Tortoise Creek Pinot Noir 2017

Origin:  Clarksburg and Monterey, CA

Grape:  Pinot Noir

Year:  2017

Alcohol:  13.5%

Price point:  $11

Year Reviewed: 2019

Married wine maker’s story from https://www.martysfinewine.com/sku74695_TORTOISE-CREEK-PINOT-NOIR-MISSION-GROVE-750ML

Mel and Janie are from England but both now US citizens. Mel has been in the wine business ever since leaving school and he met Janie when they were only twelve and thirteen (she played the piano and he played the guitar!) and as they grew up together, they shared a passion for food and wine. They married at 19 and 20. The couple left England to live in France in 1970 and started a company called Master Wines and began selling little known French wines in the USA. Mel was a pioneer in bringing great wine values to the USA from France.

Winemaker’s notes

Pinot Noir is a grape variety that demands optimum growing conditions. Sixty percent of our blend comes from vineyards in the Clarksburg region where the clay and loam soils combined with a cooling effect from the Sacramento Delta, balances the acidity in the ripening of the fruit. The other forty percent is grown from vineyards in the Monterey region that benefits from direct sunshine and shelter from the Pacific winds by the Santa Lucia Mountains. This is where the low temperature during the nights and the warm days are just perfect for Pinot Noir.

Where does the name “Mission Grove” come from?

Mission Grove” refers to the native Californian Olive cultivar, originally planted at the San Diego Mission by Franciscan monks. Mission olives grow throughout California, close to areas we source our Pinot Noir.

What is Tortoise Creek and where is it?

Tortoise Creek was created by Mel and Janie master, a British couple who have lived most of their lives in the wine business in both France and California. “Tortoise Creek” comes from the translation of the name of the couple’s home in Provence named “Le Riseau de Tortue” after the Tortoises who flourished in the creek alongside their vineyard.

The concept with Tortoise Creek is to work with small farmers who focus on sustainable farming, whether it is from the Languedoc Region or California. Tortoise Creek is handcrafted, small-batch wines selected and blended from growers who understand this philosophy. In 2008, Mel and Janie Master joined forces with the Sager family who own the national importing company, Winesellers, Ltd., and together they have extended the range to consists of top quality Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc. They are all blended to create the best possible representation of the varietal and offer remarkable value.

https://www.wine.com

So have lots of info on this wine and winemaker, as I learned about this wine when I had to do a demo.  Found the history and background very interesting and when I featured this value Pinot Noir, folks truly loved it and purchased it.  I had to purchase a bottle myself to blog on it.

This ruby colored wine has some great aromas for a Pinot Noir.  I get floral—white flowers and violet, lavender and eucalyptus.  This heavier Pinot, which I like a heavier style Pinot, has some well-blended fruit with tastes of cherry and plum.  I also get forest floor, spice and black pepper, and vegetal of mushrooms.  The finish is interesting and long with pepper, clove and spice.

I recently received some flowers that smelled just like what I tasted in this wine….Funny…Right?  There is a spicy and clove smell to this lovely lavender spring cut flower.

https://www.po.flowerscanadagrowers.com

You can’t beat the price of this Pinot Noir and I can guarantee this is going to be a “crowd-pleasing” wine with any meal that has the weight to carry a heavier Pinot Noir with it.  Try with pasta or a mushroom and spinach dish, lamb or beef.  The spice in here is very tantalizing on your mouth and made me think of all the dishes I cook that would pair eloquently with this wine.  Very versatile and will purchase again.  Price point is great for a party crowd.  ‘

Cellier Des Princes Cotes Du Rhone Grand Reserve 2016

Origin:  Cotes du Rhone, France

Grape:  80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre

Year:  2016

Alcohol:  14.5%

Price point:  $13

Year Reviewed:   2019

This has got to be my all-time favorite MSG wine.  It is 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah and only 5% Mourvedre. I think I am enjoying the greater percentage of Syrah in this Red Rhone blend.  Most of the grapes are hand harvested, year after year and this wine has won awards year after year. Syrah give it structure and spice, but I am getting something so elegant in this wine, more than I have in other GSM’s I have tried.  Taste is so personal, and reading others opinions of this wine, they feel it is young and just average.  I, on the other hand,

Clear deep ruby with a first hit of medium aromas of herbal mint and medicinal, leather and earthiness.. I continue to pick up other aromas such as some vegetal –like mushroom and forest floor with cedar and tobacco.  On the palate, you will get just a nice blend of some smooth tannins, flavors of sour cherry (the Grenache), but some spice and fullness, with interest, the Syrah.

A nice long finish that holds the tannins surrounding your upper lip for over 1 minute and the sour making your inside cheeks water.  This wine has won many accolades over several years.  Watch for this on the shelves, as it is gaining interest. 

This winery has been active since 1925 in the southern Rhone region. Grown in that well-known clay and limestone soil, indicative of this terroir and matured for 12 months in concrete tanks with some oak treatment.  This wine has been pretty stable and solid year after year.  Let it breathe a bit, 1 hour, before its full potential is unleashed.

I am anxious to try the other array of wines from this winemaker. (Some shown below, but visit their website.)

Chateau de Macard 2015

Origin:  Bordeaux Superieur     https://www.vivino.com/wine-regions/bordeaux-superieur

Grape:  Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cab Sauvignon and Cab Franc–??? Percentages

Year:  2015

Alcohol:  13%

Price point:  $12

Year Reviewed:   2019

Quite a value on this 2015 Bordeaux style wine that could be held in your cellar and age perfectly for at least 5-10 more years.  This Clear ruby wine has aromas of violets, vanilla, earth, mocha and smoky tobacco.  Starts with a sour cherry flavor, dry well integrated tannins, smooth but lighter body than I anticipated.  A bunch of flavors burst from start to middle to finish in this tasting.  Gives a long, long finish, which I love that gives flavors of menthol and mint.  Great winemaker.   Let this wine open up a bit and breathe for at least one hour to experience the complexities and smoothness.

Volpai Chianti Classico 2016

Volpai Chianti Classico 2016

Origin:  Chianti, Tuscany region of Italy

Grape:  Sangiovese

Year:  2016

Alcohol:  14%

Price point:  $19

Year Reviewed:   2019

Read an article on the 2105 92 point Volpai but found this DOCG 2016 to blog on.   What caught my attention was the rating,  that this fruit is 100% estate produced AND certified organic vineyards in Radda in Chianti region.  I have had some just “average” Chianti’s so have been searching for the real deal here and willing to spend up to $20.

So those of you know that a Chianti Classsico must be derived from the Sangiovese grape.  This clear medium ruby colored wine starts off with a nice clean nose of violets, sweet pepper, nutmeg, vanilla, almonds and earth.  Loved the aromas in the glass upon uncorking.  Tasting provided a dry, medium acidity, medium tannic wine.  It had a nice blended lighter to medium body to it with some tastes of pepper, almonds, chocolate with hints of tobacco and cedar.  A smooth cherry undernote that provided a long luxurious finish that lingered and lingered.  The aromas kept enticing and captivating me to have another sip.   It just kept performing better and better.  One of my most favorite Chianti’s so far.  This well-balanced wine will prove quite versatile to the red wine lover of Cabs, Merlots and even Bordeaux.  Some serious history from medieval days with this winemaker, Mascheroni Stiantiandl.  See the following link:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volpaia

Maggio Petite Sirah 2011

Origin:  Lodi. CA

Grape:   Petite Sirah

Year:  2011

Alcohol:  11%

Price point:  $10

Year Reviewed:  2019

Some of my favorite Petite Syrahs are in the price point of around $20, so you should have seen how ecstatic I was when I found this Lodi Petite Sirach for under $10.  Clear dark garnet in color, this Petite Sirah comes from a winemaker who does a lot with zinfandel.  Chocolate and mocha burst in the glass upon your nose.  I thought I was smelling some Ghirardelli dark chocolate and some chocolate coffee blend.  Upon tasting, it was lighter than most Petite Syrahs I have had and seemed younger than a 2011.  Lots of sweet cherry and currant flavors.  For those who want to try a different grape and not spend a load of money, this would be a good adventure for you.  This wine didn’t stain my teeth purple as the more stronger tannic Petite Syrahs have.  I am rating this under 90 points, but for $9.99, give it a try if you want to see what this grape is all about.

History: Petite Sirah (or Durif, the grape’s original name) was created by botanist Francois Durif in Montpellier, France around 1880. The grape is a cross between Syrah and the even more rare: Peloursin. It was imported to America by Charles McIver in the mid-1880s where it got it’s new name: Petite Sirah.

Petite Sirah is one of the deepest, most opaque red wines with very high levels of anthocyanin (an antioxidant).   There is at least one reason to try it!!!

https://winefolly.com/review/petite-sirah-wine-guide/

The Maggio family is moving toward more sustainable agriculture.  Check out.










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Check out Oak Ridge Winery on line and Rudy Maggio’s story of why is he doing what he does.  I love the stories behind the wine and the family wineries.
My grandfather on my mother’s side, Amelio Belluomini, came to America when he was sixteen from Lucca, Italy in April of 1913. My mother’s family originally farmed in the islands of the Sacramento River Delta, and in the early 1920s bought 200 acres in Lodi.
http://www.oakridgewinery.com/about-us/the-people/rudy-maggio/

Amarone Della Valpolicella Corvina Blend 2014 by Antiche Terre Venete


Origin:  Veneto, Italy
Grape:   Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, Rondinella
Year:  2014
Alcohol:  15%
Price point:  $29
Year Reviewed:  2019
 
 
This is my second Amarone to blog on that is very reasonably priced for an Amarone. Yes it is young, but most Amarone’s list for at least $55 to $85 per bottle.   So if you have never tried an Amarone, check on the ones on my blog (as they are great for the price) and take the plunge now to purchase or try one at a wine tasting.  You will be amazed. 
Amarone wine is very special as the grapes go through a special drying process, unlike other wines.  If you are familiar with how chocolate is dried in the sun, this is very similar to the process.  In winemaking, the process is called “appassimento” and this process can take about 3-4 months.Amarone’s are high in alcohol and acidity and usually are handpicked grapes. Fun fact:  It takes 25 labs of grapes to make a bottle of Amarone.   That is incredible.  No wonder they are higher priced.  Wine is then fermented for over 15-30 days and then placed in stainless steel vats and finished off in small oak barrels for about 12-18 months.
 
This Amarone lives in a lovely black and gold-labelled bottle with a cupid type of emblem on it. Even the casing or wrapping around the cork is embellished with gold, making me feel what a wonderful bottle of wine I just purchased.   What a beautiful gift this would be for someone who loves wine and has never tried an Amarone!!
Deep garnet red colored in the glass (use a deep red wine glass).  On the nose, I experience strong aromas of cherry, raspberry and sugar….brown sugar.   On the palate, oh my, as I experience a smooth, velvety chocolate cherry flavored glass of concentrated wine.  I do get tastes of cherry, raspberry, brown sugar and figs.  If you are a Port drinker, you should try some Amarones.

Chateau de Macard Bordeaux Superieur 2015

Origin:  Bordeaux, France

Grape:   60% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Year:  2015

Alcohol:  13%

Price point:  $12

Year Reviewed:  2019

What an extreme value from World Market of this well blended, easy drinking Bordeaux.  Clear medium + ruby wine.  Great nose of mushroom, vegetal and cherry and think I smell cab franc.  (before I found out it was mainly cab franc)

On the palate, wow, get a dry medium acidity, medium tannins, and medium to full body wine.  This wine needs to open up and I know it will even get better in 1 hour.  The flavors are a sour cherry, earthy, leather and a bit of smoke.  I also get a bit of wet leaves, oak, barnyard and earthiness.   I paired this with a fettucine spicy shrimp dish, which held up fine, but this would work with any pastas or red meats.  After 1 ½ hours, this wine opened up even more, to experience even more smoothness in your mouth.  I will definitely be purchasing this one again for that price. The wine finishes long and gentle.   Amazing value and amazing quality for this price.

Saldo 2016












Origin:  Oakville, California 
Grape:   80% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Syrah, 8% Syrah, 3% Grenache
Year:  2016
Alcohol:  15.9%
Price point:  $29
Year Reviewed:  2019

Saldo, made by the Prisoner Wine Company has a unique richness and elegance you will want to try.  Grapes are sources from premier vineyards throughout California.   Saldo’s grapes come from Dry Creek, Lodi (of course), and Amador.  This deep ruby wine smells amazing upon opening and just gets better after the hour passes.  Aromas of blackberry, deep red cherry and cranberry with a bit of mocha and medicinal or anise spice is apparent.

On the palate, this velety rich blend opens up with some herbal flavors of fennel and some vegetal expressions of green olive and lavender.  A nice chocolate flavor, instead of mocha, as in the aromas coats your entire mouth with a long lingering, velvet tannic finish and leaves you with a bit of a spicy, light sweetness. 

Aging in French and American oak barrels, 25% being new.

Okay, what about the label…very unique.  Rumor had it was that Orin Swift had some friends over and wanted to bring up from his cellar a great bottle of wine to enjoy with them and was quickly looking for ideas to name his experimental wine.  So he took his old label maker and “Saldo” was labelled, brought up out of the cellar and tried and loved by his friends.  Hence the birth of “Saldo.”  Look up the meaning of Saldo in Spanish as it has several interpretations….one of them being “balance on hand” and “from here and there” as that is representative of where his grapes came from in California.

Butter Chardonnay 2016 by Jam Cellars



Origin:  California  (near Napa)
Grape:   Chardonnay 100%
Year:  2016
Alcohol:  14.8%
Price point:  $14
Year Reviewed:  2019
 
I had heard a bunch of great things from my “chardonnay lovers” about Butter Chardonnay, so thought I better get a review out there on this one.  Clear medium lemon colored chardonnay.  Condition is clean with light aromatic smells of lemon, apricot, vanilla and yeasty bread or lemon cookies right out of the oven.    Off dry on the palate, with high acidity and made my salivary glands water.  A creamy medium bodied wine that coated my entire mouth with ever taste.  Stayed in every part of my mouth, cheeks and tip of tongue especially.  Flavors of a nice buttered pastry.  A bit of lemon and apricot and peach.  Lots of minerality, but I was liking the interest in this glass, as there was something so unique about its acidity complimenting the butteryness.  As I stated, a long lingering finish with very good quality.
JaM is short for John and Michele Truchard, who both grew up in Napa wine families, were friends in high school, and eventually started dating while away at college. They came home to make wine and start a family, farming their own vineyards and have been crafting ultra-premium wines in the Napa Valley for over a decade. John and Michele (the “J” and “M” in JaM) launched JaM Cellars to make high-quality winemaking traditions accessible for everyone, creating memorable, easy-to-love wines that over deliver in deliciousness. Their names are on the bottles and their hearts are in these wines.
https://www.wine.com/product/jam-cellars-butter-chardonnay-2016/343817
 
 
I paired this tonight with a cod lemon, oil dish topped with avocado, onion and tomato salsa and a buttery cheese rice dish…Excellent pairing.


Clos de los Siete Red Blend 2013


Origin: Mendoza, Argentina
Grape:  53% Malbec, 23% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Syrah, 4% Petit Verdot
Year:  2013
Alcohol:  14.5%
Price point:  $17
Year Reviewed:   2018
 
This well rated 89 to 94 points Bordeaux style wine is an extremely good value for the price.  I found this wine years ago (4-5 years ago) and it is blended very consistent every single year.  2013 is a spectacular year, though.  This clear deep ruby wine has a clean nose of green pepper, oaky vanilla, spice, violets and a bit of mocha and smoke. 
 
It is dry with nice acidity, a full-bodied glass of well-integrated tannins.  Starts off with a bit of sweetness which bursts into flavors of each of the grapes in this blend.  The green and white pepper of the Malbec rules on your tongue while you will experience other flavors of vanilla, eucalyptus, mushroom and nuttiness—hazelnut or maybe even walnuts.   Nice long finish with some tannins appearing toward the end.  This wine will provide interest and complexity in your palate.  Superior and outstanding Bordeaux style wine from Argentina.  Will buy over and over each year of production.
 
11 months in 70% oak and 30% in vats, the French wine maker Michel Rolland’s blend comes from 7 different wineries.
 
This wine makes a great gift or a great wine to serve at a party with beef, lamb or ribs.  It not only is complex and interesting, it is a crowd pleaser, due to all of the varying flavors one will experience in the glass. 
 
https://www.wiredforwine.com/featured-wine/clos-de-los-siete-2013