June 2020Wines of the Month

For the wine snob
After a trying 2017 vintage, punctuated by wild fires in Napa and sporadic rainfall, 2018 was a grape grower’s dream. Milder temperatures and a longer growing season yielded a healthy crop of well-ripened and structured fruit. We welcomed Mother Nature’s respite from the trials of the previous vintage.

For the rest of us:
The 2018 Aviary California Cabernet Sauvignon, as in previous vintages, is developed to offer the classic big, rich, dark fruit cabernet attributes, while also displaying our velvety smooth tannin structure, tempered by our consistent selection of oak. This wine is one that pairs exceptionally well with your favorite steak or roast, but will shine just as well on its own. On the nose you will find generous blueberry fruit with a touch of crushed earth.

For the wine snob
Following a wet spring, the 2018 summer turned out to be hot and sunny. Warm days and cool nights throughout the harvest resulted in wines with aromatic character and freshness. The vines average 15 years old and are planted in clay-limestone soil. The wine is vinified in thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks.

For the rest of us:
100% Sauvignon Blanc.  Bordeaux Blanc AOC, France.  The gold mesmerizing color of its label is a reminder of the brightness of this Sauvignon Blanc gem. Perfectly balanced aromatic and vibrant style with citrus, green apple, and mineral notes. Le Blanc de Greysac will complement seafood, salads, fresh grilled fish, lobster rolls and white meats with delicacy.

For the wine snob
Harvest completed in the Illinois Valley vineyards on October 17, 2017. The 2017 vintage was a welcome return to a more classic vintage after four consecutive warm years. The winter had been one of the snowiest in the last twenty-five years, with delayed bud break in April and bloom in late June. Warm summer weather followed and harvest began beginning of October. The subsequent mild autumn and early frost extended our harvest as the grapes matured slowly with the cooler weather developing florally driven aromas. Our high elevation lent us cool nights so we naturally retained plenty of acidity in the fruit as well. Our 2017 wines will be more similar in characteristics to wines from a decade ago than the recent string of warm vintages. The vintage is characterized by medium color and weight, and florally driven wines.

For the rest of us:
Aromas of rose petal, oak spice, then opens to red plum, cardamom, nutmeg and mint.  FLAVORS / Tart cherry, new strawberry, cinnamon and clove.  This one has really nice acidity and carries through the full mid-palate to a flavorful elegant finish.  Best served with Spicy baked salmon with chipotle powder and brown sugar.

For the wine snob
Hand harvested grapes are soft pressed and undergo cold maceration with no malolactic fermentation.  The wine is crafted with fruit grown in the highly prized Terre Di Valfredda vineyard, named after the small valley in which it lies known by the locals as Valfredda or “Cold Valley”. The ideal conditions for ripening Pinot Grigio are provided by the surrounding mountains and perfect east/west exposure of the vineyard.

For the rest of us:
Ca’ Montini is a welcome surprise from the innocuous and uninteresting Pinot Grigio often found in the mainstream market. The wine is lemony fresh and breezy on the nose, with aromas of wet stone, apricot, pear, and Maraschino cherry. Bone-dry and mineral-laden on the palate, it presents fresh squeezed lemon juice with just a hint of green apple skin.

For the wine snob
What would a ‘Meritage’ be if it showcased the Italian varietal Sangiovese? Meritaggio, of course! This Super Tuscan influenced wine showcases its Italian/French heritage, yet it proudly expresses its Napa Valley upbringing. David planted one acre of this varietal after falling in love with its brightness and vibrancy. Accessible and food friendly, this wine blends the classic Bordeaux varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc with the varietal that made the Chianti region of Italy famous.

For the rest of us:
A dark ruby red color offers bright and lifted aromas of wild strawberry, baked figs and red cherries with hints of candy red licorice and bay laurel. Aromatics of oak spice, lightly toasted coffee beans, toffee bar and anise/fennel seeds express themselves seamlessly. The palate has smooth polished tannins with flavors of baked cherry, plum and pomegranate. The finish is clean and elegant with noted of candied plum and cherry. Best from 2018 to 2025.

For the wine snob
Appellation Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits contrôlée.  Terroir Surface : 1ha 13 Located on Nuits Saint Georges township Stony soil (laves de Bourgogne) Grape variety Chardonnay 100% Density of vines : 10 000 stocks/ha Pruning style : Guyot Viticultural techniques Organic work of the soil. Green harvesting Hand picking in cases (20kg). Hand sorting Vinification Pressing of he full grapes, followed by a cold maceration during 48 hours Alcoholic fermentation in barrel and stainless steel tank Ageing From 10 to 12 months 60 % in oak barrels of 228 and 456 liters 40% in stainless steel tank.

For the rest of us:

For the wine snob
After 20 vintages in Oregon, Andrew Rich is beginning to feel like a veteran. His passion for wine was nurtured not in the fertile soils of the Willamette Valley, however, but in the urban sprawl of New York City, where he once edited the wine column for a national magazine. When the pull of wine became stronger than that of publishing, he headed to Burgundy to study wine making and viticulture, a move that lead to employment at the small but influential Bonny Doon Vineyard, in California, for nearly six years.  Looking to start his own label, he accepted an invitation from an Oregonian who was at that same French wine school.

For the rest of us:
Deep, bright-rimmed red. Spice-accented, primary red berry and cherry aromas are complemented by a suave floral nuance that builds with air. Juicy, seamless and lively on the palate, with a peppery note adding spicy bite to sweet raspberry, cherry preserve and rose pastille flavors. Finishes smooth, focused and quite long, with lingering florality and gently gripping that add shape and subtle grip.