nakedwines.com – Page 3 – Appetite for Wine

Cabernet Sauvignon, Jac Cole, Malbec, Mosaico, naked wines, nakedwines.com, Wine

Review: Jac Cole Mosaico Sonoma County 2013

November 13, 2015November 13, 2015 Appetite for Wine

Love, like wine, gets better with time.

Jac Cole’s Mosaico is a wine that certainly gets better with time! Mosaico is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (2/3) and Malbec (1/3), and is available exclusively from NakedWines.com. As impressive as it was when I first tasted it shortly after release, after eight months resting in the bottle, the wine is now amazing!

My “before and after” reviews are below.

3/8/15

Based on several other reviews, I decanted this Saturday afternoon in anticipation of serving it with my grilled Porterhouse on Sunday evening. Of course, I had to sneak a taste. Oh, wow! This is a full-bodied, oaky, complex red blend! A blend of two “steak” reds, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, this is gonna be sooooo good!

After more than 24 hours of air exposure, including a couple cycles back into the bottle, then back into the decanter, it’s time for a proper taste.

The nose is dried cranberry, raisin, and black cherry. There are flavors of ripe plum, black cherry, and chocolate – chocolate covered cherries! – and a hint of oak. This is a very rich wine, with thick, chewy tannins perfect for a thick, juicy steak. At this young age, the acidity is a bit brisk, but give it a few months in the bottle, and this will be a six-hearter!

4.5 out of 5 Hearts

11/9/15

It was a dark and stormy night…
The first cold, rainy night this fall in NorCal. The night called for a big, full-bodied red wine. Something that would warm our bones and soothe our souls. Something that would complement our dinner of penne pasta with homemade sauce and meatballs. Something like Jac Cole’s Mosaico.

I’ve been holding this, my last bottle of the 2013 Mosaico, for several months to see how it has developed. An enticing blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, it has developed beautifully! Black cherry and soft oak on the nose. Ripe blackberry, cherry, and black pepper on the palate. Soft, velvety-smooth tannins with light acidity. Chocolate covered cherries on the finish. And exactly the warming, delicious feeling we were looking for tonight.

In my original review, I rated this 4.5 hearts, noting the tannins were chewy, and the acidity a bit brisk. Eight months has resolved this and, as I predicted back then, this is now a 6-heart wine!

NakedWines.com Exclusive. Suggested Retail Price $34.99. Angel Member Price $14.99

Like many of the winemakers at NakedWines.com, Jac Cole has an impressive CV. Here’s an excerpt from his bio at NakedWines.com: “A master winemaker who was cellar master at Stags’ Leap, and winemaker at Charles Krug and Cliff Lede Winery (back before it was called Cliff Lede).” [1]

Unfortunately, the 2013 has long since sold out. However, if you’d like to try the next vintage of Mosaico, or any of the other fantastic wines available only through NakedWines.com, click here for a voucher worth $100 off a first-time order of $160 or more. Satisfaction guaranteed!

[1] https://us.nakedwines.com/winemakers/jac-cole.htm

Merlot, nakedwines.com, Reviews, Wine

Review: Intertwine Napa Valley Merlot 2014

November 1, 2015November 1, 2015 Appetite for Wine

Another NakedWines.com exclusive, Intertwine is made by winemaker Bridget Raymond. Growing up in the Napa Valley, Bridget knows all the best vineyards, and produces some spectacular wines. The Merlot grapes for the Intertwine Napa Valley Merlot are from the renowned Oakville AVA. A bit of Rutherford Cab and Petit Verdot are added to make it even better.

I’ve been looking forward to the 2014 Intertwine for many months. My patience has been rewarded. This wine is big, and young. Bridget herself advises waiting several months before tasting to let it mature. Well, I am both impatient, and also one of her NakedWines.com Archangels*, so I felt it was my duty to dive in and give it a try.

I decanted for about two hours. Of course, I had a sip before decanting, because, science. Besides, beneath the foil, I found these instructions:

This is a delicious wine! The color is ruby in the glass. Aromas of cherry, raspberry, and soft oak greet the nose. These flavors are present on the tongue as well, along with some dark berry, black currant, and spice. The finish is long, with berry and mocha. The wine has a rich, full body. At this point, the tannins are tight but not overbearing. It is quite enjoyable now. I’ll check in again in a couple hours.

I’m back! Oh, my! What a difference some air makes. The tannins are now soft and smooth. The chocolate/mocha flavors are more pronounced, and this wine is full, round, and stunning! Imagine how this will taste in six months. Bridget, you’ve done it again! 4.5 out of 5 Hearts.

You’d expect to pay $40 or more for an Oakville Merlot of this quality. However, this wine is available exclusively to NakedWines.com customers for just $13.99! Click here to learn more, and to get a voucher worth $100 off a first-time order of $160 or more.

* NakedWines.com members are known as Angels, because they provide the funding that allows winemakers to make their wines. The most active Angels are given the title of Archangel, and help support winemakers they follow.

naked wines, nakedwines.com, Wine

Lesser Known AVAs: Manton Valley

September 30, 2015October 8, 2015 Appetite for Wine

California wine country continues to grow. The Manton Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) was approved on August 1, 2014. Situated in the foothills of Northern California’s Mount Lassen…wait, what?

Yes, Manton Valley AVA is in far Northern California’s foothills, east of Redding. [1] Mount Lassen is a dormant volcano, noted more for its bubbling, aromatic sulfur pools and mud pots than for pastoral vineyards. [2] Yet grape vines thrive in volcanic soil, so this is an excellent area for viticulture.

Manton Valley AVA is a small wine region, just 9,800 acres, with about 200 acres of vineyards. [3] The Manton Valley Winegrowers Association website lists only seven wineries. Although only recently distinguished as an AVA, Manton Valley farmers have been growing grapes for 20 years, and trucking them nearly 200 miles to wineries in Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties. [4]

My first taste of a Manton Valley wine came last night, in the form of the Jim Olsen Syrah Manton Valley 2014, from Naked Wines (www.us.nakedwines.com). The Naked Wines copy suggests this may be the first red wine with “Manton Valley” printed on the label. As a 2014 vintage, this wine is still quite young, and will benefit from some bottle aging. However, even at this young age, the character of this wine shines through. I find wines grown in volcanic soil to have a rich profile, yet a light, mineral mouthfeel. Jim’s wine is like this. Available exclusively from Naked Wines, and already sold out, the Angel (member) price is $11.99. As popular a winemaker as Jim Olsen is with Naked Wines Angels, I am sure he will produce another vintage.

Open Me 2 — Naked Wines has some fun with corks. As if I need an invitation!

(Shameless plug): Follow this link for a $100 voucher, valid for first-time orders of $160 or more. (https://us.nakedwines.com/invite/kent-reynolds.htm?cid=USA)

My thoughts on Jim’s Syrah are as follows:

This Syrah is a rich, deep ruby color. I poured it through a Vinturi aerator, and was met with pleasing aromas of ripe plum and white pepper. On the palate, there are flavors of late season, ripe raspberry and bramble, with cherry and tobacco leaf notes. The finish is medium length with spice and plum.

This is a very young wine. When I tasted this wine, on 9/29/15, I am aware that these grapes were likely still on the vine a year ago. As a result, there is high acidity, and the tannins are a bit rough. Aeration and decanting will help in the short term, and a couple of years in the bottle will definitely transform this wine into a real gem!

Frankly, I’ve not been to the Manton Valley AVA in person. As a relatively unknown, rural area, there would be none of the crowds and traffic that plague the more famous wine regions. Manton Valley is now on my list of places to visit. If you can’t make the trip, you can at least get there through a bottle of wine!

[1] http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-review/805/Manton-Valley-AVA-Emerges.html

[2] http://www.nps.gov/lavo/index.htm

[3] http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-review/805/Manton-Valley-AVA-Emerges.html

[4] http://www.mantonwinegrowers.com/#!vineyards/c1yzj

naked wines, nakedwines.com

Something About Rutherford

August 18, 2015May 21, 2020 Appetite for Wine

There’s just something about Rutherford. Centrally located in the heart of the Napa Valley, Rutherford is one of 16 sub-appellations within the greater Napa Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA). The Rutherford AVA is noted for intense Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and other varietals (Napa Valley Vintners, 2015).

My favorite Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Rutherford AVA. I have found that certain growing regions set the standard for certain varietals. For example, the Willamette Valley is the standard by which I judge Pinot Noir, and the Sierra Foothills AVA, specifically Amador County, produce what I consider to be premier Zinfandel, by which I compare examples from other areas. To be sure, everybody’s preferences are different, but in my opinion, Rutherford Cabernet is the best. How well I like Cabernet from other regions depends on how closely they resemble Rutherford.

The Rutherford AVA is noted for its legendary Rutherford Dust. The term is often credited to André Tchelistcheff, former winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyards (Swan, 2011). According to Andy Backstoffer, who worked with Tchelistscheff, the term refers to the terroir of the AVA.

When Tchelistcheff said, “The wines must have Rutherford dust in them,” he did not mean they had to taste of dust. “André meant they needed to taste like they came from Rutherford’s vineyards,” Beckstoffer explained. Tchelistcheff was talking about terroir. (Swan, 2011).

Terroir is the influence the climate, soil, and terrain on a wine (Puckette, 2013). The concept of terroir is a bit nebulous, since the word is French in origin and has no direct translation into English (Balik, 2012). However, it is that terroir that gives wines from a certain region or appellation its distinctive profile and taste. Such it is with Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, for me.

Napa Cabernet, in general, and Rutherford specifically, tends to be pretty pricey in comparison to that of other regions. A recent search of the Total Wine & More website revealed the lowest priced Rutherford Cabernet was BV Rutherford Cabernet at $24.49 for a 750 ml bottle. The highest price was Inglenook (Niebaum-Coppola) Rubicon, 2009, for $199.99. Compare this to Cabernet from the Central Coast (California) region, for as low as $7.97 for the same sized bottle, from Cupcake. I’ve never tried this one, and frankly doubt I ever will, but I’d bet there’s more than a little difference in quality and taste. Not to suggest that Central Coast Cabernet is bad, but the fruit from which it is made is less expensive. Feel free to draw your own conclusions.

Speaking of the cost of fruit, one of the reasons Napa and Rutherford Cabernet is more expensive is that the grapes from that region fetch a higher price. In 2013, Cabernet Sauvignon from District 11, generally southeastern Sacramento County and northern San Joaquin County (e.g. Lodi), sold for an average $709 per ton. Compare this to District 4, Napa County Cabernet grapes, which sold for an average of $5,499 per ton (Adams, 2014), nearly 8x the price!

I’ve said before that my wheelhouse for wine is $10-18, with $25-35 for special occasions. Suffice it to say, I don’t get to enjoy as much Rutherford Cabernet as I’d like. When I do indulge, it’s usually on the lower end of the spectrum, such as it is. I’ve tasted more expensive brands at wineries, but Beaulieu Vineyards and Provenance are usually what I buy, but as a Naked Wines Angel, I also have access to a new release from Matt Parish. At Angel price, this sells for $29.99, and it is as good a Rutherford Cabernet as any I’ve tried – even in the $80-100 range. It’s a very small lot, so the two bottles I bought recently are probably all I will get of the current, 2013 vintage. I plan to save one for at least a couple years. In the meantime, hopefully Matt will be able to make more in another vintage. It’s worth the splurge!

Whatever your favorite is, whether its Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford AVA, Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, genuine Bordeaux, or any other wine from any other region, just remember to drink what you like!

Works Cited

Adams, A. (2014, March). Wines and Vines. Retrieved August 18, 2015, from Record California Wine Grape Harvest: http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=features&content=129025&ftitle=Record%20California%20Wine%20Grape%20Harvest

Balik, A. R. (2012, July 19). Napa Valley Register. Retrieved August 18, 2015, from Terroir: What does it mean?: http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/wine/columnists/allen-balik/terroir-what-does-it-mean/article_593f6df8-d205-11e1-81a6-0019bb2963f4.html

Napa Valley Vintners. (2015). Napa Valley Appellations. Retrieved August 18, 2015, from Napa Valley Vintners: http://www.napavintners.com/napa_valley/appellations.asp

Puckette, M. (2013, November 6). Wine Folly. Retrieved August 18, 2015, from Terroir Definition for Wine: http://winefolly.com/tutorial/terroir-definition-for-wine/

Swan, F. (2011, July 14). NorCal Wine. Retrieved August 18, 2015, from What is Rutherford Dust?: http://norcalwine.com/blog/51-general-interest/523-what-is-rutherford-dust