I made an exception last year and published my first review on a wine from outside the other 46 states.  Since that inaugural post, I’ve managed to feature wines from not only New York, but Canada as well.  Highlighting emerging wine regions, or better yet, wine regions often neglected by the mainstream media has and will always be my primary goal.  That said I do enjoy wines from all over and enjoy a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from time to time.  I thought what better time to include my first California post while sitting on a plane headed home from San Francisco. And honestly, what better way to burn 5 hours.

I recently opened and enjoyed two wines from Napa Valley legend, Robert Mondavi, a true pioneer and innovator in California winemaking.  His winery remains an architectural masterpiece, and continues to be a popular tourist attraction for visitors.  His earlier wines were built to last, and are usually my wines of choice when I celebrate special occasions. It’s always a treat to drink vintage wine, especially with friends and family, but its even more exciting to pour wines from years that have special meaning (both vintages marked birth years).

After much wrangling, I removed the cork on the 1975 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, and decanted to remove any cork residue.  Brownish in color, the wine displayed an earthy and musty nose. Surprising fruit on the palate with short-lived notes of eucalyptus and leather.  Definitely past it’s prime, but still drinkable for a 36 year-old wine.

Up next was the 1979 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.  The reserve wines feature fruit selected from the finest vineyard blocks and often showcase the most complexity and elegance.  This was definitely the case with the ’79.  Dark red in color, the 32 year-old wine would have fooled many.  The wine opened with bright red fruit on the nose. Plums, cassis, cedar, tobacco and leather notes on the palate.  Surprisingly complex and “alive”.  Well made and still has a few years left.

1979 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve

A fun evening was had by all, and more importantly, great memories.

Whatever you do, pour yourself into it. -Robert Mondavi

Tomorrow we return to our normally scheduled program, local wine from the other 46 states. Cheers!

Bluemont Vineyard 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

I had no expectations when I pulled the Bluemont Vineyard 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon from the wine rack.  I was in the mood for a Virginia red and decided it was time to pull the cork on the Cab.  Renowned for their spectacular panoramic views and farm animal themed wines, Bluemont Vineyard is a favorite on the wine trail in Loudoun County, Virginia (read more about Bluemont Vineyard here).

Coincidentally, the Cabernet Sauvignon is not themed and leads me to believe this is a special bottling and not part of their regular lineup.  If memory serves me correct, the wine retailed for $21 and is no longer available for sale.  That said the 2009 vintage is now available for sale in their tasting room.

On the nose, aromas of black cherry, black currant and spice.  A medium to full bodied wine with flavors of tobacco, blueberries, licorice and a hint of bell pepper on the finish (perhaps due to a splash of Merlot?).  An enjoyable wine and one I will certainly revisit.  Cheers!

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I usually steer clear from writing about wines that are released only to club members, in other words, not released to the general public.  But there are exceptions, and today’s wines were too good not to share.  Jennifer Breaux Blosser, Sales and Hospitality Director for Breaux Vineyards, sent me 4 wines only available to their Cellar Club members.  It’s no secret that I have developed somewhat of a Breaux Palate.  I’ve raved about their wines before (read more here) and am partial to the bottles I have in my cellar (sorry friends, but I won’t be pouring you a glass of my Breaux).  So you can only imagine the excitement when I opened the box to see a bottle of their 2006 Nebbiolo Barrel Select, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Double Reserve, 2005 Syrah and last but certainly not least a 2007 Viognier.

A common theme quickly developed between the wines.  A sophistication that easily places Breaux Vineyards in the top tier of Virginia wineries.  Mature, balanced and complex.

Breaux Vineyards Cellar Selection 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Double Reserve

2007 Viognier
A varietal-correct Viognier.  A floral nose with honeysuckle and peach.  Flavors of grapefruit, lime and honey.  A full-bodied, mature wine that proves Virginia IS the state for Viognier.

2005 Syrah Cellar Selection
Big spice, red fruit (strawberries, cherries and raspberries) and a hint of forest floor.  On the palate, tobacco, spice and red fruit. Full-bodied with good tannin structure and acidity.  Paired with a top sirloin cut, grain fed beef with organic salad.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Double Reserve
Breaux Vineyards has a great Cabernet Sauvignon program and the Double Reserve is another standout wine in a long lineup of excellent Cabernets.  Smoky, ripe, red fruit and plum aromas.  Chocolate, inky, earthy flavors develop into a powerful, full-bodied wine.  Excellent aging potential if you have the patience (obviously I didn’t).

2006 Nebbiolo Barrel Select
One word, “Wow”.  Elegant, complex and balanced.  If you haven’t had Breaux’s Nebbiolo, you’re missing out.

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2006 Sawtooth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

With each new pour, Idaho continues to rise on my list of contending wine states in North America.   With a designated AVA (the Snake River Valley) and more than 35 wineries on the map, it’s safe to say Idaho is well on its way to establishing itself as an up-and-coming wine region with endless potential.  One winery in particular, Sawtooth Winery, continues to impress.  The 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon I tasted recently, was no different.

The reserve is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec, and 1% Merlot from their Sawtooth vineyard.  Retailing for $24.99, 200 cases were produced.

The 2006 shows blackberry and currant, followed by a smoky hint on the nose.  On the palate, cherry, herbs, and a touch of leather up front, finishing off with a peppery finish.  A great example of a New World Cabernet Sauvignon that pairs well with bold dishes.

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Up first in glass was the 2006 Syrah ($17.95).  A deep red color in glass, the Syrah displayed dark fruit aromas with a touch of pepper, smoke, and coffee.  After my first sip, I was convinced the variety has a bright future in Colorado.  A great wine by itself, but a better match for grilled meats or a hearty stew.

After tasting the Syrah, I was excited to see if I could go two for two.  The following night I pulled the cork on Canyon Wind Cellars most awarded wine, the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Retailing for $24.95, I was excited to try my first Cab from the state, especially considering my first love is Cabernet Sauvignon.  From the website,

Perfectly balanced, deep dark and concentrated with intense aromas of black cherry, plum, and mocha; firm tannins intertwined with hints of chocolate, coffee, and tobacco with an elegant finish. An excellent accompaniment to Colorado lamb.

I must admit, I held the bottle upside down longer than usual, ensuring every last drop was accounted for.

If your not convinced on the quality of Colorado wines, I guarantee you haven’t tried Canyon Wind Cellars.  Cheers!

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Elk Run 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

In continuation of Regional Wine Week, I pick up where I left off with a review of the Elk Run 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Produced from grapes from their Cold Friday Vineyard, the Cabernet was recently awarded a Best in Class in the 2009 Maryland Governor’s Cup competition for top red.  The wine also took home gold at the Wine Masters Choice Award and the International Tasters Guild.

A terrific growing season, 2007 provided plenty of sunshine, sufficient rainfall, and warm temperatures through harvest, making for ripe, concentrated grapes.  A fruit bomb, the medium-bodied wine exhibited blackberry, currant, and spice on the nose and palate.  A solid effort and another reason to seek out East Coast wines from the 2007 vintage.  Cheers!

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Elk Run Vineyards

Elk Run offers two tastings, a featured flight of 6 wines for $5 OR your choice of 6 wines for $8.  I opted for the latter, considering I had already zeroed in on a few wines prior to my visit.  My lineup included 2 whites and 4 reds.  Up first, the Cold Friday Chardonnay, was fermented in stainless steel and aged in French oak.  A full-bodied Chardonnay with vanilla and oak notes.  The second wine, a 2008 Gewürztraminer, took first place for the whites and is a consistent winner for Elk Run. The 2009 Winemasters Choice gold medal winner, the Gewürztraminer firmly cements Maryland’s place on the wine map.  Bravo.

Elk Run Vineyards

For the reds, the 2007 Cold Friday Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon were the runaway winners.  The Cab Franc is a spicy, peppery wine that can stand alone or pairs well with food.  The Cabernet Sauvignon ($25) was my wine-of-the-day and will be featured later this week in a separate post.  Stay tuned.

If you haven’t visited a Maryland winery, what are you waiting for,  just do it!  I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

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Keswick offers two tastings, a regular ($5) and select ($8 and includes the glass).  I opted for the select tasting which included 7 wines, three whites and four reds.  The whites were solid, with my top scores going to the Chardonnay and the Les Vents d’Anges, both from the 2008 vintage.  A textbook Chardonnay retailing for $18.95, was fermented and aged in a combination of French and American Oak.  The Les Vents d’Anges ($17.95 retail) is a stainless steel Viognier that was simply delicious.  Beautiful citrus on the nose, followed by good acidity on the palate.

Keswick Vineyards

As advertised, the reds were impressive and scored highest on my tasting sheet.  I enjoyed all four, with the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2008 Touriga taking the top spots.  A fruit bomb, the Touriga retails for $19.95 and is blended with Chambourcin, a hybrid grape that is doing very well in Virginia.  Last, but certainly not least, is the Governor’s Cup winner.  Although not worth the price tag of $59.95, the Cab is a solid effort that shows the potential of the variety in Virginia.

I’m excited to visit Keswick in the future and recommend my readers do so as well.  Pack a picnic or enjoy a cheese ball with a bottle of their award-winning wines.  Cheers!

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Llano Estacado 2007 Texas Cabernet Sauvignon

I write all the time about quality to price ratio (QPR) in the other 46 states.  Quality is improving, but prices remain high, especially when compared with the selection available from Spain, South America, and Australia (to only name a few).  My latest wine from Texas,  a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from Llano Estacado Winery, marches to the beat of a different drummer.  Retailing for $14.00, the wine easily competes with similarly priced California Cabs.  Located in Lubbock, Texas, Llano Estacado is the largest premium winery in the state of Texas producing between 100,000 to 120,000 cases of wine annually.

Coming in at 13.3% alcohol, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 2% Sangiovese and 1% Petite Verdot. Unfortunately, I didn’t take detailed notes on this wine, but do remember the wine being surprisingly balanced with good fruit.  A delicious wine that proves Texas can produce Cabernet.  Cheers!

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Barrel Oak Winery

Tonight we continue our travels along the Virginia wine trail with a visit to Barrel Oak Winery (BOW), where we celebrated the Fourth of July.  Just over a year old, Barrel Oak is a family and pet friendly winery, located in Delaplane, Virginia on the Fauquier Wine Trail.  Surrounded by picturesque views of rolling countryside from every vantage point, the wineries hilltop location is breathtaking.  From the winery to the grounds, owners and winemakers Brian and Sharon Roeder left no stone unturned, while crafting Barrel Oak Winery into a first class facility in their inaugural year!

As expected for a holiday, Barrel Oak was very busy.  Fortunately for us, the expansive tasting room and patio more than accommodated the crowd.  After being warmly greeted upon our entrance, we made our way to the tasting counter where we sampled a lineup of 13 wines.  Barrel Oak’s vines are not yet fully mature, so grapes are sourced from various vineyards, including Breaux Vineyards.  Our tasting room associate, Scott, walked us through the lineup which included everything from the BowHaus White (a blend of Vidal Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc) to the fabulous 2007 reds (specifically the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc).  Unfortunately, my tasting sheet was somehow misplaced between Virginia and Florida, so no tasting notes this time around.

Barrel Oak Winery

After our tasting, we decided to enjoy two glasses of the Cabernet Franc outside on the patio.  Local Sixfortyseven, a mobile farm-to-fork kitchen, was on site preparing fresh, locally sourced, organic fare.  The grilled hamburger made it’s way on my table, pairing wonderfully alongside the Cab Franc, which won gold at the Virginia Governor’s Cup.

Whether enjoying a glass of wine with friends and family on the stone patio, or just stopping in for a tasting, Barrel Oak is a must stop on the wine trail and one I look forward to visiting again.  Cheers!

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