darker at its core and only slightly lighter at the edges of the glass. Tall, plump tears start high up on the glass wall, before marching very slowly and very steadily downward.

Smell – On opening, this wine presents lush black cherry, rich ripe blackberry and dark tobacco. As it opens, it reveals such lively fruit, with notes of blueberry, currant, Rainier cherry and sweet plum. Under these, cigar box, flint, cocoa powder and dark anise round out the nose.

Feel – With a crushed velvet feel on entry, and then cool and light-weight at the mid-palate, this wine becomes quickly grippy and mouth-coating. Firm, medium tannins and a well-balanced acidity beautifully frame the fruit. Minerals feature at the end, along with hints of warm spice.

Taste – Rich and well layered, with delicious black fruit of sweet and tart plum, overripe blackberry, smoky blueberry, black cherry and cassis. These layer over sweet brown tobacco leaf, black tea leaf, brown spice, dried fall leaves and hints of dusty cocoa and dried earth.

Finish – Ultra-long, with fruit that takes a very long time to tail off. As the fruit fades, earthen characteristics ease their way in as a chewy, mineral laden dryness slowly encroaches.

Conclusion – Today’s spectacular 1999 Renteria Cabernet Sauvignon – Napa Valley is a remarkable wine that absolutely floored us with its bold, delicious fruit and perfect aromatics. There is a surprising amount of fruit and color in the wine, letting us know that the wine was aged tenderly and to perfection. This is an aged wine, so some flavors fade from some points on the tongue faster than they do on others, which was an endearing, learning experience quality. Overall, this wine is gorgeous and just perfect. The only ‘problem’ that we had with the wine is that the winery has less of it left than we thought. We are making every last case available to you, but you have to act quickly. We will sell out. Drinking beautifully, now, we think that the wine is near its peak. We’ll hold onto a bottle for a few more years, though, just for fun! Get it while you can, and… enjoy!

Mission Report:

Presented for your reading enjoyment, what follows is our original mission to Renteria:

With harvest nearing, I was only able to observe the Renteria family at work in their estate vineyards. This time of year, it is difficult to have a sit-down with most winemakers. Rather than go undercover using an assumed identity to gather intel, I decided to visit the winery to learn what I could from other on-site staffers.

My contact at the winery gave me a leisurely tour, detailing for me the rich history of the Renteria family and their love of growing the grapes that make up some of the finest wines in the world.

The family itself now owns 53 acres of vineyards in Napa and is planting 27 more. In 1997 they launched their own Renteria label and today produce 1,800 cases annually of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

While taking our tour, Oscar Renteria, who now runs the family business, gave a quick wave and a smile. As we watched him speaking animatedly with his workers, it was obvious that this was a man who was passionate about his business and about wine.

The site where the family is building its winery and wine caves is stunningly beautiful. While construction only just began this summer, it is clear that this will be a wonderful destination for wine lovers.

A trip to the makeshift tasting room after our tour was a perfect way to retreat from the heat of the Napa summer afternoon. Inside I learned more about the family history and about the love that ties this particular winemaking family to each other and to the earth that they farm.

With the help of consulting winemaker, the famous Karen Culler, Renteria is producing some fantastic wines. Of particular note to me was their Knittel Vineyard Pinot Noir, a great Pinot that is simultaneously a classic example and a tasty interpretation, born of a rich winemaking history, modern growing and production techniques, and, oh yeah, lots of love.

Winery Background Check:

While it is not uncommon to find tenth-generation winemakers throughout Europe, America is too young a country for this to be possible.

Today in this country, there are a small handful winemakers whose families are becoming multi-generational artisan winemakers.

45 years ago, a young Salvador Renteria arrived in California from Mexico. He began work as a field laborer and worked his way quickly to vineyard supervisor. After years spent developing his own planting techniques, he got the attention of major wine producers like Beaulieu Vineyards, Clos Pegase, Cuvaison and Silverado – and went to work planning and planting these now famous vineyards.

Salvador went on to found his own vineyard management company where he put his love of the business to work as he managed some of the largest and most successful vineyards in the Napa Valley.

Salvador’s son, Oscar, grew up in the vineyards alongside his father, learning the family business from top to bottom. In 1993, Oscar took over management of the company and carried forth the traditions and the love of wine production that his father imbued him with. Working with select vineyards in Napa Valley and Sonoma’s Russian River, Renteria still grows world renowned grapes for clients that include William Selyem, Robert Mondavi Winery, Caymus, Rombauer and Duckhorn. By combining practical, generational field knowledge with innovative trials and experimentation, the Renteria family has found a balance which allows them to grow the finest grapes possible.

Winemaker Profile:

Karen Culler started her winemaking career as a child, making homemade wine with her father and grandfather in Ohio. Her job was to destem the clusters by hand.

Many years later she attended the University of California at Davis to get her Master’s Degree in Viticulture and Enology (grapes and wine). After graduating from UC Davis in 1984, she started a 6 month internship at Robert Mondavi Winery in their Research Department. Six months turned into two years and when Robert Mondavi purchased Vichon Winery, Karen joined Vichon as Assistant Winemaker in 1986. In 1989, she became Winemaker.

In 1996 started her own label, Culler Wines, and began producing her well respected wines with the harvest of 1997. She also consults as winemaker to various other wineries in Napa Valley, such as Renteria, Wolf Family Vineyards, Ladera, and Rivera.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The Knittel vineyard is located in a prime site, south of Highway 12 on Los Carneros Road on the Napa side of Carneros. An experimental vineyard, it was planted by Renteria Vineyard Management in 1997. It has all of the aspects of a perfect Pinot Noir vineyard: planted on an east facing, gentle hillside on clay soils in a cool microclimate to five different Pinot Noir clones. The different clones not only add complexity but also impart various sensory components to the wine. Clone 115 is the largest block and adds depth and tannin structure. The Dijon clones 667 and 777 give the wine’s aroma the higher fruit tones, while the complexity and “spice” flavors come from the California selections, Calera and Swan.

The approximate location of Renteria’s Carneros Knittle Vineyard can be seen in this satellite photo.

The location of the Renteria winery can be seen in thissatellite photo

2006 Axis Cellars Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Mission Codename: On Axis

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to multi-year favorite, Arimda Winery. Secure their newest single vineyard Castelli-Knight Ranch Pinot Noir for our Pinot-loving Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Axis Cellars

Wine Subject: 2006 Pinot Noir – Russian River Valley

Backgrounder:

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 ideal for growing Pinot Noir. The Russian River Valley in Sonoma is particularly well suited to producing exceptional 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 – With a core of pure clear ruby. Color is evenly concentrated, until the very edge of the wine, where it transitions from ruby to terracotta to a lovely pink hue, to almost clear at the meniscus.

Smell – Deep red cherry, spiced raspberry candy, bramble and earthy aromas just jump from the glass. As the wine breaths, aromas of hard cracked leather, flinty gunpowder, black cherry, soft cedar and a hint of toasty vanilla appear.

Feel – Soft, cool and light on initial entry. Then, the wine gives a tender bite at the mid-palate, introducing a medium body and a little added complexity. A slight, flinty dryness spreads from the rear of the palate, forward. Bright acidity drives the sweet fruit to the corners of the palate.

Taste – Black cherry, juicy raspberry, cranberry and Bing cherry are in the forefront. Just behind, follow dark chocolate with pepper, bramble and hints of mineral, cedar, black tea leaf and cigar box.

Finish – Very long and clean with sweet fruit that slowly fades to earthy spice and woody components.

Conclusion – Really delicious, with great fruit and a big nose, this delightful wine was a terrifically pleasant surprise. A little shy at first, once it opens up, this2006 Axis Cellars Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a terrific and very juicy wine. Swirl or decant for best results. We recommend swirling, so that you can witness the progression from shy and restrained toexpressive, juicy and delicious. The Russian River Valley has become such a special place for Pinot Noir and today’s wine delivers a true representation of the regions unique terroir. Well structured, bright and with a lively acidity, this is a wine that is really well-suited to being paired with a fine meal. Enjoy now or for the next couple of years.

Mission Report:

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Russian River Valley can be seen in this satellite photo.

2005 Alderbrook Winery Confluence Zinfandel/Syrah Blend

Mission Codename: Rivers Crest

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: After more than a three year absence from our pages, send Agent Red back to Alderbrook Winery, in the Dry Creek Valley, where their library is rumored to be holding back some remarkable wines. Infiltrate their private stash and retrieve their best Library selection for our deserving Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Alderbrook Winery

Wine Subject: 2005 Confluence Zinfandel – Syrah Blend

Winemaker: Bryan Parker

Winery Backgrounder: 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.

The popularity of Syrah is undeniable. Big and bold in flavor and texture, it packs a concentrated punch of flavor that many people love. This Rhone varietal, although many believe that the grape originated in the Persia region, is 100% French in lineage. The Syrah grape is directly descended from the Monduese Blanche and Dureza varietals and is grown worldwide with great success.

Today’s wine is a delightful blend of both Zinfandel and Syrah, delivering a delicious delight with original flavors, deep aromatics and a fine mouth feel.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Darkest garnet hues, with a darker heart. Coloration is perfectly even, from edge to core. When swirled, tall, skinny legs descend from high on the glass wall. They carry the garnet color of the wine as they move slowly down the glass.

Smell – Sweet and warm, aromatic and lush, with smoky cherry, raspberry, blackberry and warm spice. Just beneath these, bramble, cassis, bitter chocolate, subtle cinnamon, violets and pepper round out the nose..

Feel – Bright and light-weight, up front, then grippy on the edges of the palate. As the wine airs out, it gains in complexity and body. Fine, integrated tannins give the wine a softly plush feel and bright acids provide a great counterpoint that drives flavors to the far corners of the mouth.

Taste – Blackberry, Bing Cherry and dried cranberry are the initial flavors to present themselves. As the wine opens, additional flavors keep appearing, including Black cherry, sweet brown spice, dark chocolate, sweetwoods, slate and hints of star anise and cracked pepper.

Finish – This wine finishes long, with a pronounced, sustained Bing cherry flavor that persists long after other fruit flavors have dwindled.

Conclusion – A little shy at first, this wine comes to life as you spin it in the glass – or after about 30 minutes of decanting. As it airs out, fruits become more authentic and flavorful, delivering additional energy and delight. Fruit flavors really come to life and aromas take on new dimension, making each successive sip and inhalation more of a delight than the last. With plenty of fruit and medium-high acids, this is a fantastic summertime BBQ wine. This wine gets our hearty Wine Spies recommendation!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the beautiful Alderbrook Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Jason-Stephens Winery Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Codename: The Perfect Pairing

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Infiltrate Jason-Stephens Winery, on California’s Central Coast, and retrieve their fabled 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Jason-Stephens Winery

Wine Subject: 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – Santa Clara Valley

Winemaker: Jason Goelz

Backgrounder: The Santa Clara Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located along the western boundary of the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountain range. While there are dozens of famous wineries, here, the amount of acreage under vine has gradually dwindled as Silicon Valley’s own footprint has grown. Wines from this unique region are some of the most sought-after Central Coast wines.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep and foreboding, with dark garnet hues that grow darker through the clear, deep core of the wine. At the edge of the glass, the wine shows soft ruby hues. When spun, fat, wine-stained tears from low on the glass wall. they take a long time to emerge, and a longer time to move downward.

Smell – Lush and dark, with a rush of black cherry and blackberry that just leap from the glass. As the wine opens up (spin well for best results), it reveals dark raspberry, sweet tobacco leaf, fennel, cassis, cocoa dust, pepper and a hint of cedar.

Feel – Initially soft, this wine becomes almost instantly grippy, coating the palate with a plush chewiness that spreads from the edges of the palate, inward. A spreading dryness follows, accompanied by soft minerals and a hint of bright pepper.

Taste – Black cherry juice, blackberry and black plum present themselves at the tip of the tongue. As the wine settles onto the palate, tobacco, smoky blueberry, lightly burnt Mission fig, dried violets and sweet cedar follow.

Finish – Medium long with sweet dark fruit that gradually yields to tart fruit – and then dried black flowers, smoky fig and flinty minerals, with a hint of black pepper at the tail end.

Conclusion – The 2007 Jason Stephens Winery Estate Cabernet Sauvignon really took our tasting panel by surprise. It is an approachable, easy to drink wine with Classic Cabernet flavors. Intriguingly, it has a character uniquely its own. Where we have been so used to giant Napa Cabernet and some lighter-hearted Sonoma County examples, this wine expresses a feel and a melange of flavors that are likely due to the unique terroir of the Santa Clara Valley. While this bears further investigation (look for more interesting wines from the region, later this year) we encourage you to explore right along side us, by trying this tasty, slightly austere wine

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Jason Stephens Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Ottimino Estate Vineyard Zinfandel

Media_httpthewinespie_hccvx

Mission Codename: Eights full of Aces

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Ottimino, a smash hit with our Zinfandel-loving Operatives. This time around, secure a stash of their 2007 Estate Zinfandel, a stunning wine from the best vintage on record in 10 years (96-Points, Robert Parker, Jr.).

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Ottimino

Wine Subject: 2007 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 – Dark ruby hues, throughout, with a clear and slightly darker core. After spinning the wine, tall, thin, wine-colored legs move slowly down the glass.

Smell – Full and bursting with dark fruit, this wine presents lush blackberry, black cherry and brambly raspberry out in front. As thee wine opens up, it also reveals cocoa, leather, Bing cherry, black plum and softly toasted oak.

Feel – Velvet-smooth on entry and then grippy and plush with a light crushed velvet feel that leads to a soft spreading dryness that begins at the edges of the palate, and then spreads inward.

Taste – Black cherry, blackberry, smoky plum, bramble, braised mission fig and forest jam take center stage, presenting as sweet at the front of the palate and then deliciously, mouthwateringly tart at the mid-palate. After spinning the wine for a spell, it opens up, revealing softly toasted oak, dark strawberry, black pepper and hints of fresh herbs, dark leather and forest jam.

Finish – Medium-long with dark fruit gradually yielding to earthen flavors of dried leaves, minerals and black pepper.

Conclusion – Welcome back, Ottimino! We always love Ottimino’s Zin’s. So, too, do our Operatives, who snap them up in record numbers. Ottimino Zinfandels are among our most popular and today’s wine reminds us why; Ottimino lives Zinfandel, making it their focus – and their passion. Today’s 2007 Ottimino Zinfandelcomes from the winery’s own Ottimino Vineyard, in the Russian River Valley. This wine is smooth, delicious and abundant. Somewhat austere at first, this wine comes to life as you swirl and swirl in the glass. We prefer this approach to decanting, as you get to experience the transformation that the wine undergoes. Shy and a little reserved, in the beginning, flavors and aromas are enhanced with every spin. Delicious all on its own, we paired ours with a warm spinach salad with truffle oil, goat cheese – and a fried egg on top!

2009 Huntington Wine Cellars Alexander Valley Costello Vineyards Chardonnay

Media_httpthewinespie_cjfke

Mission Codename: Along the Precipice

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Visit our friends at Huntington Wine Cellars and return with an allocation of their esteemed 2009 Alexander Valley Costello Vineyards Chardonnay.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Huntington Wine Cellars

Wine Subject: 2009 Alexander Valley Costello Vineyards Chardonnay

Backgrounder:

Chardonnay is arguably the greatest of all white grape varietals, showing its influence in the legendary sparkling wines of Champagne, the great whites ofBurgundy and of course its expression as ’the’ white wine of California. Chardonnay represents over 50% of the planted white grapes in California with nearly 100,000 acres planted. With such a great number of wines made from this grape, it stands to reason that finding wines of immense quality would be hard, but look no further. Today’s selection from Rodde Family Vineyards is a richly delicious wine with plenty of character.

Winemaker:

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Bright and slight pale straw yellow in color that lightens just slightly along the edges. Long, medium thick legs with fat heads slowly sink to the wine below

Smell – Fresh and bright aroma of orchard fruit including tart apple, pear and citrus along with some tropical fruit as well lead you in and are accompanies by notes of toasted nuts and a hint of smoke, white pepper spice and orange blossom and white floral hints.

Feel – This medium-to-full bodied white is smooth and creamy on the palate with well developed tannins and balanced acidity. This wine’s soft minerals and spice hit at mid palate and linger into the finish.

Taste – Fresh and bright, lead by green apple, a mixed citrus fruit along with a touch of tropical fruit. Soft and round creaminess with a touch of toasted nuts, soft spice and pepper, slate minerals and the redolent floral notes from the notes give add texture and complexity.

Finish – Medium long in length with the apple, citrus and tropical fruit lingers and is followed by tartness provided by the acidity and a touch of spice. As the fruit fades the toasted and nutty flavors continue on and on.

Conclusion – The 2009 Huntington Wine Cellars Alexander Valley Costello

Vineyards Chardonnay is a bright a fresh with a lovely aromatic character and a fantastically balanced mouth feel. Aromas and flavors of green apple, citrus that blend with spice, floral notes and toasted nuts and oak provides depth and complexity. A great wine to enjoy as the days become longer and warmer. Pair this with pan-seared scallops or grilled shrimp.

Mission Report:

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of Huntington Wine Cellarscan be seen in this satellite photo.