Archive for the 'Vanilla' Category

2014 Chateau St. Jean North Coast Chardonnay

Chateau St. Jean was built on a family’s dream to create a world-class winery in the heart of Sonoma. With its gracious style, elegant architecture, beautiful gardens and inviting tasting rooms, Chateau St. Jean has long been recognized as the quintessential Sonoma winery. Winemaker Margo Van Staaveren uses her more than 30 years of vineyard and winemaking expertise with Chateau St. Jean to highlight the best of each vineyard in the wines.

From the Wine Maker – “Chardonnay from North Coast of California. The nose has bright aromas of ripe apple, creamy lemon pie, warm vanilla and brown spice notes. The medium bodied soft palate is rich and supple with juicy fruit flavors of fresh nectarine, apple and pineapple. Pleasing notes of toasted hazelnut and subtle brown baking spice add complexity. The wine is well-balanced with a great core of fruit and bright acidity.”

This wine pairs nicely with raw and lightly cooked shellfish like crab and prawns, steamed or grilled fish, fish pâtés.

Rating:

This wine has not been rated.

 

2014 Decoy Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon

Since 1978, Duckhorn Vineyards has been exploring the character and complexity of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Drawing on our winemaking team’s expertise working with this varietal, Decoy Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon offers a rich and appealing expression of the varietal crafted to be ready upon release.

From the winemaker – “From its deep ruby and violet hue to its enticing fruit-forward aromas of blackberry, currant and black cherry, this wine showcases what we love about great Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. On the palate, the lush fruit is balanced by smooth, rich tannins and lovely layers of spice, cocoa and hints of sweet and toasty French oak.

Rating:

This wine was given a 87 point rating by Wine Spectator.

 

2013 Adele Chardonnay

The Adele Chardonnay comes from a 10-acre block in the well-known Vine Hill Road region of Russian River, source of some of the best Chardonnay produced in California. It is fermented two-thirds in new and used French Oak barrels, while the rest is fermented in stainless steel to maintain the bright freshness of the fruit. During its 8 month elevage, the wine sees some batonnage, adding richness and texture. The result is a full-bodied but not overblown crowd-pleaser.

From the winemaker – “2013 Adele Chardonnay Russian River a bright yellow color of medium intensity along with greenish reflections. On the nose the wine offers a medium intensity of vanilla, ripe pineapple and toffee. There might be a hint of orange rind. On the palate he wine is dry, full-bodied with mouth-watering acidity. There is a medium(-) intensity of flavors similar to the nose. The vanilla and pineapple are dominant with a hint of tangerine. The finish is clean with a medium length of lingering pineapple. There is a pleasant slight sweet attack on medium intensity at the end.”

This wine is best served with white meats, scallops, Hard cheeses, fish, chicken, BBQ.

Rating:

This wine has not been rated.

 

2014 Aviary Chardonnay

Aviary-ChardonnayThe 2014 vintage was a truly remarkable year for grape growing in Napa Valley. We had a warmer spring followed by a beautiful warm summer and very pleasant fall. It was a stark contrast to the challenges of recent vintages. No frost, no rain, no hail, no long stretches of high heat. The consistent temperatures allowed the grapes to develop slowly and evenly, encouraging a rich crop of fully mature grapes. It was a classic growing season with great quality and large quantity.

From the Wine Maker – “Our 2014 Aviary Chardonnay is well-balanced with smooth creamyness and bright acid. Light aromas of pear, vanilla, tropical fruit, and notes of oak . The palate is smooth with flavors of fresh apricot, tropical fruits, and toasted oak. The rounded, creamy finish will stay with you long after the glass is empty.”

This Chardonnay is an excellent accompaniment for fish, poultry and lightly sauced entrees. Semi-hard cheeses like Fontina, Jarlsberg, Swiss or Gouda.

 

2015 Apothic Red Winemaker’s Blend

apothic-redApothic is a true original. Named for a mysterious place, Apotheca, where vintners stored their most coveted concoctions in 13th century Europe, Apothic blends fuse Old World intrigue with modern sophistication. Winemaker Boyd Morrison lets the character and flavor of each varietal guide the shape of his wines. Apothic offers a portfolio of enchanting blends that are bold in style and taste.

From the winemaker – “In 2015, Apothic Red was crafted from a blend of primarily Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. These varieties come together seamlessly for a fruit-driven wine with fresh dark fruit flavors and jammy red fruit notes. The Zinfandel offers bold dark fruit flavors and spicy notes, complemented by the soft mouthfeel of Merlot. The Syrah adds layers of smooth blueberry, while the Cabernet Sauvignon delivers ripe fruit flavors and a firm structure. This decadent blend is framed by hints of oak, vanilla, and mocha.

This bold vintage should be served with wild game meats like; squab, pigeon, dove, pheasant, venison (deer), buffalo, boar and ostrich. Hard, savory cheeses like Parmigiano, Romano and Cheddar.

Rating:

This wine has not been rated.

 

2014 Estancia Merlot

estancia-merlotEstancia relies on the benefits of boutique-style winemaking techniques, including whole-cluster fermentation, gentle punch downs, and basket pressing. Our Monterey-based winery uses gentle gravity flow systems to minimize aggressive tannins and bitterness. It is this hands-on crafting of the wines—from grapes to bottle—that results in our consistent and superior wine quality.

From the winemaker – “We’re convinced that the world’s best wines showcase the true essence of their origins. The Central Coast encompasses Monterey County—where our winery is located—plus a myriad of unique California vineyards. Merlot fruit from cooler Monterey lends exquisite texture and suppleness to this wine, while fruit from other winegrowing areas—notable for warm days and significantly cooler nights— contribute concentrated fruit aromas and flavors. The flavor shows soft fleshy fruit, cherry cola, with pleasantly lingering toasty vanilla.”

This vintage pairs nicely with rack or leg of lamb, lamb chops, roast pork, pork chops or tenderloin, veal with heartier vegetable and/or bean sauces or mushroom and/or wine sauces. Cheeses like Parmigiano, Romano and other hard cheeses as well as cheddar and other savory, firm cheeses.

Rating:

This wine was previously given a 82 point rating by Wine Spectator.

 

2015 Sterling Vintner’s Collection Meritage

sterling-vintners-collection-meritageFrom the winemaker – “A ‘whole greater than the sum of its parts,’ the Meritage is the result of the special synergy that is formed when everything comes together perfectly – in this case: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Layers of dark fruit, cassis, leather and rich earth weave together to create a complex and juicy wine. Ripe tannins and oak aging lend depth and texture, highlighted by vanilla and mocha spice.”

Balanced flavors and a long, lifted finish make this a perfect wine to enjoy with food. Pair with anything from herb-roasted chicken to grilled steaks and hearty pastas.

Rating:

This wine was given a 90 point rating by Wine Spectator.

 

2015 667 Pinot Noir

One of the newer French “Dijon” clones, 667 is best known for having much deeper color and more tannin than typical Pinot Noir, resulting in wines with great structure and black fruit flavors with spicy notes. We blend it with a small amount of other clones like 115, which doesn’t have as much structure but has extraordinary aromatics and enhances the nose.

Because the 667 Pinot Noir clone is naturally tannic and concentrated, winemaker James Ewart adopts careful vinification techniques to bring out its best. He cold soaks the crushed grapes (called “must”) for two to three days, using gentle pump-overs to bring out the color and flavor without extracting any bitter seed tannins. He also ferments it at cooler temperatures to lock in that deep color and flavor profile. In fact, he says, “I treat it more like a white wine.” After fermentation and aging in a combination of French and American oak, he blends in a few lots of additional clones that add specific aromatic qualities to the finished wine. This gentle care results in a balanced, cool-climate Pinot Noir that showcases clone 667’s concentrated flavors and supple tannins.

From the Wine Maker – “Noble Vines 667 Pinot Noir exhibits appealing aromas of black cherry, earth and a touch of vanilla. Plush tannins and balanced acidity support core flavors of ripe Bing cherry, bittersweet cocoa powder, and delicate hints of sage.”

667 Pinot Noir can be enjoyed on its own or with poached salmon, veal Parmesan, or grilled lamb.

Rating:

This wine has not been rated.

 

2013 Ghost Pines Chardonnay

ghost-pines-chardonnay

From the Wine Maker – “Selected from three of California’s most recognized Chardonnay appellations, Sonoma, Monterey and Napa, our Ghost Pines Chardonnay offers expressive, fruit-forward characteristics. The artful combination of these three regions delivers baked apple, pear and lemon cream flavors, accented by an elegant finish of sweet vanilla.”

This wine is best served with Mahi Mahi, Salmon, Shark, Swordfish, and Tuna sautéed, grilled, roasted or baked with or without sauces. Semi-hard cheeses like mild Cheddar, Fontina, Jarlsberg, Swiss or Gouda, soft rind cheeses like Brie.

Rating:

This wine was given a 88 point rating by Wine Spectator.

 

2015 Apothic White Winemakers Blend

Apothic-White-Winemakers-BlendApothic, named for the mysterious place, Apotheca, where vintners stored their most coveted concoctions in 13th century Europe, Apothic blends fuse Old World intrigue with modern sophistication. The grapes for Apothic White were pressed and allowed to settle before racking. The must was fermented in upright tanks at cool temperatures to maintain and enhance the natural aromas and flavors. A portion of this wine underwent malolactic fermentation to soften the mouthfeel.

From the Wine Maker – “Our latest release brings tropical aromas and flavors together with hints of spice, creating an enchanting white blend. Apothic White is an approachable blend that combines Chardonnay, Riesling and Moscato to create a luscious, vibrant wine in the bold style of Apothic. Intense flavors of peach, pineapple, honey and vanilla spice make this smooth white blend unforgettable.”

This wine pairs deliciously with fruit salad, sushi, white fish (snapper, grouper, scallops), as well as Cantonese, Thai, and Latin cuisines.

Rating:

This wine has not been rated.


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Good 08/28/2018 - 09/11/2018

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