July 2020Wines of the Month

For the wine snob:
Depending on the vintage the grapes come from a combination of 3 vineyards; “El Codo”, “El Llano” and “Finca Iscorta” with an average of 40 years old. The grapes are destemmed and crushed and fermented naturally with wild yeast in stainless steel tanks. Aged in used American oak for 2 years and hand racked 4 times by means of the traditional “barrel to barrel” method, the wine then ages for at least an additional 18 months in bottle before being released on the market.

For the rest of us:
This Crianza is 95% Tempranillo, 3% Graciano, 2% Garnacha. There is an intense aroma of ripe fruit, with hints of vanilla and toasted wood, with jam coming through underneath. The smooth pleasant notes of spices are very well-balanced and rounded with easy tannins.  This wine is described with a very technical term, yummy.  This is easily one of the most approachable Tempranilos that you will find, so enjoy!

For the wine snob:

100% Vernaccia which is the great wine of Tuscany. Vernaccia is said to be the red of white wines.The grapes may not yield highly fruited bouquets, the grapes are vigorous and long lived. They are mineral wines of great power and structure that profit from wood and excellent aging power.

For the rest of us:

Lovely fruit aromas of apples with jasmine, hints of berry and herbs. The palate is rich and textural with a long mineral finish.  Very classic Italian, the idea is to represent the least transition from grape to bottle.  Imagine taking a grape off the vine a taking a bite.

For the wine snob:

100% Garnacha, Navaherrerros is a red wine made from grenache grapes from every vineyard in the estate. Through different soils, orientations and microclimates, it expresses San Martin de Valdeiglesias’ terroir. The ages of the vines range from 50 to 90. Our soils are tawny sands formed from decomposed granite rock, with relatively high acidity and limited amounts of nutrients. Altitudes range from 700 to 840 meters above sea level. Manual harvest. Non-certified organic viticulture.

For the rest of us: 

This Garnacha is a perfect summer wine, this is one red you can put a chill and it would compliment the fresh red fruit notes with lite tannin structure. 11 months in French oak barrels

For the wine snob:

Pinot Blanc 29%, Muscat 27%, Riesling 25%, Pinot Gris 11%, Gewurztraminer 8% Near-record precipitation amounts during late June and early July brought increased disease pressure to the region. The vintage will be remembered for the early rains in September and rapid cool down into October which challenged harvesting decisions. The cool vintage came largely from substantially lower maximum temperatures while minimum temperatures were near average to slightly above average.

For the rest of us:

Aromas of white peach, starfruit, peach blossom, meyer, lemon. On the palate pineapple, peach nectar, fresh apricot, pear.  This dry blend pairs perfectly with sunshine. Expressive floral and stone fruit notes flow into a zippy, meyer lemon finish.

For the wine snob:

50% Ferguson Estate, 50% Seven Hills Estate. L’Ecole No 41 is recognized as one of Washington State’s top producers of premium Merlot and this estate vineyard blend represents our best. The elegance and old world structure of Seven Hills Vineyard adds complexity to the earthiness and minerality of the basalt soil from Ferguson.

For the rest of us:

Winery-only wine, how we love the.  Shout out to L’Ecole for sending us wine that is typically only sold from the winery.  We asked and they delivered.  If the world is going to be this bonkers, we may as try to have the best wine possible in the meantime!  This elegant Merlot reveals aromas of dark fruit, tobacco leaf, cedar and clove. It’s rich texture is elevated by dense favors of black cherry and espresso on a complex earth finish.

For the wine snob:

The Chardonnay is farmed from estate vineyard in the heart of the Russian River Valley. We use only earth friendly farming practices (organic & biodynamic) and hand-pick all of the grapes only when they are perfectly ripe. The Chardonnay block on Soul Patch Vineyard sits at the very bottom of the eastern facing hillside. This is an extremely cool pocket of the vineyard, which allows the fruit longer hang time, resulting in bright, beautifully balanced acidity.

For the rest of us:

2018 Estate Chardonnay is a beautiful, crisp, clean, yet savory expression of the Russian River. A fun, flavor-rich chardonnay with aromas of exotic tropical fruit, lemon custard, and spice.

For the wine snob:

Washington State’s climate and soil is ideally suited to maximize the varietal characteristics of Syrah. Crafted from some of the earliest Walla Walla Valley Syrah plantings, this wine manifests old world attributes of earth and spice, in combination with the new world profile of bold, expressive fruit. Originally planted in 1981, this Certified Sustainable and Certified Salmon Safe vineyard (focuses on reducing vineyard runoff, water quality protection, and enhancement of native biodiversity on vineyard sites) has been recognized as one of the Ten Great Vineyards of the World by Wine & Spirits Magazine. 

For the rest of us:

This beautifully balanced Estate Syrah marries savory aromas of olive tapenade and black pepper with floral notes of violet. The expansive palate shows intense flavors of blackberry, coffee, bitter chocolate, and a touch of spice paired with a fine tannin structure that gives way to a concentrated, rich finish.