Wine by the Glass

I am traveling for the Easter Holiday. One afternoon my wife and I went to the lobby bar for a quick drink. My first choice will always be wine so I glance at the wine list and settle on a name I am familiar with 'Rutherford Ranch'. There are many issues I have with wine by the glass but I will start with my two largest.

First, for a bottle I know costs $24 retail at the store they were charging $11 a glass. Assuming they pour 4 glasses they make double the retail price of the wine. I have heard the argument that you have to add overhead for glasses and waitstaff but the bartender had no knowledge of the wine nor was the generic 4oz glass.

Second, I proceeded to ask how long the wine has been open and what is the policy, in days, for removing a wine from the shelf. After two ambiguous answers including "a few days" and "when it is bad" I determined for this markup I was potentially paying $11 for an oxidized wine that is not removed until someone complains. I fail to understand how this type of 'service' justifies such an incredible markup.

I ended up with a Sweetwater Brewery Brown Ale which was excellent and only $4.

How do you feel about wine service by the glass?

Long Island North Fork Trip Part 4

The last stop on our tour of the North Fork was Roanoke Vineyards. I have to admit I walked into and out of the tasting room at least twice before I stopped to taste. I prefer to avoid the crowds, especially at the end of the day, and Roanoke's location at the end of the wine trail (west) means it is a great last stop.

Finally we were able to stop in when it was not crowded and after the first sip I immediately regretted not stopping in sooner. It is hard to compare them to any other wine except to say Cabernet was meant to grow on the Roanoke Vineyard. Roanoke is also known for its Gabby's Franc, which has achieved cult like status on the North Fork.

They offer a white, red, mixed and member flight. The red fight highlights what they do best, Cabernet and Cabernet based blends. The Blend One and Blend 2 (in which 2008 are the final vintages to be replaced by Prime Number) are Cabernet and Cabernet Franc blends that are on par with any Bordeaux blend. They show the combination of structure, finesse and fruit. The Blend 2 is 50% Cabernet Franc which is supported in structure by the Cab and Merlot, while the Blend One is 75% Cabernet with equal parts Merlot and Franc to round out the mouth feel. If you have a friend or colleague who doubts how great Long Island wine can be bring him or her a bottle of the Blend One.

Roanoke also celebrates Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Merlot as single varietals. The Cabernet Franc has two offering, Gabby's and Roanoke Cabernet Franc.

The tasting room and wine's should be a must stop and not just for the fact it is on the way home. Roanoke has quickly become one of benchmarks for high quality on the North Fork

Recommendation - A must stop for the red wine and red wine blends.

What I Drank - 03/24/2013

I enjoy retrying wines from places that I have visited but almost forgotten about due to the length of time since the last taste. It is almost like a reintroduction to an old friend. I first visited Anaba in May of 2009 during the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers event. The winery is located right off 121 in Sonoma not far from Cline and Ravenswood. The winery is an old farmhouse that is small and quaint. The real standout of the tasting room is the outdoor deck that overlooks the vineyards. It is the perfect place to end your day if you are in the Carneros region of Sonoma. Although my wife would counter that Gloria Ferrer is the ideal place to end the day and truthfully neither option is incorrect.

An offer from WTSO crossed by email for 4 bottles of Anaba Pinot Noir 2010 Sun Chase Vineyard Sonoma Coast which was rated 91 points by James Laube of Wine Spectator. I normally do not buy on rating alone but I remember liking the Pinot at Anaba (another post on taking notes during wine tasting in the future) and my palate tends to agree with Mr. Laube so I bought the offering.

We had our friends over for Sunday dinner and opening two bottles with the chicken and vegetables seemed like the perfect choice.
The front palate had notes of chocolate covered cherries and red fruit. The mid palate pushes the cherry and fruit notes to the back as hints of dark chocolate with a touch of oak coat the middle of the mouth. The strongest and best part of the wine was the finish which has a unique sweet earthiness. The earth in the finish gives the wine a long finish that leaves you wanting another sip.

Recommendation: A great wine that changes character at each point in the both making for a complex and enjoyable wine. Sold-out on the website.

***Editor's Note - this wine was purchased on WTSO.COM***

Deciding What to Drink

How do you decide what to wine to open? Does the temperature drive your decision towards white over red. Does your weeknight wine differ from what you would open on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Do you decide which wine to drink based on what food you are preparing.

I have an internal struggle most nights on what to open. I do not have the most diverse cellar-mine consists mostly of Napa Cabernet, Sonoma Pinot (RRV, Sonoma Coast, etc), Napa Merlot and Long Island North Fork. Some weeks I can through "kicks" where I will drink exclusively one varietal or another. Some nights it depends on how long the wine needs to decant, e.g. if I ample time to prepare a young Cabernet. Sometimes my decision is based on which wine will last for 2 or 3 days in the bottle, despite what wineries say not all wines are created equal in this category.

To add one more thought, if 20% or more of your bottles cannot be opened on any occasion (e.g. a Tuesday or Saturday or if you alma mater is playing in the NCAA tournament) than you may want to reconsider your buying habits.

Auction Buying

Tonight I am drinking 2005 Favia Cerro Sur. The wine on the mailing list is $125. At Spectrum Wine action I was able to get 6 bottles of Cerro Sur for $225 plus fees and shipping which brought the sum total to 299.95. This is the equivalent of two bottles plus shipping from the mailing list.

Auction buying has some great advantages such as being able to buy hard to find wines. Even better, in my example above, being able to buy hard to find wines (or mailing list only wines) at well below retail value.

Auctions are not always the best value as you have the buyers percentage (at Spectrum 19.5% of the final bid value) and the shipping cost. Plus buying directly from the winery is the only way to ensure the wine was properly stored, this is important of older wines.

I view the auction sites for mostly values but I have used them to buy hard to find second labels (Bond -Matriarch and Harlan-Maiden for example). I have also used them as value 'steals' for Nickel and Nickel, Favia and Palmaz to name a few.

The difficult part of auction buying is once you buy a great wine at a great price it is often hard to turn around and pay full price (especially if the wine exceeds $100) or waiting 3 years to get on the mailing list.

Does Auction buying effect your perspective when buying bottles you really enjoy at retail price?

Oak Influence

Toast, Chocolate and Vanilla are some of the nuances in wine that denote the use of oak. We will ignore in this post the wineries that use oak chips or oak powder. I prefer to discuss oak in terms of oak barrels. Oak barrels come in many types, but that main component of the oak barrels are region (French, Missouri, Hungarian) and toast (light, medium, medium plus, heavy). The majority of barrels I have seen in Napa Valley are French and M or M+ toast. The higher end wineries will use new french oak barrels once ($1200-$2000 a barrel) for Cabernet and after three or more uses the barrel is considered neutral oak which is used for chardonnay or even Sav Blanc.

Our lower end wineries use oak mainly to hide the over ripeness of the grapes or the lack of complexity from high yields. Oak should be used to enhance the wine and should be done in balance, much like alcohol levels or tannin.

One winery that prides itself on its innovative us of oak is Del Dotto Winery of St. Helena. They will take grapes from the same vineyard, same blend and put it in many different types of oak. If you doubt the influence oak can have over a wine then you should take the wine tour at Del Dotto. I have had Rutherford Cabernet in both French and American oak that tasted like two distinct wines that you would never know came from the same vineyard.

How do you feel about oak?

What I drank 3/18/13

Hall Wines is consistently one of my favorite wineries. There Cabernet's show exceptional dark fruit notes, strong tannin and the dryness that you expect from a high end Cabernet.

The 2010 HALL "Ellie's" Cabernet Sauvignon deviates from that path a little bit. Showing the signature dark fruit this wine is very soft and approachable. What differentiates it from other Hall Artisan offerings is the structure that carries the fruit to the mid palate. In the case of the 2010 HALL "Ellie's" Cabernet Sauvignon the dark fruit hits the palate immediately is carried to the mid palate where black candy notes take over. The finish is medium in length that does coat the entire mouth.

Hall wines, especially the Artisan collection, typically represent dark fruits and and rich tannin. The 2010 HALL "Ellie's" Cabernet Sauvignon falls short of the rich tannin and power but freely expresses itself with unmistakable dark fruit from beginning to end.

Recommendation - If you prefer a more approachable Napa Valley Cabernet, with softer tannin and big dark fruit notes, this is your wine. If you buy Hall for its rich and velvety tannin then another Hall offering is the better option.

***Editor's Notes - This wine was purchased via the wine club with discount's available to all wine club members***

What I Drank - 03/19/2013

Sea Smoke is regarded as one of the premier Pinot Noir producers in the US. I have been on the Sea Smoke mailing list for two vintages. Tonight I tasted 2010 Sea Smoke 'Southing' Pinot Noir. It is one of the three single vineyard designate bottling from Sea Smoke. It is the first wine that is available to new mailing list members. I give each wine I buy from a well known producer two vintages. I was not in love with the 2009 enough to stay on the wine list but adhering to my rule I purchased the 2010 'Southing' to give it second chance.

The 2010 Sea Smoke 'Southing' Pinot Noir is distinct in its complexity. True to California it has potent berry notes in the front palate, the mid palate has subtle tannin that carry secondary notes of raspberry and cola to the extremely long finish. Yet despite the fruit and cola notes this wine is very balanced and even refined. This wine is perfectly balanced and has a finish that coasts the tongue for more than 40 seconds.

The 2010 vintage of 'Southing' (and my only bottling of Sea Smoke) proves why Sea Smoke deserves its place among the grand cru Pinot producers in California.

Recommendation - Minimum two years wait time on the wait list. At $59 it is also well priced compared to comparable "cult" Napa Cabernets. Worth the time if you have the patience.

***Editor's Note - I bought this wine at market price as part of the mailing list***

Liquor privatization in PA

The Big news from Harrisburg today was that the a bill discussing the privatization of PA wine/liquor store has made it to the house floor. The bill started with Gov. Corbett and his proposal to have all the 600 state controlled liquor stores transferred to the private sector. After partisan non-sense the bill, with a few amendments, actually made it to the house floor where a vote will take place in the coming week or two. This is the furthest a bill to open up PA liquor/wine sector through PA legislature in many years and a positive step for the PA wine industry.

What does this all mean for us, the wine lovers of PA. We can hope for more diversity in our wine selections. We should be able to now expect knowledgeable owners and employees. And maybe this can lead to opening the borders for direct shipping.

Allowing organic growth of the wine community would benefit the state in terms of tax revenue. For the foodie this could improve the below wine list offerings at many restaurants. If the wine lists become half as diverse as the beer selections we are in for some major treats.

The main benefit of this bill would be that the citizens of the Commonwealth can enjoy the same freedoms as Americans in 44 other states. Philadelphia is the 5th largest city in the US and Pittsburgh ranks in the top 61 so the potential for growth is enormous. The opening of Pennsylvania would aid the emerging wine markets of the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic regions including Long Island, Virginia, Finger Lakes and New Jersey. Reciprocal shipping agreements could also benefit our local wine industry.

Unfortunately our elected representatives have decided that parties lines are more important than what is best for our Commonwealth and its citizens. This is not a political blog nor will it ever be, but do we really need the state to tell us what wines we can drink. That is why we have Robert Parker and James Laube.

How do you feel?

Wine and Indian Food

I am not a huge fan of pairing wine with food. When I am tasting a wine one of my judging criteria for purchase is the wine's ability to stand alone. I am well aware that this is a new world wine bias as many French and Italian wines can transform with the appropriate foods. But we will save the general discussion for another post.

Pairing wine with Indian food provides a number challenges. The first is the spice as spice an overwhelm your taste buds. Second, in line with the first, are the other spices that do not provide heat but also can overwhelm the senses including coriander, ginger, star anise, cumin, mustard, mint and many others. Lastly is the sauces which can vary from sweet to savory.

I typically eschew red wines. I find Cabernet fights with the spices and Pinot is much to delicate and becomes lost on the palate. When picking from the wine fridge I lean in one of two directions, Viognier or Sauvignon Blanc.

I like the acidity that Sauvignon Blanc brings to the table. I find Sauvignon Blanc without any oak influence compliments many of the sauces in Indian. The acidity also holds up well against the heat and the apple/melon notes compliment the Christmas spices.

Viognier is a choice if I know we will be having Tikka Masala or Saag. The honeysuckle and slight new French oak use of Darioush's Viognier provide a rich finish that marries well to the richness of the dishes.

Typically our "go-to" white wine for Indian is Sauvignon Blanc. What are your choices?

UFC Wine Pairing Part 2

My wife and I cannot always agree on wine. What we can always agree on is a good Pinot Noir specifically a Sonoma Pinot Noir. Walt is owned and operated by Kathryn Hall Napa Valley. Prior to Kathryn Hall the label was known as Roessler. I did not drink Roessler prior but the Walt label holds true to the same high standards as that of Hall Napa Valley.

The Walt 2010 La Brisa Sonoma County is made in the more refined California Pinot Noir Style. The fruit, spice and earth notes are quite prevalent in the mid palate. The front palate shows chewy-firm tannin. The finish is mid length with cherry cola notes.

Recommendation - For those who prefer a refined style Pinot.

***Editor's Note - Walt wine was purchased via wine club with no discounts***

UFC 158 Wine Pairing

When most people think of the UFC deciding what wine to open does not come to mind. I am a huge UFC fan and when I am paying 54.99 to sit on my couch for four hours I always pair the PPV with one of my must have wines. For 158 I decided to open (and decant) RUDIUS 2009 PANEK VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON. Rudius is only open to the mailing list and I typically buy only one bottle of Panek vineyard a year. I typically do not like to buy only one bottle due to the fact if you misjudge when to open a wine you do not have a second chance.

I took a risk (I prefer my Napa wines young) and opened the RUDIUS 2009 PANEK VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON. After 30 minutes in the decanter I poured my first glass. Usually 30 minutes is not enough time to mellow the tannin but this wine was very approachable. Typically approachable can mean "run the other way" but not for this wine. The oak is very noticeable in the front palate but quickly gives way to cherry and dark fruit. The tannin structure holds the fruit through the mid palate. The finish is long and coats the tongue. The finish would benefit from the wine spending more time in the decanter.

The list of complex high end Napa Valley Cabernet's is long but Rudius deserves a seat at the table.

Recommendation - It is unlikely you will find this in your local wine store, it is not carried in PA, but it is worth a part of your spring allocation. For those in PA it means having someone in NY or another neighboring state that you can trust to hold your wine.

***Editor's Note - I bought this wine as part of the mailing list with no discounts***

What I Drank - 3/14/2013

As a business traveler getting time to sit down and enjoy a bottle of wine can be a challenge. Last Night I went to the wine store to share a bottle of wine in the hotel lobby with some colleagues. Due to the time of night most wine stores were closed so my selection was limited to what Safeway Supermarket offered. I settled on the 2009 Gary Farrell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($44).

The Pinot is in the fruit forward California style. The front palate has notes of strawberry and ripe raspberry with a big mouth feel. The wine holds strong through the mid palate and the finish displays subtle secondary tobacco notes.

Recommendation - A good social wine to share that does not require focus to understand its nuances. Low QPR ratio yet one of the better wines you will find in a supermarket- which is a foreign concept to my local PA residents.

Decanting

In 2010 Matt Kramer made a statement that profoundly altered my approach to drinking wine at home.
He stated "...I’m prepared to say that one of the truths of wine is that pretty much all wines, red or white, young or old, are better if decanted." -from (http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/42838)

I gravitate towards younger Napa Valley Cabernet and Sonoma Pinot both which benefit from a few hours in the decanter. This allows them to open up and show their true character. Decanting these wines are almost a necessity.

But what about older wines or other regions.
Most of the red wine from the North Fork is approachable right outside the bottle but some decanting allows the secondary notes to show.
I find old world wines (especially older Bordeaux) that are decanted have to be consumed rather quickly as the optimal drinking window fades after 60 minutes.
Oregon Pinot, especially younger Pinot from Eola-Amity, express beautiful fruit and earth after 30 minutes in the decanter.

The general rule of thumb in my house is all red wines are decanted.

What decanting practices do you follow?

Long Island North Fork Trip Part 3

If you turn on right Peconic Lane from County Road 48 a few small buildings will appear almost immediately on your right. Inside two of those buildings house the The Winemaker Studio. The Winemaker Studio "is a cooperative tasting room in Peconic New York, featuring Long Island winemakers and their current releases for tasting and for purchase. In an intimate setting in the heart of the North Fork Wine Country we offer a broad range of wines and wine styles showcasing the local vineyards, wineries, and winemakers."

We arrived at The Winemaker Studio and took up a space at the bar. The The Winemaker Studio has a number of tables and also offers local beer and spirits. But we arrived to taste wine. The offerings are a la carte and each taste ranges from $2-$4.

The list of wines are from producers such as Anthony Nappa, T'Jara, Suhru and Leo Family to name a few.

I tasted the following
2007 T'Jara Merlot
-A typical high end Long Island Merlot. Soft subtle tannin with bright fruit and a medium finish. It delivers as advertised.

2010 dieci from Anthony Nappa
-The dieci is one of the best wines I have ever tasted from the North Fork. It is the symbol of what North Fork wines can achieve. This wine had beautiful bright fruit, firm tannin and a finish that lasts for over 30 seconds. The oak influence is minimal but provides a nice balance to the fruit. The wine still maintains the North Fork terroir of tobacco and earth. An exceptional wine from an excellent producer. I took a bottle home for dinner.

Recommendation - a must visit to support the smaller North Fork producers.

****Editor's Note - paid for all tasting myself****

Long Island North Fork Trip Part 2

At the end of the Middle Road (County Road 48) wine trail is Sparkling Pointe. Sparkling Pointe, as the name implies, only crafts sparkling wine in the 'methode champenoise' (although they do not hand riddle). The oldest wine is from 2003 and all the wine from 2007 onward is 100% from the estate vineyard. If you prefer aged sparkling wine or if you are curious how sparkling pointe's sparkling wine age you will need to wait until 2027.

We tasted the following as part of the wine flight and my below each wine is my tasting notes:
Blanc de Blanc 2007 (100% estate - 100% Chardonnay)
-Subtle grapefruit notes with a hint of yeast this representation of the Blanc de Blanc shows why the North Fork could become the benchmark region for sparkling wine.

Brut NV (54% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir, 12% Reserve Wine)
-My favorite sparkling wine in North America. Schramsberg's Blanc de Blanc and Blanc de Noir have lately challenged for the title but the Sparkling Pointe Brut NV has the acidity, fruit and mineral notes I expect in a sparkler. It combines in perfect balance the best of the Champagne region with the bright fruit expected from a new world wine.

2005 Brut Magnum
-The first release of Magnum size from S.P. this wine spent 7 years on yeast. Unfortunately the blend and my tasting notes are not available.

2003 Brut Selection (51% Chardonnay, 49% Pinot Noir)
-Think buttered toast. A wonderful and complex wine that has an effervescence much younger than its age would suggest.

2008 Blanc de Noir (54% Pinot Meunier, 46% Pinot Noir)
-Bright fruit of the 'red' grapes really show through in this wine. Very light yeast flavor.

The tasting flight is $17 and the tasting room has a wide array of eats to pair. Outside food can be consumed outside on the patio only. The winery offers to waive one tasting with the purchase of two bottles and gives 6 and 12 bottle discounts. We tasted with three people ($51) but we purchased 6 bottles which waived all three tastings and gave us a 10% discount. Excellent value!

*Editor's Note* - All wine's and tasting were paid for by me and all discounts given are available to all customers.

Friday Night - 3/8/13

Friday nights in my house is a prime night to open a nice bottle of wine and relax. This week was Realm Cellar's Tempest 2010. It is a Merlot heavy blend consisting of 64% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot. The 2010 is the follow-up to the 2008 and 2009 which both scored 94 points from James Laube of Wine Spectator. The wine has a soft mouth feel with structured but not overwhelming (yet still pronounced) tannin. The dry style of the wine is perfectly in balance with the fruit with neither taking center stage. The finish is long and coats the tongue for an extended period. A great example of how a Merlot blend can benefit from Cabernet while holding true to the essence of Merlot.
This wine is only available via the mailing list (https://www.realmcellars.com)

Recommendation: A buy for fans of the Bordeaux Right Bank style.

*Editor's Note* - I purchased all the wine myself at retail price from the mailing list.

Long Island North Fork Trip Part 1

The first stop on the Saturday wine tour of Long Island was Mattebella Vineyards. Mattebella is at the far end of the North Fork wine road which makes it a good place to start and work your way back to the highway. Mattebella is much smaller than many of the wineries and hosts the wine tasting in a nicely decorated small house. The house includes some couches and a nice bench. The small tasting room and lack of crowds allows for a very intimate experience.

We tasted the following wines:
2009 Famiglia Chardonnay
-If you are a fan of Chablis style of Chardonnay this is your wine. High acidity and balanced fruit. This is the opposite of the normal Chardonnay you find in the local store.
2010 Famiglia Chardonnay
-2010 was a warmer year and it shows in this wine. The fruit is much brighter, the use of oak is more prevalent and the acid is not as high. This could be described as a 'New World' Chablis.
2010 Reserve Chardonnay
-Typical Burgundian Style Chardonnay. Significant oak, vanilla and buttery qualities. Similar to anything you can find in your local wine store and cheaper.
2011 Rose
-The essence of what a true Rose should be. Light and refreshing yet has structure that will hold up with many diverse meals. The wine has a long finish. This wine will satify any lover of Provence style Rose. Best wine in the portfolio. A true sense of what the North Fork is capable of doing. This is a wine I would bring to any wine lover not familiar with Long Island.
NV Famiglia Red
-Easy drinking wine that has effervescent hints. Dark fruits in the front palate but lacking in the finish. Your typical Italian style table wine.
2007 Old World Blend
-Remains true to old world style. Has the earthy qualities you would expect from Chianti or Bordeaux. The front and mid palate show dark fruits and the finish has only light tannin. An easy drinking wine that would benefit from food.
2008 Old World Blend
-The weather in 2008 was not a sunny as 2007 and it shows immediately in the wine. The wine has a high tannin content and the dark fruits are not as prevalent. Another wine that would benefit from food at the table.

Overall the 2009 Famiglia Chardonnay and 2011 Rose are exceptional wines. The red wines are enjoyable but lack the depth and complexity of the whites and roses.

Recommendation - a must visit on your North Fork adventures.

*Editor's Note* - I paid full price for the tasting and purchased two bottles at full retail price.

Wine Tasting

Tomorrow I will be wine tasting on Long Island's North Fork. We will discuss the tastings and results in a future post. I wanted to discuss, the rules or perceived rules on wine tasting. There are a number of opinions and most I believe are too rigid.

Rich's Guideline to Wine Tasting
1- It is fine to 'swallow' - As long as you keep it to two or three wineries.
2- Have high expectations of your host. If the winery wants you to take their wine seriously they should provide an employee who is willing and able to answer all your questions.
3- If you like a wine, take a bottle home.
4- If your goal is to get drunk, go to the wineries that support this behavior. They will be three people deep and the employees will pour the 'next' wine without any description.
5- If 4 is the opposite of your goal, avoid these wineries at all costs. This knowledge can be found at yelp or knowledgeable sites or blogs.
6- A wine club is a great option if you love the winery and their hard to find wines. Some wineries best offerings are limited to the wine club only. But do not be pressured into signing up. If your host hands you a form before you taste a wine, throw it out.
7- TAKE NOTES! Your day can be busy so writing down notes about each wine will help you at the end of the day.
8- Your experience can enhance the wine tasting. If you have a great time with a great host do not be disappointed if the wine you brought home does not live up to your expectations. This is why publications such as Wine Spectator do blind tastings.

Any guidelines I missed?

What to drink

The other day I realized I have been drinking much more beer than wine which is against my norm. After careful examination I realized the more I go out, the more I drink beer. Philadelphia is a beer city, within a few blocks of my house are four very good gastro pubs with diverse micro brews on tab. They have house wine but it is not worth the price nor is the quality what I consider up-to-par.

On the airplane I was sitting in first class with a guy who ordered "red wine". I inquired to why he ordered the 'red' wine over beer, where at least the flight attendant gives you the beer names, and he told me "I'm just a wine drinker".

Which leads to my question of the night. When you have the choice between lower quality wine or a decent or good beer (or mixed drink) what do you choose?

What I drank - February 2013

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Vintage 1999
Older Champagnes journey from bright, light and effervescent to a beautiful golden color with hints of bing cherry and only small amounts of bubbles. This wine reminds me of an adolescent teenager - not fully mature but not a child. Slightly golden in color with good acidity and just a faint hint of cherry. Would benefit from another 5-6 years in the cellar.
Comments - Buy and Hold till 2019

Fantesca - King Richard's Reserve Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2009
Fantesca is known for their rich Spring Mountain Cabernet and their Burgundian style Chardonnay, both crafted by the master winemaker Heidi Barrett. The Pinot Noir (made by Anthony Arcudi) should not be overlooked. For those who enjoy California style Pinot Noir this is a wine to try. The only negative is the cost ($114).
Comments - Only available through the wine list.

Sojourn - Russian River Valley 2010 Pinot Noir
In terms of QPR this wine may have no equal. Focusing on single vineyard Pinot's from Sonoma this vineyard blend should be the benchmark for all those who are not ashamed of the California climate. Graceful yet fruit forward the wine meets my three criteria, great front and mid palate combined with a long finish. Price ($42).
Comments - Buy a case and share with friends.

*Editor's Note* - I purchased Sojourn and Fantesca as a mailing list member at full price. The Veuve Clicquot was a gift from friends.

Buying Wine

Each Spring and Fall my email is bombarded with offers from wineries. Combine that with the emails from the discount wine websites (WTSO, Wine Access, Lot18, Invino, etc) and deciding how to allocate my finite budget with the seemingly infinite offers is daunting. How to decide? I always appreciate the wineries that send out a pre-email to let me know that an offer is forthcoming. This allows some budget forecasting. I immediately discard offers that tell me in what multiples I have to purchase (minimum of 3 or 6). Wineries that offer shipping deals tend to move to the top of my list. I do not expect free shipping but for 6+ bottles a flat rate special should be standard. I always try two new wines a year if possible from the mailing lists. There is a risk in purchasing before you taste but it helps to expand the palate. And you never know what you may try that will be amazing. How do others make Spring Allocation decisions?