Last week I wrote a review of California Cowboy Red, a pinot noir from Sumner Vineyards. It was so good I needed to try another pinot noir from Sumner Vineyards this week.
This one doesn’t have a fun cowboy name, it’s simply called Sumner Vineyards Pinot Noir. Like the Cowboy Red, this one comes from Trinity County, California where Sumner’s vineyards, as well as their cattle ranch and hay fields, are located. While they’re not certified organic, getting that certification is part of their future plans. Therefore they don’t use pesticides on their vines.
As I mentioned in my previous review, Sumner is a small, limited production wine producer. And by the taste of their wines, they’re doing something right.
The nose on this wine is beautiful. It reveals cherry, raspberry and strawberry aromas married beautifully with cedar, black pepper and allspice. Some folks may find the spice to be too much, but I think it’s great. The palate is elegant and delicious, with a smooth mouthfeel and flavors of cherry, raspberry and spices. It finishes fairly long with well-balanced fruit and spice lingering on the palate.
It’s not worlds different from the Cowboy Red, just a bit more elegant and balanced.
Wine: Sumner Vineyards, Pinot Noir
Varieties: Pinot noir
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 90
Average price: $18.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
“Wow. Holy cow, that’s good.” That was my first impression of this wine. Most times when I’m getting ready to taste and take notes on wines it’s all business. I get things set up, get my computer ready for my notes take a sniff of the first wine for that day and go to work. But today I had poured this wine and got distracted by other things, I casually took a swig from the glass without really thinking about it and it stopped me in my tracks. And that’s what I said at that moment. But perhaps I should have said, “Holy cowboy, that’s good.”
It’s not super complex and it’s not an out of this world wine, but it’s solid. It’s really good. It’s easy to drink and it’s enjoyable.
You may have never heard of California Cowboy Red or other wines from Sumner Vineyards. I hadn’t until I tasted this one. They’re a relatively small producer in northern California focused on pinot noir and pinot gris. But if they keep making wines like this, me thinks their name will become more well known.
Surprisingly, in addition to being a wine that wowed me, the California Cowboy Red is the low priced wine from Sumner’s portfolio at just twelve bucks. Although all of their wines are under $20 a bottle, a fact that makes me like this producer even more.
The nose of Cowboy Red offers cherry, strawberry, cedar and new leather wallet smell aromas (side note: I love the new wallet smell. It’s also one of my favorite descriptors of aromas in wine, although I haven’t used it in ages.) On the palate this wine is just plain delicious. It offers ripe cherry and raspberry flavors with bright acidity and just the right amount of sweetness (which is not much). The flavors are vibrant and lively. The mouthfeel is good too. And it finishes with lingering ripe cherry flavors. This wine is delicious on its own but also great for pairing with everyday foods like burgers.
Wine: Sumner Vineyards, California Cowboy Red
Varieties: Pinot noir
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 88
Average price: $12.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
In my last post I checked out a Barefoot Prosecco that was pretty good and challenged the prejudice some folks have against the Barefoot brand. And so I thought I’d check out another Barefoot wine — their malbec.
I often struggle to find the right balance between writing about obscure and interesting, although possibly difficult to find bargain wines and writing about average wines that nearly anyone can easily find. This is one post for the latter category.
I can’t say this is an obscure wine and there’s not much terribly interesting about it, but it is definitely a bargain.
The nose is pleasant and pretty typical of a malbec, with rich black cherry and spice aromas. In the mouth it offers loads of ripe black cherry, berry and plum flavors. The fruit is a little more jammy than I’d prefer, but I’m sure many folks would like it the way it is. The acidity is good. The mouthfeel could stand to be a bit richer and smoother. It has a decent finish. While nothing magical, it’s not bad for a bargain.
Wine: Barefoot Malbec
Varieties: Malbec
Vintage: Non-vintage
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 84
Average price: $6.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Find Barefoot Malbec with Snooth
Barefoot is the largest wine brands in the world. I don’t know the exact numbers, but it’s one of those wines that can be found pretty much everywhere.
Although it’s now owned by E&J Gallo, it was started by wine industry outsiders and built its following by appealing to people who normally wouldn’t drink wine. It’s a brand that made wine more approachable for average consumers, not wine snobs.
I would also guess it’s the most maligned wine brand in the world. Wine snobs love to pick on Barefoot, I hear it all the time. I hear people call it “factory wine” or “bulk wine” or some similar disparaging name. But as the biggest wine brand in the world, it obviously appeals to large a number of people.
Personally, I fall somewhere in between the lovers and the haters of Barefoot. On one hand, the fact that something has a large fan base doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily great. After all, most pop music doesn’t appeal to me yet by nature it’s the most popular music out there. Contrarily, just because something is mass produced doesn’t mean it’s necessarily bad.
So when I taste a Barefoot wine, like any other wine, I try to put prejudice and preconceived notions aside and let the wine speak for itself. And in the case of Barefoot Prosecco, I’m siding with the lovers.
Like any other Prosecco, this wine is made from glera grapes grown within the Prosecco region in Veneto, Italy. It’s produced according to regulations of the Prosecco DOC. And it tastes exactly like I expect a Prosecco to taste.
Nice floral, pear, apple and lemon aromas give a nice introduction to this Prosecco. The palate delivers scrumptious lemon, grapefruit and granny smith apple flavors with a light creamy mouthfeel and a decent density of bubbles. The acidity is spot on. It finishes with lingering lemon and green apple flavors that last for minutes. This is a well made Prosecco that I would enjoy any day.
Wine: Barefoot Prosecco
Varieties: Glera
Vintage: Non-vintage
Alcohol: 11%
Rating: 88
Average price: $11.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Find Barefoot Prosecco with Snooth
There was a time when I avoided sauvignon blanc from California, not because it was bad but I just found that I had better options from other regions. But in the last couple years I’ve come across more and more California sauvignon blanc that I love.
California sauvignon blanc tends to be a little more subtle than many of those from Chile or New Zealand — which often have bold tropical fruit aromas and flavors.
I’m not sure if the California sauvignon blancs are getting better or if my palate is just evolving to a place where I prefer more elegant wines over those with dramatic, bold flavors. It’s probably a combination of the two.
Geyser Peak, River Ranches Sauvignon Blanc is the most recent one I’ve found to fall into this category. This wine comes from the Russian River Valley in California and is a single vineyard wine. If this is one you want to try, be sure to look for the “River Ranches” on the label as Geyser Peak has a few different sauvignon blancs. This one is from their Appellation series.
Peach aromas are most prominent on the nose of this wine, coupled with some melon, floral and apple as well. The palate is crisp, offering bright lemon, mineral, peach and apple flavors. It’s very dry and while it has plenty of acidity and generous lemon flavors it doesn’t make you pucker. It’s quite mineral on the finish. This is a very elegant sauvignon blanc that’s a nice distinction from the tropical bombs.
Wine: Geyser Peak, River Ranches
Varieties: Sauvignon blanc
Vintage: 2014
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 88
Average price: $20.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Find Geyser Peak River Ranches Sauvignon Blanc with Snooth
Over the years I’ve been reviewing wines I’ve found myself taking notice of producers and importers who are consistently good. One of those I’ve been drawn to over the past year or two is Michel Chapoutier. I’ve tried a number of Chapoutier wines and I have yet to find one that isn’t good, much less great. That experience has been consistent with their red, white and rosé wines over multiple tastings.
This consistent performance has made Michel Chapoutier one of my “go to” producers. If I’m in a wine shop or restaurant and see one of his wines, my choice is made — because I’m confident it’s going to be good. And with their Bila-Haut line the value is exceptional.
This white blend is another win for Chapoutier. It’s made from a blend of grenache blanc, grenache gris and macabeu from Côtes du Roussillon in southern France.
Floral, citrus, melon and pear aromas blend beautifully in the nose of this wine, offering a refreshingly elegant bouquet. The palate is delicate yet has sufficient acidity to make it sing. Lemon, peach and apple flavors marry up nicely, giving the essence of the fruit with out the sweetness. It finishes well too, with lingering citrus and mineral flavors. This is a fantastic white.
Wine: Michel Chapoutier, Vignes de Bila-Haut, Côtes du Roussillon
Varieties: Grenache blanc, grenache gris and macabeu
Vintage: 2014
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 90
Average price: $15.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Today is Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer. But it’s still plenty hot outside here and that’s fabulous weather to enjoy riesling.
Who am I kidding? I enjoy riesling in all seasons and all weather.
One of the most common misconceptions about riesling I hear is that it’s too sweet. These are comments from someone who has likely only tried some cheap, bad riesling — which is unfortunate. There is plenty of delicious, dry riesling out there and this is one example.
One thing that can trip up us American wine drinkers is the fact that many of us aren’t multilingual and don’t know the terms used on European wine labels very well. If you’re interested in finding dry riesling, remember the term “trocken.” That’s German for “dry.” And it’s also important to know “halbtrocken” which means “half dry” or “off dry.” As you can probably infer, halbtrocken wines have a touch more sweetness than trocken wines, although they’re still not sweet wines.
This one from Schloss Schönborn is absolutely, positively dry. And it’s fabulous.
Flinty mineral, honeysuckle, lime and pear aromas on the nose of this wine are pleasant, calming and refreshing. It evokes thoughts of a cool stream running down a forest-covered mountain in springtime. The palate offers crisp flavors that are like a granny smith apple drenched in lime juice. There’s also a touch of salty mineral that leads into the finish, where green apple flavors linger. This is a lovely dry riesling.
Wine: Schloss Schönborn Riesling Trocken
Varieties: Riesling
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol: 11.5%
Rating: 91
Average price: $20.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
I love the story of carmenère, the lost grape of Bordeaux rediscovered in Chile after it was thought to have disappeared from our planet. When I first heard about it, I was entranced by the magical story and wanted to celebrate this grape and make it one of my staple wines.
But not long after learning about carmenère and tasting a number of them I found myself avoiding it. Why? Because too often it’s not produced well, particularly when it comes to low-cost bottles. Carmenère tends to give off a strong green pepper aroma and flavor when the grapes are harvested before they’re fully ripe. And while a hint of that is OK, I came across so many bottles of carmenère where that characteristic overpowered everything else that I just started avoiding it. In fact, when this bottle showed up as a sample I wasn’t looking forward to tasting it — but I prematurely misjudged it.
When done well, carmenère is a fabulous wine, with rich fruit flavors, interesting spices and plenty of complexity. This one from Santa Carolina is a great example of carmenère done right.
The nose is pretty approachable, offering rich fruit and spice aromas like plum, black cherry, vanilla, caramel and cinnamon. It’s harmoniously balanced and simply beautiful. It’s a similar story on the palate, where this wine serves up plenty of ripe black cherry, blackberry and plum flavors without becoming a fruit bomb. The fruit flavors are layered with spices like cinnamon and coffee. The acidity is good and the mouthfeel nice. This is an easy carmenère to love.
Wine: Santa Carolina, Reserva de Familia
Varieties: Carmenère
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 90
Average price: $19.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Find Santa Carolina, Reserva de Familia Carmenère with Snooth
Anyone who’s been a reader here for long knows that I’m not a huge chardonnay fan. As a result, I’m probably unfairly harsh when evaluating a chardonnay. And so, when I find one that I like I have to give it respect. This is one of those cases.
This one is produced by The Other Guys and I don’t have a much of a story behind it. The grapes only have the designation of “California” meaning that they are not exclusively from one named appellation. And while it’s mostly chardonnay it does have 14% French colombard. The blend and origin of the grapes is different for this 2013 than what they put into the 2012 chardonnay, which means the vintage is distinct from the previous vintage — and who knows what they’ll do when they get to the 2014 vintage.
Honeysuckle, lemon, straw and nectarine aromas give this wine a complex, balanced and enjoyable nose. The palate is crisp, creamy and refreshing, offering lemon and granny smith apple flavors. The finish is long and delicious. This is a fantastic chardonnay for the price.
Wine: Pennywise
Varieties: 86% chardonnay, 14% French colombard
Vintage: 2013
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 88
Average price: $12.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Find Pennywise Chardonnay with Snooth
Wait, what!?!? A sparkling blue wine? That can’t be wine, can it? It must be horrible. Did they add food dye? Who buys this stuff? I wonder if it’s any good? Is it totally sweet? Is this a joke? Am I a fool for wanting to review this?
Those are some of the thoughts that went through my head when I first saw this wine. There’s nothing wrong with the picture or your screen, that wine is blue. It’s not the bottle, it’s the wine.
I’m not going to lie, I was very skeptical of this wine. I mean, how much more gimmicky can you get? But at the same time, I love it when someone dares to try something different. And I’m not totally opposed to gaudy things. So, what the hell? I’ll give it a shot.
As I looked into this wine it’s not as horrifying as it first looked. The wine is made of chardonnay with a small amount of blueberry extract added. And that blueberry shows up fairly prominently in the wine. The wine is a brut, meaning that it’s dry — not sweet.
It is a sparkling wine, made with the charmat method — which involves secondary fermentation in tanks. This is the same method used for Prosecco. While it is sparkling, I find that wines made with this method often aren’t as bubbly as those made with the traditional method.
I am amused that the wine was given a French sounding name and the label design is reminiscent of French sparklers. It comes across as elegant and tacky at the same time. I love that!
Given that this wine is so unique, I felt that I could “review” it but I didn’t feel like I could “rate” it. I consider a rating to be a score of how a wine measures up against similar wines. But in this case I can’t think of a similar wine. It’s one of a kind.
There is definitely a blueberry muffin-like aroma on the nose, along with a little bit of yeast a little bit of apple and a floral twist. The palate is an experience, offering apple and citrus flavors up front followed by blueberry on the mid-palate. That blueberry flavor lingers extensively on the finish, where it takes on that blueberry muffin characteristic. There’s also a touch of lemon on the finish. It’s not sweet at all, which is great. It has decent acidity and a pleasant mouthfeel — although I would have liked it to be more bubbly. It’s enjoyable, but definitely different.
It’s definitely a fun wine for a party. I’m sure it would also be a popular choice at weddings where blue is a primary color for the decor. And it’s unique enough to be worth a try, at least once.
Wine: Blanc de Bleu, Cuvée Mousseux
Varieties: Chardonnay, blueberry
Vintage: Non-vintage
Alcohol: 11.23%
Average price: $12.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Prev