Sharecropper’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

 

 

 

 

 

Origin:  Columbia Valley, WA

Grape:  Cabernet Sauvignon

Year:  2015

Alcohol:  14.1

Price point:  $14

Year Reviewed:  2018

 

Another great find from a large tasting event, this Washington State Cabernet arouses your interest and senses.  Had to purchase a bottle to evaluate and blog on.  By now, some may have “picked up” on how much I enjoy wines and grapes from Washington State.  I believe they are not given the fame they should be….but maybe that will change in the next 10 years.  Sharecropper’s winery was started around 1999 and here is the history.

 

 

 

 

http://www.owenroe.com/About-Us

 

This clear deep ruby colored wine appears with a medium color intensity.  Despite a bit of allergies acting up today, the nose of this wine gives off aromas of the gamey, meaty, leathery type of wines I usually love to savor.  Medium tannins, medium acidity, and medium body with intense flavors upon opening that are full of spices like red pepper and white pepper.  Flavors of licorice, pungent spices, vegetals like cabbage and black olives are evident also.  After getting some air or upon decanting, this wine rounds itself out to become more integrated in those flavors, giving a successful and excitable Cabernet on the palate.  I do hear requests that many wine lovers, want a 100% cabernet sauvignon and do not want any blended grape with it.  Well, here it is…..a beautiful 100% Cab Sauvignon rated around 87 points by various wine critics.  Compare this $14 value from Columbia Valley, WA to some $35 California wines that may not even be 100% Cab Sauvignon.  Truly 100% Cab Sauvignons are not hard to make, but are hard to make well…….that is the rub.

Bottled in Benton City, WA, this enjoyable Cab finished hot and spicy upon opening and after rounding out, finished much gentler but still held a longer finish.  If you enjoy pungent spice and extreme flavors, drink upon opening; if you prefer a mellower rounded out wine, decant or open up 2 hours before serving.  Enjoy this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, as it appears that more blending is occurring with Cab’s in the US and 100% Cab’s are becoming rarer.  Also be reminded that even though a California wine may state Cabernet Sauvignon on the label, there very well may be other varietals blending with your Cab.

Try this wine with beef, lamb and heavier dishes.

Naia Las Brisas White Blend 2015

 

Origin:  RuedaNorthern Spain,

Grape:  Verdejo, Viura, Sauvignon Blanc Blend

Year:  2015

Alcohol:  13%

Price point:  $9

Year Reviewed:  2018

 

Found this at a large scale Wine tasting event in Illinois, and what a find this was.  An amazingly unique blend of some Spanish varietals found.   Verdejo is a variety of wine grape that has long been grown in the Rueda region.  Viura is a synonym for Macabeo and is the most widely planted white grape variety in Rioja.

The fun modern and exotic label, just beautiful, is indicative of what you will experience in the wine.  In the glass the wine presents as a clear pale yellow wine.  The nose is clean, with a medium intensity and aromas of lemon, citrus and pear appear.

Tasting this wine was just as great as experiencing it at the tasting event where I found it, as it boasts itself with flavors of lemon, yeast, lees, butter… reminding me of a lemon sconce or my famous lemon bars.  Also on the finish, I pick up some enchanting flavors of green sour fruit or melon, such as a granny smith apple.  Drink chilled or over chilled, as the viscosity of the blend can handle to be a bit cooler than usual.

Will keep in the frig for you for several days, but drink before 2020. lol

 

I paired this with a ginger chicken dish and a fresh salad with a unique ginger dressing. 

An amazing blend of some striking varietals for under $9.00.   Try this one with shrimp, crab or lobster.  (Invite me over too.)  Check out Naia wines on line, as they have a huge assortment and I will be looking into some of their other products.

 

Domaine de Couron Grenache Rose 2016

Origin:  IGP Ardeche, Vin de Pays, France

Grape: 100% Grenache

Year:  2016

Alcohol:  14%

Price point:  $11

Year Reviewed:  2018

 

 

 

IGP Ardeche Wine

Ardeche is an IGP title that covers red, white and rosé wines that are made in the Ardeche department in the south of France. Ardeche sits on the western banks of the Rhone river and is an important part of the northern Rhone wine region: the AOC-level appellations Saint-JosephCornas and Saint-Peray are located here.

The department lies some 60 miles (95km) from the Mediterranean coast on a landscape that ranges from river plains in the south to the mountains of the Massif Central in the north. Generally speaking, the IGP-level vineyards are found in the dry, scrubby foothills of the Cévennes mountains, with the narrow valley of the Rhone reserved for the more prestigious AOC wines.

 

A village on the Ardeche River
© Wikimedia/Patrice78500

The Mediterranean climate in the south of Ardeche is well suited to viticulture, and mild winters are followed by hot, dry summers. The cool, northerly Mistral wind is felt throughout the department, although this is often interspersed by moisture-laden sea breezes from the south. This collision of winds can result in sudden heavy rain, particularly in spring and autumn.

As in many of the mountain ranges in the Massif Central, the soils here are dominated by limestone and sandstone. Pebbly, thin soils in the main vineyard areas drain freely and stress vines, leading to good concentration in the grapes.

Ardeche IGP wines are usually made up of the classic Rhone varieties Grenache and Syrah, although plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and other more international grape varieties are finding a place in the vineyards here. As in many of the IGPs in southern France, varietalwines are becoming more common, particularly to international consumers.

The department – formerly classified under the now-defunct Vin de Pays category of French wine – has one sub-appellation: the Coteaux de l’Ardeche further covers IGP-level wines in the south of Ardeche.

https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-igp+ardeche

Perfect with salads, summer foods and lighter fare, this clean pale salmon, lighter intensity colored wine was a great find of mine for a little over $10 a bottle.  On the nose, fresh aromas of white flowers, strawberries and a hint of peach or apricot.  Upon sipping, low tannins, with a medium acidity which will pair well with lighter fare, but could hold up to a heavier grilled dish.  The off dry sweetness surprisingly ends in a mild tartness, which I liked, as it gave some great flavors and interest to this wine.  A truly long finish retained on the tip of my tongue and inside of my cheeks.  Just a hind to frizzante tingled my mouth with this lighter body Rose’.  Flavors of a buttery, pastry, and a spec of white pepper with fruits of melon, strawberries and apricot were pronounced with a gentle sprinkling of mint or medicinal sparkle.  Serve this crisp Rose’ chilled and keep it cold to experience it best on a hot day. Rose’s   can be make from a variety of grapes.  Have fun sampling Rose’s made from Merlot, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.   Remember the saying for 2018; “Rose’, all day!!!”

 

 

 

 

Columbia Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Franc 2014

 

Origin:  Horse Heaven Hills, WA

Grape: 100% Cabernet Franc

Year:  2014

Alcohol:  14.5%

Price point:  $30

Year Reviewed:  2018

 

As I have visited the Columbia Winery in Woodinville, WA (see section on this website about Wineries), I thought I would experience yet another wine of theirs.  This clear, deep garnet Cab Franc was not from the Red Mountain AVA, but from the well-known Horse Heaven Hills.

 

The Horse Heaven Hills appellation is located in south-central Washington along the Washington-Oregon border. The area takes its name from an early pioneer who said, upon seeing the region and its wide prairies and expanses, ”Surely this is Horse Heaven!”

https://www.washingtonwine.org/wine/facts-and-stats/regions-and…/horse-heaven-hills

 

 

On the nose, clean with medium intensities of spice, currant jam/jelly, hints of vanilla and almond extracts and a dash of white pepper.

Off dry with lower acidity and high tannins.  This wine had a medium body and a medium finish……I was expecting a longer finish.  Quality good.

Enjoyable, but not as great as some of the other Columbia winery wines I have purchased.

 

 

 

Los Vacos Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

 

Origin:  Colchagua, Chili

Grape: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Year:  2014

Alcohol:  14%

Price point:  $7.99

Year Reviewed:  2018

 

Rated 88. Points.

Los Vacos Cab is not new for me, as I sampled this wine 3 years ago as the price captured my attention.  I was reminded about it again in an article regarding highly rated cabernets under $10.00.  Thought I should try the 2014 and review.  This is an appealing clear deep ruby colored Cab.  Its nose is clean but with a lighter intensity than anticipated.  Aromas of vegetal (cabbage) appear upon uncorking.  Herbal tones and eucalyptus, medicinal, yeast and mushroom smell hit my senses.  Aromas were not very pronounced.   But upon encountering additional air time, the aromas of plum and cherry evoked the table.

 

On the palate, a dry high acidity wine, with medium tannins, a bit lighter body than expected, with a long finish.  Good quality for the price…….but wait……

 

Wait is what I did, as I remembered this wine more interesting than it was upon first sampling and reviewing here.  I decanted and let my friend (air) bring out some beauty in this poor closed up spirit.  This wine woke up a bunch of bolder flavors and rounded out better after 1 ½ hours, so keep that in mind for this $7.99 wine…..to decant and your guests will think you are serving a $25 cab to them.

Incidentally the 2015 is supposed to be even better.  I will look for that to blog on also.

 

Les Domaines Barons de Rothschild has roots in the Bordeaux region of France since 1868.  The Estate has a great reputation for over 5 generations. First references to their wines date back to 1234 Check out www.lafite.com  and the Domaine of Vi~na Los Vascos and discover Los Vacos also has many other cabernets, chardonnays and even a new Rose from cabernet grapes.  South China Morning Post, March 29, 2016, talks about the growth of the Rothschild wines and how they have land in Chili, Argentina and Languedoc, and featured in the article a new purchase of land in Shandong, China to produce vintages for the local demand.

Fidelitas 2015 Optu Red Mountain

 

Origin: Red Mountain AVA, Washington State

Grape: 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc

Year:  2015

Alcohol:  14.8%

Price point:  $50

Year Reviewed:  2018

 

Rated 93 points

I learned about Fidelitas wines on my trip to Woodinville, WA.  Their tasting room opened earlier than the others, so there was a natural attraction to visit here first.  The employee explained what made their wines unique….basically two things…Red Mountain and Charlie.

 

Charlie Hoppes—master winemaker, who has helped out many other winemakers in this area.  Read his story below.

 

 

 

I first became interested in wine and winemaking in the early 1980’s.  I was newly married and the industry in Washington was in its infant stages.  I began by fermenting berry wines and a memorable lot of White Riesling from a family vineyard near my in-laws in Pasco, Washington.

My interest in grape growing and winemaking continued to grow, and with positive encouragement from both my family and members of the industry I decided to apply to attend the renowned Viticulture and Enology program at the University of California – Davis.  In 1988 I graduated with a degree in Agricultural Science and Management with a special emphasis in Viticulture and Enology.

After weighing all my options following graduation, I decided to return to the then fledging industry in Washington.  I was fortunate to start my career working for Mike Januik at the Snoqualmie/Langguth winery near Mattawa, where I was able to get a lot of hands on experience.  After a brief stint in Walla Walla in 1990 at Waterbrook Winery, I again went to work with Mike Januik as a member of the winemaking team at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville.

In 1993, I became the Head Red Winemaker and managed Chateau Ste. Michelle’s newest facility at the time: Canoe Ridge near Paterson, Washington.  This facility was a result of benchmarking the great red winemaking facilities throughout the world. This experience at Chateau Ste. Michelle was invaluable because of the volume of fruit that you get a chance to work with.  The time at Canoe Ridge really shaped my thought process in regard to making ultra-premium red wines.  I had the good fortune to make a number of very nice wines during my time at Chateau Ste. Michelle, including working with the Antinori family on the initial vintages of Col Solare from1995 through 1998.

In the winter of 1999, I made the decision to leave Chateau Ste. Michelle with the hopes of making my own wine.  I joined the startup of Three Rivers Winery and made wines for them from 1999 through the 2002.  At the same time, I was able to get an initial start of Fidelitas in 2000. The first vintage was a Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot blend that we named Optu.  This wine is still in our portfolio today, as our Red Mountain Bordeaux-style blend.

In 2007, we were able to purchase some land in the Red Mountain, AVA and plant a small three-acre vineyard.  We also built a tasting room that could be open to the public and share the wines we are making.  Since that initial purchase, we have purchased an additional ten acres that was planted in the spring of 2015 with red Bordeaux varietals.  It had always been a hope of mine to be part of the Red Mountain, AVA.  That hope is now a reality. Wines from this growing area are in my opinion, very special and unique. Wineries from throughout Washington seek out fruit from Red Mountain on a regular basis to enhance their portfolios. Since making the first Red Mountain wines for Fidelitas in 2005 we have expanded the Red Mountain product line significantly. Beginning with the 2012 vintage, we were fortunate enough to begin releasing our own Fidelitas Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Besides our Estate Vineyard, we are now working with other top growers within the Red Mountain AVA.  We create vineyard designated wines from Ciel Du Cheval Vineyard, Blackwood Canyon Vineyard, and Quintessence Vineyard, as well as blends and varietal wines from throughout the AVA.  This product line will continue to evolve and grow.  I honestly believe our best wines are yet to be made.

When not doing things for Fidelitas, I have an active consulting business making wine for small wineries throughout the region.  2017 marked my 30th vintage in Washington.

My wife, Terri, and I have four adult children who are working and going to school around the U.S.  Our son, Will, recently joined the team at Fidelitas, and heads up the Woodinville tasting room.  He’ll join me in the cellar for harvest of 2019 as we build a multi-generational winery.  For the first time since 1987, we don’t have any children at home, which is an adjustment. However, we’ve been enjoying going to visit them and always look forward to the holidays.

Cheers!

 

http://www.fidelitaswines.com/?method=pages.showPage&PageID=BFE87850-C2F9-FF74-228A-2A23DA969ECB&originalMarketingURL=About-Us/Charlie-Hoppes

 

 

 

When you open the bottle, you immediately smell the richness.  Dark ruby color, aromas of cherry and blackberry explode.  This wine is rich and velvety, bold and fruit forward.  I experienced tastes of black currant, black berries and baking spices.  The soft rich tannins are a sign of a great wine and winemaker.   You may wish to decant this, as it will open up for more flavor after about ½ hour.  The long finish on the palate was expected from Charlie, as I wouldn’t have expected anything less.   Watch for his wines and who else he is teaching in the Washington Area.  Januik also had some of the best Merlot’s and red blends out of this area.  Price point a bit less than Fidelitas.  So what did I have to eat with this luscious Red mountain wine?   I paired this with prime rib and a double baked potato.  What a delight!  The next day, the wine held up very well in the wine refrigerator, so I paired this with with Casatica Di Bufala (Water Buffalo) cheese from Italy….just an amazing pairing.

Muscat Canelli Cold Creek Vineyard 2017

Origin: Columbia Valley, Washington State

Grape:  Muscat Canelli

Body:  Medium

Year: 2017

Alcohol:  11.5 %

Price point: $17.00

Year Reviewed: 2018

I was introduced to this wine during a Chateau St. Michelle wine tour in Woodinville. This was the wine we were served at the end of the tour.  The famous Cold Creek Vineyard has 37 acres of Muscat Canelli grapes planted. As I talk about my “sweet” wine lovers, who tend to be the sweet folks I love in my family, I purchased a bottle to bring home from Woodinville.  The appearance of this wine was so very pale lemon, almost colorless.  The nose was tropical, pulling from smells of a tropical drink, tropical soap with nectarines and pineapples and Hawaiian flowers.   On the palate, some sweetness, with higher acidity and some unique flavors that took a while to decipher through.  I picked up apricot nectar, peaches, lemons, oranges, ginger and nutmeg spice.  An incidental note that I had this wine opened for over 2 weeks in the wine frig and it did not lose its quality, taste or nose.

This wine had a long, long finish of tropical juice.

Columbia Winery Merlot 2014

Origin: Columbia Valley, Washington State

Grape:  85% Merlot, 8% Syrah, 5% Malbec, 2% other Red

Body: Full

Year: 2014

Alcohol: 13.7%

Price point: $10

Year Reviewed: 2018

 

 

Merlot doesn’t get enough interest, ever since a silly movie actor who said they didn’t like Merlot in the movie Sideways. But honestly, this movie was quite destructive to the Merlot business on a whole.  You may think that is quite odd, but the sales of Merlot plummeted.  Fortunately, I do have my feelings, since wine is trendy, that Merlot will have a comeback in the near future.   I personally love well blended Merlots from several regions, Columbia Valley AVA, being one of them.  This wine is from the Columbia Winery, who I had the honor to visit in Woodinville, Washington.

In the glass, this clean dark purple colored wine smells of plum and other red fruit. The juiciness and richness of the Merlot grape was evident, but I could pick up the Syrah flavorings of the spiciness.  Lots of black cherry and plum, sprinkled with clove, and a mocha caramel spattering…maybe a chocolate turtle.  This wine finishes lovely but with a medium finish.  Medium finish.  No doubt, I will be purchasing this again due to the quality and the price at the Sav-Way in St. Charles, IL.

Monchhof Robert Eymael Mosel Riesling Spatlese 2016

Origin: Mosel, Germany

Grape:  Riesling

Body: Medium

Year: 2016

Alcohol: 8.5%

Price point: $22

Year Reviewed: 2018

 

So this was fun….I was going to teach two people who love sweet dessert wines (which they drink for any reason) how to rate and evaluate a wine. Here is what they came up with……with some very intense direction and coaching.  “On the eyes, this is a clear pale lemon colored wine.  They struggled with the smells they were getting on the nose, but after not letting them drink the wine, they finally came up with aromas of green fruit (green apple and pear), pineapple, nectar, and yeast.  After their palates were refreshed twice, they experienced some pineapple, pear, nectarine and melon.    They rated the wine as sweet, higher in acidity, medium body and a long finish, lasting over 2 minutes.  They both rated the wine’s quality as Outstanding.”  I truly enjoyed teaching them how to blog on this sweet balanced German wine, while I continued to drink my dry red one.  Lol

 

The producer of this wine is Weingut Monchhof.

moenchhof.eymael@t-online.de
www.moenchhof.de

Robert Eymael leads since 1994 the Wine Estate. Joke and humor paired with a quality-conscious individualism, describe his philosophy, which reflects itself in the inimitable style of its Riesling wines. The Mönchhof, formerly in the possession of the Cisterian abbey Himmerod, is one of the oldest Wine ‘Estates at the Mosel. Pope Alexander III already confirmed the first Wine Estate possession of the abbey in the year 1177 in Uerzig. The monks of Himmerod built the wine-cellar at that time and in 1509 the estate you can admire today. In 1804, after the secularization by Napoleon, our family could acquire the Wine Estate in Paris.

Read more: http://www.snooth.com/winery/weingut-monchhof-urzig-mosel/#ixzz5Gwt9tHyp

The Mosel regions and steep banks

The Romans planted the first vineyards along the Mosel river and the city of Trier around the second century. Today, this region is known for its steep slopes overlooking the rivers, on which the vineyards are planted. Indeed, the steepest vineyard site in the world is located in the town of Bremm, with an incline of 65 degrees.

The Mosel and its vineyards

The Mosel has a very cool, northern continental climate, and such slopes are very effective in optimizing the vines’ exposure to sun, facilitating the ripening of the grapes. The best sites also take advantage of the solar radiation reflecting off the rivers’ surface and onto the vines, and the dark slate soil’s ability to absorb heat during the day and radiate it back to the vines at night. In summer the weather is warm, but certainly not hot, with an average July temperature of around 65ºF (18ºC). A long growing season helps develop the intense flavors in the Riesling grapes while keeping potential alcohol levels low.

One disadvantage of such steep vineyard sites is that they are inaccessible to machinery, meaning as much as seven times the amount of manual labor is required to tend them, compared to level vineyards. In winter, rain washes slate from high on the hillsides down to the rivers, and vineyard workers must gather it and carry it back up to the vineyards, where its heat-retaining properties are required. Occupational safety is a major issue on the very steep sites, and fatalities among vineyard workers have been known.

 

https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-mosel

 

 

Meiomi Pinot Noir 2016

Origin: 60% Monterey County, 23% Santa Barbara, 17% Sonoma, CA

Grape:  Pinot Noir

Body: Medium

Year: 2016

Alcohol: 13.7%

Price point: $18

Year Reviewed: 2018

 

Whenever I meet an avid Pinot Noir lover, I ask them their price point on wines and refer them to these two lovely choices: Meiomi Pinot Noir (under $20) and Belle Glos Pinor Noir (around $50).  I am featuring Meiomi here, as for a price point of $20, you will get an amazing Pinot.

 

When I hold wine demos, I slightly chill my pinots down to about 60 degrees. I have been questioned by several Pinot Noir lovers, as to why I do that.   All reds, not just heavy reds, need to be served at a temperature cooler than room temperature, or you end up tasting too much alcohol in the wine.

This wine remains relatively consistent from year to year.

 

A clean garnet color, there are full juicy berry (cherry and strawberry) flavors on the nose. Also aromas of mint and anise are apparent. In the glass upon tasting, you should receive a jammy, cherry or chocolate covered cherry well-blended experience.  The wine opens up well and you will get even more fruit and oak flavors.  100% pinot from three regions is the secret of this wine.

 

Not unusual of character in Pinot Noirs, the finish on this wine is medium. Pinot lovers, you have to try this and let me know what you think.  Meiomi also makes a Reserve Pinot Noir that you can order from their website.