Tasting Emeritus Pinot Noir Releases

A month ago I was scheduled to do a live tasting (I sure do a lot of them!) with Charles Communications and Brice Jones of Emeritus Vineyards. Unfortunately, life got kind of crazy for a time and I wasn't able to join in the small crew of bloggers invited to this exclusive tasting. Fortunately for me, the wines had arrived and the folks at Charles Comminucations were understanding of my absence.

Fast forward several weeks and things had calmed down, somewhat, so I was able to open and taste the wines, taking some notes along the way. We were sent two single vineyard pinot noirs, from Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley AVA's, respectively. Also, a rosé made from 100% pinot noir, in the saignée method.

I'll spare you from an attempt at explaining the Emeritus Vineyards story and get straight to the wines, but you can scroll down to see a little bit of it and then click the link to find out more.




2013 Emeritus "Ruby Ruby" Saignée Rosé Russian River Valley:
Pours a candied red, gently paling towards the rim of the glass. On the nose I get some herbs and tart red berry, oak barrel, and alcoholic heat. At 14.0% abv (listed), this is about 2.5% higher than I usually go for with a rosé. On the palate there's that same nice mix of herbaceous and red fruit, like fresh red cherries. It's a touch sweet (perhaps from the alcohol) and tastes like it's seem some oak too, but I can't find any mention in the tech notes. I like the acidity because it helps restrain the exuberance of the fruit in this, whilst setting the wine up for pairing with summer foods. For those of you who enjoy more full-bodied rosé wines, this is right up your alley. $25 SRP.

2011 Emeritus William Wesley Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast:
Nice garnet in the glass, good depth, lightly pale at the edge. With some air, aromas of raspberry, strawberry, pie crust, and baking spice rush out. The mouthfeel is quite lovely, with great acidity and very fine tannins. I like how the flavors don't overload my palate, rather, they gently usher themselves in. Lots of tart strawberry and a touch of oak, spicy peppercorn, and licorice. There is a touch of heat on the finish but it's certainly not a big deal. I have to say I was impressed with this pinot, it's got all the elements in play and maybe just needs a touch more bottle age. $68 SRP. 14.0% abv. Recommended.

2011 Emeritus Hallberg Ranch Pinot Noir Russian River Valley:
Light purple going towards garnet at the edges of the glass. On the nose I get baked cherry pie, forest floor, mushrooms, and black peppercorns. With more swirling, these elements find an impressive balance. This is riper than the Sonoma Coast bottling, but still maintains nice acidity and balance. There is more sweet cherry pie going flavors here, which indicates ripe fruit and perhaps new French oak, along with a softer baking spice flavor that meanders across the palate. I think this is a bit young, it hasn't had time to develop any secondary flavors. The finish is excellent, a gentle tapering of flavor that cleanly disappears after a solid 15 seconds. $42 SRP. 14.0% abv. Highly Recommended.

I suggest surfing over to the Emeritus Vineyards website and checking out their story. Brice Jones has had a very cool life, from flying in the Air Force to starting Sonoma–Cutrer, then selling it and buying a large vineyard and devoting himself to producing premium Pinot Noir. He now has two sites, the two bottlings I tasted.

California Pinot Noir is not in abundance in my cellar but these two wines would certainly be welcome, that Russian River Valley bottling was excellent. It's priced fairly too, at $42. I preferred it to the Sonoma Coast, which is rare but always fun, because there seemed to be better acidity and a more interesting set of flavors. That said, either bottle will make pinot lovers happy and both will pair with food. I'd recommend salmon, duck, even marinated, grilled pork chops.

Visit Emeritus on the internet.
Emeritus Vineyards on Facebook

These wines were samples for review purposes.

Beau Carufel

Rosé Me Away

Oregon has been having unseasonably warm weather, in the 70's and 80's this week. The day are bright, the skies clear, and the heat begs for a refreshing glass (or three) of wine. Rosé, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, auxerrois, and plenty of other varieties are just the thing to help manage the heat. Light, acid-driven whites and pinks won't weigh you down like a hearty syrah or zinfandel might. Save those big reds for the barbecues and drink the rosé while you wait!

I'll focus on two rosé wines in this blog, from Teutonic Wine Company and Arnot-Roberts. Both are fantastic, small production, refreshing wines that are worth your time to seek out. Both are from producers who are passionate about making the best wines possible using the least amount of intervention. Non-intervention is a risky prospect in winemaking, the results can be exceptional or the wines can turn into stinky garbage. With Teutonic and Arnot-Roberts, we have two producers that consistently excel at turning their winemaking philosophies into great wine.

Starting first with the Teutonic Wine Company and then with the Arnot-Roberts I'll showcase two exceptional wines that match the weather and fare that warm springs call for.

2012 Teutonic Wine Company Laurel Vineyard Rosé: Made from 100% pinot noir and aged in neutral oak barrels, this $18 wine hits it out of the park with bright aromas of orange rind, sour cherry, fresh-cut grass, and green apple. On the palate the acidity screams out for food. Flavors of dusty orange, strawberry, limes, and a savory, salty finish keep me coming back for glass after glass. Rosé of this quality at only $18 is hard to find sometimes, the fact that a passionate small producer can deliver this much bang for the buck is a testament to just how great the winemaking climate is here in Oregon. 11.3% abv. $18 srp. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED




*Note* The 2013 Teutonic Rosé was just released to some markets but the 2012 is still available in distribution

2012 Arnot Roberts Touriga Luchsinger Vineyard Rosé: This is made from 80% Touriga Nacional and 20% Tinta Cao, and is the harder of these two wines to find. The easiest way to get them is to visit the Arnot-Roberts website and sign up for their mailing list. I am on that mailing list and take almost every single bottle of their wines that I'm allocated with each release. Paler than the Teutonic wine, this wine opens with loads of sour strawberry, lemons, green herb, and sea-spray. I love it. On the palate there's a huge dollop of acidity that supports a melange of lemon, strawberry, cherry, and raspberry. As the wine warmed up I also tasted herbs and cut grass. The balance is terrific and I kept wanting to pair this with chips and dip or some carnitas street tacos. 12.5% abv. $22 retail. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED


Both of these wines are worth your time to find and drink, though I must admit that the 2013 vintage is out for both too. I sometimes like to have rosé with an extra year of age on it because if the wine has enough acidity, you don't really lose any freshness and the flavors have more time to integrate, forming a beautiful tapestry of pure deliciousness. How's that for flowery bloggerspeak?

Buy both wines, I did. As someone who (now) has a small label of his own, the importance of supporting small producers takes on new meaning. While it may be easy to buy a rosé or any wine made by some big, corporate owned winery, it's more satisfying and fun to seek out new producers. You'll be glad you did, I promise.

Beau Carufel

Pueblo Del Sol Tannat

This is another producer whose wines I've reviewed before. Last time I had the Pueblo del Sol was a few years ago and it was just the tannat, this time I have the rosé as well to taste. Also, last time I tasted it head to head versus an inexpensive California Cabernet in my Barbecue Showdown blog. This time it was tucked into a flight of mixed reds and whites and tasted multiple times over the course of several hours.

Pueblo del Sol is produced by Juanico winery of Uruguay. Down there, tannat is king! Here in the United States we don't have a lot of exposure to the grape, which has origins in southern France's Madiran region. Some people in California make one, as do a few in Oregon.

2011 Pueblo del Sol Tannat Rosé: Red cherry, albeit subtle, is the first thing I thought of. Bear in mind I don't have a lot of experience with Uruguayan tannat, especially in rosé form. Also, notes of melon. On the palate it's a bit sweet and a bit tart, nicely balanced. Be sure to serve this very cold so as to highlight the acidity though. By the way, it pairs well with a mozzarella, pesto, tomato, prosciutto, salami panini. Just saying. Recommended. $10 SRP. 13.% abv.





2010 Pueblo del Sol Tannat: Pours a dark, dark purple in the glass. Smells like purple fruit, think plums and cocoa dust. Nice minerally thing, like crushed up gravel. Juicy as all hell on the palate, with ripe plum and blackberry, tar, and well-integrated wood flavors. This is a delightful, fun, unique wine that should be enjoyed with food. I'd love one of those Argentine steaks and a big glass of Pueblo del Sol Tannat. $11 SRP. 12.5% abv. Highly Recommended.






These two wines qualify as QPR winners, and I'd suggest buying several bottles of each to have throughout the summer. They're versatile, food-friendly, and very wallet-friendly.

Thanks to the fine folks at TasteVino Selections for sending me more tannat samples! It's always fun to step away from the traditional grapes and explore something more unique.

These wines were media samples.

Beau Carufel

Chateau Bonnet, Bordeaux, France.

Recently I sampled two wines from Chateau Bonnet, a producer Bordeaux, France. This is one of Andre Lurton's properties, a man who has been at the forefront of Bordeaux wines for a very, very long time. M. Lurton has involvement in seven different wineries throughout Bordeaux, which creates great opportunities to get the best fruit possible in each of the wines. Chateau Bonnet itself dates back to the 17th century, and is about 10 kilometers south of St. Emilion. The Lurtons took over this property in 1956.

(img src: http://www.wjdeutsch.com)

The white, from the Entre-Deux-Mers region, is a blend of 50% sauvignon blanc, 40% semillon, and 10% muscadelle. These are the three white varietals allowed in white Bordeaux wines but it's rare to see them all together in one bottling.

Aromatically, this shows influences of the semillon with it's perfumed honeysuckle and sea-air aromas. I liked the hints of citrus lurking in the background, like a fresh cut key lime. There's a lovely wet-gravel mineral element at play too, perhaps a result of the muscadelle. While not an explosive bouquet by any means, there's a nice bit of elegance and finesse for such a relatively inexpensive white wine.

Like most other white Bordeaux I've tasted this year, the 2010 Chateau Bonnet retains great acidity, due in part to the lack of oak treatment. This vintage spent 4 months on the lees, but in steel tanks versus oak barrels. That lee-treatment contributes to a nice, full mouthfeel without excessive flabby elements. I enjoyed the interplay between the washed-limestone and lime juice flavors along with a hint of stone fruit meandering throughout the palate. For around $10, the complexity is impressive and shows what a good deal the Chateau Bonnet is.

I think this wine begs for grilled, lemon-herb marinated chicken. You could also get away with doing pasta and a cream sauce because the acidity is so vibrant. B and a BUY recommendation. Another French overachiever graces my glass, very cool!

(img src: http://www.wjdeutsch.com)

The second wine from Chateau Bonnet was a rosé, their 2010. It's a 50/50 blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot, coming in at all of 12.5% abv.

All sorts of delicious aromas waft up out of the glass, the predominant ones being strawberry, melon, and lime skin. There's a whiff of damp limestone at play too, along with some tart cranberry that also seems distant. Still, cutting through the flowery tasting notes, I can say that this wine smells delicious. It made my mouth water with every sniff and although I tasted on a cold Portland day, the aromas alone are indicative of spring and warm weather.

On the palate, lots of wild strawberry, cranberry, and limestone flavors dominate, with each of those contributing a deliciously acidic streak. This Bordeaux is light on its feet, and has just enough ripe fruit to create a flavor balance with the melon and limestone flavors. Texturally it is a lot of fun to explore, because a wine like this is one you feel on different parts of your palate at different times.

With that, at around $10 a bottle, it's a QPR winner. If you're into rosé, this is one to stock up on as we slowly move into spring. As you can tell, I enjoyed the flavor and texture in it, and think it would pair nicely with things like ceviche, grilled chicken salad, fish tacos, or even on its own.

Both the Chateau Bonnet white and rosé are available at New Seasons and other markets around the country. I did find them on wine.com too, but at $14 that's too much considering it's available for $9.99 at grocery stores. If you want your favorite wine store to carry them, the importer is W.J. Deutsch & Sons. Each one represents all that I love about simple, delicious French wines. They're quaffable, enjoyable, and perfect for sharing with your friends.

These wines were media samples for review purposes.

Beau Carufel

2010 Stepping Stone Corallina Rosé

Continuing with my tastings of the Stepping Stone wines by Cornerstone Cellars, I sampled the 2010 Stepping Stone Corallina rosé recently and found it to be absolutely delightful. Out of the six samples Cornerstone Cellars sent to me, I've reviewed the 2010 Stepping Stone sauvignon blanc and 2010 Stepping Stone riesling so far. With two more wines to taste (after this rosé), I should be done with the lineup in about a week or so.

Admittedly I'm a bit of a rosé junkie, the Domaine Tempier from Bandol is of course my benchmark for top quality examples. When the 2010 Stepping Stone Corallina showed up and I saw it was 100% syrah from Napa Valley, I may or may not have gotten just a touch excited to taste it. Being the patient chap that I am though, I allowed the wine to rest up a bit in my wine fridge before finally giving it a try.

(img src: http://fabocwinechick.wordpress.com) 

The 2010 Corallina is gorgeous wine with a beautiful salmon color, a copperish-pink that captures the eye from any angle. It's clear all the way through, resembling some of the French rosé's I've had this year, and I feel is atypical of rosé wine from California.

Aromatically this is all sweet summer melon, fresh berries, a twist of lemon, and bits of floral perfume. The Stepping Stone Corallina has a nice depth, giving the perception of a multi-layered wine, one that you can sink into, discovering new aromas with each sniff of your wine glass. Did I mention I'm a bit of a rosé junkie yet? There's a certain delicate nature to rosé, or at least to the best ones, and finding that special quality in the 2010 Corallina was a wonderful revelation.

Finally! I get to taste this rosé that's been teasing me for the past hour while it slowly came closer to room temperature. Clean, pure acidity with elements of melon, green herbs, summer strawberry and cherry all start strong and turn into a medium-bodied, smooth tasting experience. A spell in oak barrels helped add some richness, preventing the wine from being too one dimensional. I kept thinking "great structure, impressive for a California rosé!".

Stepping Stone's Corallina is complex, with the flavors all in balance yet popping up at different times, creating a sense of adventure when you find a new one. A great seam of acidity keeps things light but not necessarily delicate, this is rosé of syrah after all. Rather, the acid creates a nice sense of body without being overly harsh or astringent. I'm impressed.

Am I fan? YES! This is highly recommended rosé to go out and buy right now. The suggested retail is $18, a really nice price on a very high quality rosé. With a chill on it, you want to break out the spicy hummus and pita chips for a great afternoon out on the deck or patio. To purchase, visit the Cornerstone Cellars website.

This wine was a media sample for review purposes.

Beau Carufel

Tasting Wine From Navarra, Spain.

I recently tasted through ten wines from the Kingdom of Navarra, in Spain. This was another "Live Tasting" using the TasteLive website and hosted by Mike Wangbickler of Balzac and the Wines of Navarra trade group. Frequent readers (all five of you) may recall I've done a few tastings previously with Mike. I think they like me or something, and I ain't complaining!

(img src http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navarre) 

Over the past year I've been fortunate enough to taste a nice selection of wines from Navarra, encompassing reds, whites, and rosé's. This coming September I hope to visit Navarra as part of a blogger trip organized  by the Wines of Navarra trade organization. There is a big push right now to introduce these wines to American palates, specifically through wine and food bloggers. While I may be a bit biased (being a wine blogger and all), I think this is a good idea.

Below is the lineup, ten different wines from Navarra encompassing traditional varietals and some slightly more esoteric ones. Here's the list for the Wines of Navarra Twitter Taste Live:

1. 2010 Castillo de Monjardin Fince el Cerezo Chardonnay
2. 2009 Otazu Chardonnay
3. 2010 Gran Feudo Rosado (Garnacha)
4. 2010 Senorio de Sarria Vinedo no. 5 (Rosado)
5. 2010 Senorio de UNX Garnacha
6. 2008 Malon de Echaide Tinto Roble (Garnacha)
7. 2006 Maro Real Crianza (Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon)
8. 2008 Inurrieta SUR (Garnacha, Graciano)
9. 2007 Albret French Oak (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo)
10. 2010 Ocoha Moscatel

Out of the above list, I've actually had previous vintages of a couple of wines, notably the 2008 Ochoa Moscatel and 2009 Senorio de Sarria Vinedo no. 5. That Moscatel was sublime while the Senorio de Sarria did leave me wanting more.

Below are the highlights of the tasting for me. I don't think you'll be interested in reading through ten different tasting notes and frankly, some wines were far more worthy than others in this lineup. Seeing the range of quality was interesting to me, as a Californian I get used to the "standard" or baseline quality I get out of even the cheapest (except Charles Shaw) wines from here. That isn't the case in Spain, or even across Europe, as quality can vary and not really correlated to price. So here it is, my top several wines from the Wines of Navarra Twitter Taste Live:

1. 2010 Castillo de Monjardin Finca el Cerezo Chardonnay - Bright straw hued, a nose bursting with granny smith apples and pears, hints of tropical fruit and lemon zest. Off and on during the tasting, I smelled hints of coconut as well. The mouthfeel began as something soft and rich without being too heavy. There was ample pear and apple flavors held back by a nicely framed acid profile which kept the wine clean. I particularly liked the finish, almost Chablis-like in it's mineral driven finesse. Overall, at $12, a very nice bottle of wine. B, BUY recommendation. 13.5% abv.

2. 2010 Gran Feudo Rosado - Made from 100% Garnacha (grenache) grapes from a winery founded way back in 1647, the Gran Feudo rosado is electric pink with a hint of orange. I smelled ripe strawberries and a great mineral note. After letting the wine warm up a bit, I could detect some pleasant herbal aromas as well. When I tasted this rosado I was impressed with the way the acidity and minerality combined to create a bone dry wine with just a fleeting hit of ripe strawberries and raspberries. I think the group tasting was mixed in their reactions, some didn't like the strong acid and mineral profile, but I sure did. B, STRONG BUY recommendation. 13% abv.

3. 2010 Senorio de Sarria Vinedo no. 5 - Also made from 100% Garnacha (grenache) with an average age of 50 years, this was a stylistically different rosé than the Gran Feudo. The color is similar, vibrant pink with hints of orange. The differences were apparent right away, with the Senorio de Sarria smelling of wild roses, strawberries, and melon. A seam of orange zest wound its way through the aroma, adding a delightful facet. This was a heartier, richer smelling wine. If I had to draw one similarity with the Gran Feudo, the Vinedo no. 5 did have a bit of minerality present, but it was much riper and more fruit driven, balancing that ripeness with a touch of acid that kept this rosé in the "dry" category. At $16 it is a good deal and a quality wine. B-, BUY recommendation. 14% abv.

4. 2010 Senorio de UNX - Another grenache here, but a red one versus a rosé. Very red in my glass, this was perhaps the brightest wine of the tasting.For those of you who enjoy fruit-forward red wines, this will make you happy! The nose is all raspberry reduction and blackberry preserves over a hint of green herbs. The UNX makes no bones about it's ripeness, on the palate though there is some refreshing gravelly minerals and more of that green stem to restrain the big fruits. The finish got a bit hot for me, despite the wine being only 13.5% abv, but other than that it's a solid wine for only $8. B-, STRONG BUY recommendation.

5. 2006 Marco Real Crianza - A blend of 60% tempranillo and 40% cabernet sauvignon, this is some purple juice! My first whiffs brought back memories of cutting Christmas trees in a muddy field, the pine and wet earth mingling together. I also got some great herbal notes, black olives, and very dark fruit. Think blackberry and black cherry melded together in one of those industrial presses like they used to kill the first Terminator. The mouthfeel was thick, chewy and massive. I could taste the Marco Real all over my mouth. Loads of tannin, bittersweet chocolate, cassis, and leather all came to the wet-earth-sandbox. I liked this wine a lot but boy does it need some time in a decanter, or another five years in the bottle. B+, STRONG BUY recommendation, especially at $15 a bottle. 14.5% abv.

6. 2010 Ochoa Moscatel - The final wine of the evening, a delicious dessert wine. After tasting the 2008 Ochoa Moscatel, I had high hopes for this one. When I poured it into my glass I noted a gorgeous light honey color, almost romantic in it's lightness. Right away I could smell the aromas of peaches and pears in syrup, this got my mouth watering! I could also get a bit of apricots dancing their way through the peach and pear. Ochoa has been around since 1845, it's modern incarnation since 1985 when Javier Ochoa took it over. These days his daughter Adriana crafts the wines and is doing a marvelous job. I tasted more of the peaches and pears, mango, and enough acidity to prevent things from getting cloying and gross. I think the only knock was the finish which seemed to fall apart too quickly. That being said, the 2010 Ochoa Moscatel will only get better with a few more years in the bottle. It's $20 for a 375ml, about right for a dessert wine. B+, STRONG BUY recommendation.

I had a great time (again) tasting through this lineup of wines from Navarra, as a wine geek chances like this are of immense value because they help me get to know that area's wines better. I think Navarra is definitely an up and coming wine region, the wines are fairly priced and well made with an eye towards drinkability. I'm not too sure if there are higher end bottlings from these producers but it would be interesting to taste them and compare to high end Napa cabernet, Bordeaux, and Rioja wines. Granted, that's a bit out of my pocketbook's range.

Big thanks to Catherine Seda and Mike Wangbickler at Balzac Communications for putting this together. Catherine is the go-to for your Wines of Navarra questions, as well as being an all around great gal. Check out the Wines of Navarra links I've scattered through this blog to learn more as well as find some of these delicious wines.

These wines were media samples for review purposes.


Beau Carufel

Don Sebastiani's Latest Project: The Crusher!

After selling the Sebastiani winery, Don Sebastiani couldn't stay out of the wine business so he started a négociant firm with his sons Donny and August. In 2001 they decided to start a company that produces inexpensive but accessible red and white wines from areas all over California. The company likes to highlight relationships it has with growers and winemakers, in an effort to personalize the respective lines they produce. From a marketing standpoint this is a great idea for a brand aimed at Millennials, who have shown a desire to be more connected with the wines they're drinking.

What, you might ask, is a négociant? Their role is huge in France, specifically places like Burgundy and the Rhone, where they take the grapes and/or wines from numerous smaller growers and winemakers, then bottle and sell it under their own label. The négociant model isn't seen much here in the United States but perhaps our most famous person would be Cameron Hughes. If you've ever had Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, or Jaboulet wines from France, you've had négociant wine.

Don Sebastiani started Don Sebastiani & Sons to produce négociant wines here in California, among their projects are The Crusher and Project Paso. You may already know the Smoking Loon and Pepperwood Grove brands, also produced by the Sebastiani company. I recently participated in a Twitter Taste Live event for The Crusher wines and am tasting my way through his Project Paso selections too. Each brand is slotted at a different price point, The Crusher being priced at a suggested retail of $18. I'm not sure how firm that price is though, because often a "suggested retail" is not what you pay at your local supermarket or wine store.

With that in mind, here are The Crusher wines from Don Sebastiani and Sons:

2009 The Crusher Chardonnay - If you like California chardonnay, this one is for you. Think Sonoma-Cutrer, Gary Farrell, and Robert Mondavi examples. Creamy, buttery oak with hints of tropical fruit and red apple lending a touch of acidity. The 2009 Crusher sees 65% malolactic fermentation and 80% new French oak barrels, lending that rich, almost voluptuous mouthfeel so many people love. At 13.5% alcohol, I only felt the increased weight on my palate and didn't detect any burn on the finish. The consensus in the tasting was that this is a very accessible, crowd pleasing style. My only concern is the $18 suggested retail, which is too high for what you get. That being said, this chardonnay is more readily available for around $14, placing it squarely in the right category. B-.

2010 The Crusher Pinot Noir Rosé - Made with 97.5% pinot noir and 2.5% viognier, this was a highlight of the tasting for me. In addition to the gorgeous pink color, the viognier added wonderful white flower and peach aromas to the lip-smacking summer berry notes I picked up. All the fruit here is from the Clarksburg area, soon to be it's own AVA. I liked the balance between acidity and the residual sugar, so this isn't a "fully dry" rosé, rather it's got a touch of fruity sweetness that adds a bit of body. I think almost everyone in the tasting liked the ruby grapefruit, melon, strawberry, and swish of cranberry we tasted. At $18, it bests many rosé's in that category, but the real-world price of closer to $13 makes this an incredible deal. B+ and STRONG BUY.

2009 The Crusher Pinot Noir - A true, single varietal pinot noir for a change, with all fruit sourced from the Wilson Vineyard in Clarksburg. Although a touch high on the alcohol at 13.9%, it's almost undetecable. I smelled baking spice, black cherry and a hitn of toasted oak. What struck me as most interesting wast he way the spice and oak aromas framed the cherry, I may have swirled and smelled this wine longer than anyone else during the tasting. Really good acidity lightened the wine's mouthfeel, spice and sweet cherry lent interesting textural components and the dusty earth mixed with campfire reminded me that this is pinot noir, after all. Winemaker Greg Kitchens did a nice job balancing ripe fruit with the restraining acidity. Just wish that alcohol was closer to 13.3-13.5%. B, BUY recommendation. At around $20, this is solid wine and an honest purchase but when you shop around and find it for $13, it becomes a great bottle to crack open with your friends.

2009 The Crusher Petite Sirah - The best wine of the night for me, and the recent winner of a Double Gold/Best in Class award from the California State Fair Wine Competition. For once those giant competitions get something right! There's 97% petite sirah and 3% alicante bouchet in here, but what that alicante does is lost on me. My palate just isn't sensitive enough I suppose. What the '09 The Crusher petite sirah does though is to wow my palate. It's big, dark chocolate notes, earth and berries and smoke on the nose. I even got some fascinating aromas of candied orange peel and mixed berry pie, this was the most complex nose of the entire lineup. I think everyone or almost everyone absolutely loved this petite sirah for it's silky smooth tannin, ripe berry flavors and the awesome hit of savory beef jerky that carried through to the finish. Across the country this is between $10 and $14 a bottle. What are you waiting for? A-, STRONG BUY recommendation from yours truly.

2009 The Crusher Cabernet Sauvignon - Surprisingly, a 100% cabernet sauvignon, cabernet sauvignon. It seems like most cabernets these days have small bits of merlot, cabernet franc, even syrah or zinfandel in them. I think that in this 2009 The Crusher cabernet, Greg Kitchens was going for a more restrained style, to showcase the Clarksburg AVA. The result is a cabernet with earth and herb notes framing black currants on the nose, what I termed "very nice, straightforward bouquet" in my notes. I enjoyed the initial mouthfeel with ripe black fruit but then things went a bit awry. The tannins haven't integrated yet and create a chunky, somewhat disjointed mouthfeel which carries over into an uninspiring finish. I prefer terroir-driven cabernets but with that comes the expectation of an elegant, integrated structure. I did however enjoy the earthy flavors that carried through, they kept the finish from being a complete disaster. Since this is an '09, I have a hunch that in the next few years it'll get a lot better and is just going through a "dumb" phase right now. At it's suggested retail, a definite PASS right now because you can buy a bottle of 2007 Franciscan cabernet for $17 that blows most sub-$20 cabernets out of the water. At $12 like I've seen the Crusher go for on wine-searcher.com, it's something to buy and hold because it's got potential. C+, at this point.

Don Sebastiani & Sons is making some good wines, that much is clear. They're leveraging contacts within the industry to source high quality grapes and using talented winemakers while keeping the prices low. I've been tasting through another series, their Project Paso lineup and hope to have that up for you next week. It'll come in at a lower suggested retail, $14, and so far has been fairly good. With two more wines to taste, I'm hoping they really knock the proverbial ball out of the park.

Another fun tasting hosted by Mike Wangbickler of Balzac, I love how they're reaching out to bloggers all over the country to spread the word about these wines. Coming up soon is a tasting of wines from Navarra, Spain, also hosted by Balzac. I can't wait for that one so stay tuned!

The wines listed here were media samples for review purposes.

Beau Carufel

Vinho Verde in Rosé Form, Superb!

I love vinho verde! Let's get that out of the way. If you're looking for a lightly bubbly, refreshing, crisp white/rosé wine for a sweltering hot day, choose vinho verde. The low alcohol (11% in this one!) lets you have more than a glass or two and it's versatile enough to pair with all manner of foods including Thai, Latin, and sushi. Getting Thai takeout this summer? Try a vinho verde out and experience how the bubbles and acidity cleanse your palate after each bite of food. That fish burrito from the taco shop? Vinho verde will pair beautifully!

The majority of vinho verde that I have tasted has been white or more appropriately, green. When I got the chance to sample the 2010 Muralhas de Moncao Rosé, I happily said yes! Another gem sent by my friend Luis at Vinos Unico. Much like the Urbanite Cellars Caliberico I wrote up, this is a reasonably priced, food-friendly wine that takes you in a different direction than you might normally drink.

Produced by a regional cooperative called Adega de Moncao. There about 1,700 member-growers farming about 1,200 hectares of vineyards without any irrigation. Around two acres of vines for each grower mean that they can devote their time to maximizing the grape quality. This particular cooperative is the single largest producer of the alvarinho grape (albarino across the river in Spain) within the Moncao sub-region.

So what's in the Muralhas de Moncao? It's a blend of alvarelhão, pedral, and vinhao resulting in a gorgeous rosé-colored bottle of awesomeness. The wine sees no oak at all, fermentation takes place in large stainless steel tanks and there's also no malolactic fermentation either. The result is a purely fruit-driven wine retaining a beautifully accessible acid profile. I found some red berry notes; think sun warmed strawberries and raspberries, watermelon, and a hint of minerality on the finish. While this vinho verde does have bubbles, they're a lot smaller and milder than what you might find in a Champagne or Cava, lending to a softer mouthfeel compared to those sparkling wines.

I made vegetarian fajitas with the Muralhas de Moncao and the pairing was awesome. Bell peppers and onions sauteed in garlic, spices, and white wine. All of that inside a warm tortilla filled with cheese, then crisped in a pan. Home made guacamole on top (mine has some extra kick to it) and the meal worked out perfectly. Plus there wasn't a lot of cleanup afterwards, always a plus. Why is it that making a mess is great fun, yet cleaning up the mess seems like the most tedious task ever?

Luis told me that this wine currently isn't distributed in San Diego, and like the Caliberico, it's clear we are missing the boat on some superb, affordable summer wines. If you're looking for the 2010 Muralhas de Moncao Rosé, the best thing to do is contact Vinos Unico and ask them who carries it in your neighborhood. For us San Diegans, we must go to our local wine shops and ask for these wines! That is the only way the merchants will get them in stock especially if they haven't sampled or don't know about them. For those of you in Los Angeles and Orange County, you're in luck. Currently the retail is between $10 and $14, which nails the QPR.

There are so many reasons to try the 2010 Muralhas de Moncao Rosé and none to avoid it. Pick up a bottle or two and experiement with summer foods. I have a feeling you'll be surprised and happy.

This wine was a media sample for review purposes from Vinos Unico.

Beau Carufel

The Long Awaited San Diego Wine Mafia Rosé Rumble Recap!

It's been a while since we, the SDWM (San Diego Wine Mafia), tasted through a fun lineup of rosé's. Unfortunately I got a bit sidetracked with other projects and this recap-post was put off for too long. I'll be highlighting some delicious rosé's that we tasted, and since spring is approaching quickly, that means the weather is becoming far more conducive to drinking this type of wine. For us rosé lovers though, any time is a good time to drink it.

The 12 bottles were put into brown paper bags and numbered before most of the San Diego Wine Mafia arrived at the Secret Lair. Obviously, we wanted to keep the tasting "blind". I knew only that we were tasting some rosé's and that some were going to have bubbles. Data pertaining to location, varietal composition, pricing and other factors weren't made known until the bottles were unveiled. My tasting notes are below and I noted the name of each only after the came out of the bag. Looking back I think a better idea would have been to avoid the sparkling rosé's entirely this time around. Perhaps next time we'll do only still wines or only sparkling wines. I'd like to taste more examples as the seasons continue to change, so stay tuned for the next rosé installment, hopefully this June.

*Note* This is the order randomly put together at the tasting, of which I had no say in the matter...

#1. Jaume Serra Cristalino Cava - Ripe strawberries, nice bubbly texture, some kind of ashy note though? Maybe it's just me but I cant get into it too much. C+. $7 SRP.

#2. Valdo Nerello Mascalese Brut Rosé - Sweet, almost Brachetto-like? Some acidity comes through, and I like how my palate is cleansed on the finish. Not too bad at all, after that first hit of sweetness. C+ $13 SRP. 12% abv.

#3. Stepping Stone Corallina Rosé by Cornerstone Cellars - Good color, nice balance of sweet and tart on the nose..hints of residual sugar on the finish but also a nice balance with acidity creating a refreshing sensation. Everyone kept saying they could detect melon, for me this wine was all sliced sour cherries and strawberries. B- $16. 13.1% abv.

#4. Pink Girl Rose - Dry cheese, like a sour or bitter Swiss or something? Weird and unexpected nose. Doesn't grab me and I question whether or not it's actually got some bottle shock going on or some bottle instability? **Upon reviewing the notes, I think there might have been acetic acid present, hence the bitter cheese smell**  Not rated. $18 SRP, 14.1% ABV


#5. Garrineau Rosé Bordeaux - Raspberry sorbet on the nose, beautiful. I love the acidity that washes across my palate, cleansing it off and getting me ready for that next bite of food. If I had to guess, this would be from France, Provence even. (Note that I was pleased to find out it was from Bordeaux) Maybe northern California but someplace cooler up in that area? B $10 SRP


#6. Charity Case Rosé - Higher residual sugar than any of the previous rosé's? Tastes like a rosé of a noble varietal, like merlot or syrah. Fairly beefy/meaty, sweet cherry, raspberry and strawberry. Tasting and smelling very light, this might be better if it was colder. B-. $12 SRP. 13.5% ABV


#7. Banfi Brachetto Rosa Regale - Or any Brachetto? Not for me. But if you like Brachetto you will love this. Too sweet, desperately needs to be paired with a dessert, hard to sip on it's own. I guess I just prefer my wines drier. Loaded with raspberry and sweet strawberry. Soft, round bubbles and some delicate acidity. B- $25 SRP. 7% abv.

#8. Penman Springs Paso Robles - So far I really like this, nicely acidic, what I want from a rosé. Balanced lightness with fruit flavors and flower petals. Very crisp and clean. Up to this point, the best of the bunch for my palate. I hope it's from France. B+ $15 SRP.







#9. Mushal Rose of Merlot - Sweet but tart, good contrasts! Dried flower petals, hints of fresh sliced fruit (melons). I want to say domestic OR Spanish. A bit heavy on the residual sugar but still, if it's cheap enough, good juice and a lot of fun to drink. B. $20. 14.1% abv.

#10. Not rated, horrible stuff. I suspect volatile acidity caused the wine to go bad.

#11. Blenheim Vineyards Rose Virginia - Good, bracing acidity. Dried flower petals, smells like France. Romantic, classy juice. Beautiful tart berry makes your lips pucker with pleasure. B+ $19.









My notes are rough and mostly unedited because I tend to type very quickly as I taste wines in order to capture as accurately as possible what my brain is telling me right that instant. Later, I go back and fill in the blanks, so to speak. Out of all the rosé examples, only two thoroughly impressed me and both were domestic. Even more surprising was the Blenheim Vineyards rosé because it's from a state not yet very well known for wine. While Virginia has a small, passionate group of people making and promoting their wines, the West Coast doesn't see much exposure. Hopefully this will change over the next few years though, I know that as a blogger I would love to taste through some more Virginia wine.

In the near future for me, a book review, a wine-preserver review and we explore Soave! Also some delicious wines from Ceja Vineyards will be gracing my palate. Further along, a wonderful dessert wine tasting is coming up on the 23rd of this month.

My contribution, the Mushal rosé was a media sample kindly provided by the winery.

Beau Carufel

Mushal Winery and Their Merlot Rosé

At the beginning of February, I tweeted a feeler asking if any wineries who followed me were interested in sending samples for a rosé tasting the San Diego Wine Mafia was going to be doing. Happily for me, Sonia Sandu-Torre, the Director of Marketing at Mushal Winery & Vineyards responded offering to send some samples of their 2009 Mushal Merlot Rosé from the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma.

The story behind the founding and evolution of Mushal is one that should be told. Their website does a far better job telling it than I ever could, so click here to learn more about the founder, Avtar Singh Sandhu and his vision. We're quite fortunate to have many small wineries and vineyards in California, and supporting them is the right thing to do, period. These self-proclaimed "little guys" are making wine not for a balance sheet or a business, but because wine enhances the human experience.

Sonia was generous enough to send me two bottles of Mushal's rosé, one of which was opened at the Rosé Rumble and tasted by the San Diego Wine Mafia. The other was opened about two weeks later and tasted by me alone. No blind or double-blind tasting here, but I had forgotten the suggested retail price as I made my tasting notes.

I noticed the color right away, a beautiful pink with hints of orange mixed in, veering a bit towards the lighter end of the rosé color spectrum. One day I want to try a very dark rosé and compare it to the lightest example I can find. I don't think one or the other will be sweeter based on color, but I want to see what flavors present themselves in each wine. Pardon my thoughts wandering away for a moment.

The nose reveals strawberries and raspberries with a hint of rhubarb. Some exotic florals feel like they are coming out as well. Mushal's rosé smells sweet too, not tart like some other examples I've had of late. One area of concern is a slight prickle of alcohol and when I checked the bottle, I was a bit saddened to find it's 14.4%. In my opinion that is about 2% too high and actually can defeat one of the purposes of a rosé. The French example I recently tasted came in around 12.5%, much more accessible on a hot summer (or spring) day. Alcohol can weigh down the feeling of a wine and I suspect it might do so with the Mushal.

Tasted at a temperature a few degrees below room temperature, as I do with nearly all my wines regardless of color. Sweet tasting right on the front palate, with acidity that came through quickly enough to keep me from cringing. Very good! Still, a touch rough around the edges and I think that comes from the high-ish alcohol. I tasted raspberry, melon, and fresh cut hay in this merlot rosé. There's a silky core of flavor that I find immensely appealing, it feels like each sip glides across your tongue. Unfortunately the pesky alcohol gremlin rears up on the finish, delivering too much heat for a rosé, for me at least.

Mushal's 2009 Merlot Rosé does remain light on the palate and is very refreshing. It won a gold medal at the 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, high praise from some very practiced palates. If you chill this more, perhaps an hour in your refrigerator, the acidity will shine through without the encumbrance of the alcohol. I'd like to see Mushal's next rosé come in at a much lower alcohol level while still retaining this set of scents and flavors. As it stands, the 2009 Mushal Merlot Rosé gets a B and a BUY recommendation.

The sheer variety of foods you could pair with a merlot rosé makes the Mushal a wine you should keep in your collection. Plus, like I said before, I am a strong advocate of supporting the little guys, the boutique producers. Mushal is definitely one of those and out of every $20 bottle of rosé sold, 15% of that goes to The Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation. Just like Charity Case and Cleavage Creek, Mushal is giving back. For that, we need to support them. I look forward to bringing you their red Merlot bottling soon.

This was received as a media sample.

Beau Carufel

A Rosé of Bordeaux as Spring Approaches

Since spring is approaching for a lot of us..no, seriously, it is!

Ok let's start over and cut to the chase, I happen to LOVE rosé wines and have written about a few of them in blogs past. On February 5th, I took part in the Rosé Rumble with my fellow San Diego Wine Mafioso where we uncorked 12 pink wines and blind tasted them. The results of that tasting are coming soon, I promise.

This blog though is devoted to a wonderfully tart, refreshing rosé from Bordeaux that I had the pleasure of sampling recently. Almost all, if not all of the French rosé that I have tasted in the past is usually from Tavel, along the Rhone river. Those rosé's tend to be predominantly grenache with cinsault and syrah also being mixed in. Of note, Tavel is the sole AOC in France to produce only rosé wine. I've also had some examples from Provence and Languedoc, they've been very pleasing. What I'm trying to say is that this is new ground for me and I have high hopes for the rosé wines of the region.

Some background on why I am reviewing a rosé from Bordeaux, there is a new campaign called Planet Bordeaux aimed at increasing awareness of the wines of Bordeaux beyond those classified growths that seem to command outrageous prices and are out of reach for all but a small group of wine collectors. The fine people behind the Planet Bordeaux campaign sent me some wines from all over the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérier regions. Four of those were red, one was white and one was this lovely rosé you'll read about momentarily.

Over the coming weeks I will be devoting multiple posts to exploring this array of wines partly because I believe this is a great way to expand your palate and partly because I happen to be a big fan of Bordeaux in general. One of the themes of the Planet Bordeaux campaign is that it's fun to explore the appellations, blends and color of Bordeaux. They're calling them the ABC's.

So let's get started with the 2009 Chateau La Freynelle Bordeaux Rosé!

(img copyright Beau Carufel 2010)

Note the label, seemingly designed with the American consumer in mind. The producer is easy to read, the region is clear and presented right below. There's even a sentence telling you what varietal and type of wine this is. "Rosé de Cabernet Sauvignon", stated right under the producer. Little touches such as this will go a long way towards making wines from Bordeaux more accessible to the casual wine drinker.

One of the most interesting things about tasting all those rosé wines with the San Diego Wine Mafia the other day was noting the wide variation of color, from light pinkish-orange all the way to bright ruby. The 2009 La Freynelle is one of the darker examples of rosé I've come across and I admit to being afraid the flavors would be too strong for my palate. Still, it's hard to argue with how pretty the color is when it's sitting in your glass out in the sunlight.

The nose is pure rosé, a melange of ripe strawberries, tart currants, fresh flowers and melon. I felt like this rosé has a personality that is fun, accessible and very friendly. In fact I was mentally ticking off a list of my friends who would enjoy the La Freynelle. Chalk up some points for being a crowd pleaser.

Bright acidity, clean strawberry and hints of sour cherry, rose petal and a bit of fleshy honeydew melon combine to make a savory, mouthwatering wine. Bravo, especially for a suggest retail price of $14. I like the QPR (quality to price ratio) a lot. Each sip finishes with this tingly acidity that makes me want my next sip or bite of food. While the honeydew note does impart a touch of sweet flesh in the form of a thicker mouthfeel. right across the mid-palate, that seems to fit in after the procession of lighter fruits and florals that open the wine's taste.

I don't know how widely distributed the 2009 Chateau La Freynelle is, my hope of course being that it's available everywhere. A google search turned up few leads, so if this wine is truly hard to find, the Planet Bordeaux people are doing a bit of a disservice. However, the silver lining is that I have been informed that this is a style of wine typical to the rosé made in Bordeaux, so another example with the same grape would perhaps yield a similar flavor profile. Then again it could be totally different. I rated this wine a B and a BUY recommendation, especially if you're starting to experience warmer weather or want to change it up in your snow-bound city.


This wine was provided as a media sample by Balzac Communications for Planet Bordeaux.

Beau Carufel

Good Wine, Good Cause, Just Need Your Support!

I'm a sucker for wines that support a good cause. Such is the case that there are some wineries out there doing great work raising money and building awareness for any number of issues. I've talked already about Cleavage Creek and their work funding breast cancer research. Recently I learned of another wine built around the notion of wine and people plus charity equals results. The Charity Case Foundation is based up in Napa California and operates entirely on donations. Literally everything from the grapes and equipment time to the corks and bottles is donated by winemakers and other industry people.

All the net proceeds go to local non-profit organizations that focus on providing services to children in need and their families. I was impressed (obviously) and jumped at the chance to sample the two current releases, a rosé and a sauvignon blanc.

2008 Charity Case Rosé 

The first of the two Charity Case wines that I tried, I was just in a rosé kind of mood. It's when you want a wine with some body, a bit of oomph yet you desire a lightness too. There's a middle ground to be struck and for me, rosé can hit that spot perfectly.

Right off the bat the nose smelled of many grapes, which gave me the impression that this rosé was made from a lot of different wines . While the exact blend wasn't available, the website does suggest that this is a blend of varietals and regions within Napa Valley. A bit riper than I had anticipated, perhaps some more residual sugar than I am used to. My nose easily picked out ripe strawberry and herb-garden aromas and I could taste the red cherry, raspberry and acidity. While a 14.1% abv rosé doesn't usually make me happy, the wine-making team led by Jayson Woodbridge (yes, that Jayson Woodbridge) did a very nice job avoiding any heat or bite. This has to be one of the most food-friendly rosé's that I've tasted in a long time. Solid B and you really should buy this wine because it supports such a wonderful cause. For $12 a bottle, come on! This is going to be a wonderful spring sipper, something to pair with pizza or a fresh mixed-green salad.

2009 Charity Case Sauvignon Blanc 

(img src http://cdn.lajollamom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Charity-Case-Sauvignon-Blanc-2009.jpg)

The Sauvignon Blanc came from all fruit originating in St. Helena, just up Highway 29 from the city of Napa. What makes it rather unique amongst New World examples of this grape is the barrel fermentation it underwent. That tends to soften the acidity and add a lush, velvety texture versus a crisp, clean edge to a steel tank fermented Sauvignon Blanc. France produces some amazing barrel fermented examples from Graves, outside Bordeaux. The connection here is that Charity Case used new French Oak barrels, which can avoid adding a vanilla note, instead just rounding out the wines.

I smelled loads of lemon custard, rising bread dough and apricot which surprised me. That's because I hadn't looked at the press materials yet. There's a simple reason for that, to avoid any bias that might creep into my initial impressions. Once I recognized those tell-tale signs of barrel fermentation though, I was able to put this wine into context. If you like your Sauvignon Blancs on the lush side, soft and almost luxurious, you'll thoroughly enjoy this wine. For my palate, it felt too flabby and heavy-handed. I will say that I think a fettucine alfredo dish would pair beautifully, but alas that night I ended up eating reheated leftovers. I still love the cause, but not the wine. B- from me, but if you like richer, plumper Sauvignon Blanc, do yourself a favor and check out the 2009 Charity Case Sauvignon Blanc. 

One bit of information I gleaned from the fact sheets I was sent is that Charity Case makes their wines in the spring. Despite the appearance of snow across much of this country, especially the "snowpocalypse" taking place in New York, we have spring to look forward to and some upcoming Charity Case Chardonnay that will be released. I suppose if I've been a good boy this year, I'll get a bottle to sample and share with you.

Beau Carufel

Bodega de Sarria Senorio de Sarria Vinedo no. 5...A Rosé By Any Other Name.

I'll give you a moment to try to pronounce the long yet somehow romantic sounding name of this Rosé.

Good attempt, I fared much worse. Navarra, in Spain, has been growing grapes for over two thousand years by some estimates. The Romans started many bodegas in the region, tucked up against the Pyrenees mountain range. Research has determined that Navarra was one of the first areas to grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. Often overshadowed by the likes of Rioja, Priorat and even Jumilla, of late there has been a concerted push to get wines from Navarra into this country and onto the tables of wine lovers.

Up until the early 1980's, Navarra produced a lot of Rosé, and to this day it still accounts for a good percentage of the wine exported. However, over the past 30 years, the region has seen an evolution away from bulk wines, towards higher quality reds and whites. That isn't to say that rosé wines are disappearing, which is a good thing!

I love rosé, a lot. Especially during the summer, when you don't want a white wine for whatever reason, a glass of rosé can hit the spot like no other wine can. The acidity combined with the depth of flavor that red grapes have wins me over time and time again. Some of my favorite Rosé wines are from Bandol and lately California has gotten into the act, making some dry yet textured  and complex examples.

Therefore, with a certain element of excitement, I opened up the 2009 Bodega de Sarria to taste. Granted, an ambient temperature of 63 degrees usually calls for something more stout, I was happy to taste this rosé and see how it compared to my favorites.

Darker than I'm used to, inching close to a pale Pinot Noir. That is explained by the fact that this it's 100% old vine Grenache. Still, the color isn't a turn-off, just an interesting element to consider. Ripe berries on the nose, evocative of summer strawberries freshly picked. Less of that delicate, haunting perfume note that always draws me into a good rosé.

On the palate, the summer strawberries came out, bringing ripe fruit and acidity. Hints of raspberry, bits and pieces of something vaguely metallic and that's it. Bodega de Sarria's wine finished quickly, almost vanishing entirely after a few seconds. There wasn't much in the way of other flavors for me, none of that classic Provençal elegance or the lively, carefree attitude of a California Rosé.

Then again there was nothing wrong with the wine at all, it just didn't grab me and beg to be sipped again and again. I felt no gentle kiss upon my soul, a sensation experienced when you drink a great wine you love, one that perhaps even seduces you. Was I expecting too much? Perhaps it's unwise to romanticize a $15 rosé, I accept that. What then, was this wine missing? In a word, personality.Technically correct, well packaged rosé that lacks personality. C+ from me, I wish the price point were closer to $9. For more information on the wines of Navarra, Spain, please visit http://www.winesofnavarra.com/.


This wine was received as a sample for review purposes.


Beau Carufel