North American Report

Eric Kent is one of those super small producers who make such incredible wines that they are hard to keep on our shelves. They produce flavorful yet balanced Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Syrahs from the cooler reaches of Sonoma Coast. As is typical with these kinds of producers, scores tend to be high and allocations are small. Winemaker Kent Humphrey sources fruit from several quality-oriented vineyards in Sonoma County. Some of those vineyards are world-reknowned, and some of them are so obscure that even the locals don't know about them. Many new releases have landed, and now is a great time to see what is exciting members of our wine staff!

ERIC KENT 2012 “CUVEÉ RENEE” SAUVIGNON BLANC
SONOMA COUNTY

We are very excited about this new addition to the Eric Kent lineup, named Kent’s sister (and their business partner) Renee Humphrey. The wine was cold fermented predominantly in stainless steel with a small amount in carefully chosen new French oak. Once blended, all the wine went into neutral barrels for an additional month of aging before going to bottle with no malolactic fermentation. The result is fruity, fresh, lively, textured and complex. Pronounced tropical aromas of passion fruit, papaya, lemon-lime zest and honeysuckle practically fly out of the glass. Then peach, pineapple and dried apricot flavors are carried through on the palate by a wonderful balance of acidity and texture, with hints of traditional hay and lemon peaking out on the finish.

$26.95 750ml [218420]

ERIC KENT 2012 ROSÉ SONOMA COUNTY

Eric Kent’s 2011 Rose was such a big hit, that it was in and out before it even hit the floor. So they made double that amount for 2012 (a better vintage, too!), and boy are we delighted with the results! A wonderful blend of 67% Pinot Noir, 31% Syrah, and 2% Grenache, the wine leads with a beautiful light reddish-orange color and a nose of strawberries, ruby red grapefruit, watermelon, rose petals and wet slate. The palate delivers lively flavors of cranberry, more fresh strawberry, rhubarb, hints of ripe apple peel similar to our 2011, and a long finish that lingers on the mineral notes. Not a simple “pink” drink! Refreshing and crisp, with nuance and complexity you’d expect from a much more costly bottle.

$19.95 750ml [218510]

ERIC KENT 2011 “SMALL TOWN” PINOT NOIR SONOMA COAST

The “Small Town” bottling is a barrel selection showcasing the finer qualities of many of their vineyard sources. Due to the small yields of the 2011 vintage, no Sasha Maria was produced (their most sought-after bottling), so all that fruit went into Small Town! Showcasing its signature savory spice and herbs in both aroma and flavor, an alluring combination of nutmeg, clove and allspice add a dimension that almost brings gingerbread to mind. Then bright red fruit -- cranberry, red raspberry, plum and rhubarb pie are all buoyed by lively acidity through a long and pure finish completing the package. This wine has great body and texture, and we look forward to watching the wine evolve over the next 4-6 years.

$47.95 750ml [218490]

ERIC KENT 2010 CHARDONNAY RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

Blending different Chardonnay clones from different vineyard really helps to round out a wine and give it complexity…and that’s exactly what winemaker Kent Humphrey did here! A light golden wheat color, this wine follows the lead of past Russian River Valley bottlings with aromas of poached pear, apple, tropical fruit and a spicy, floral accent. The palate offers sweet apple, lime, mineral, plus a touch of yeast, subtle oak and a creamy, mouth-coating intensity. If you have enjoyed this wine in the past, you should be very pleased with this rendition indeed. That said, greater acidity and structure will offer a longer cellar life and invite a bit more patience before opening your first bottle.

$39.95 750ml [218540]

CHATEAU MONTELENA 2009 ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Chateau Montelena is one of Napa Valley’s finest “blue chip” wineries. It may have been their Chardonnay that catapulted them to stardom after winning the Paris Tasting of 1976, but it wasn’t too long before their Cabernets began to take center stage!

WINE ADVOCATE 93+ POINTS - “Montelena’s 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate wraps around the palate with serious depth. Even with all of its intensity, the 2009 has a silkiness that makes it incredibly delicious at this early stage. Red berries, flowers, tobacco and sweet herbs all flesh out on the generous, radiant finish. While many 2009s are a bit tight today, Montelena’s 2009 Estate is showing very nicely, although it is keeping some cards close to the vest. I imagine the 2009 will start to enter its prime drinking window around age 8-10 and drink well for at least another decade beyond that. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029.”

$114.95 750ml [244140]

LA SIRENA 2010 "PIRATE TREASURED" NAPA VALLEY RED

This is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from former Screaming Eagle winemaker Heidi Barrett. From the first vintage we tasted we’ve enjoyed this wine, and found that this wine was so smooth it was easy to drink a lot of it before we even knew it! Using seven varieties, the “treasure of the seven seas” is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Grenache and Petite Sirah.

WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - “I always enjoy tasting the wines Heidi Barrett makes under her La Sirena label. At their best, the wines have a whimsical, child-like exuberance that is impossible to miss... The 2010 Pirate Treasured capture the pedigree of the vintage. Dark plums, black cherries, menthol, savory herds, flowers and licorice all make an appearance. The 2010 stands out for its delineation and chiseled, vibrant expression of fruit. Deeply layered and sensual, the 2010 is a wine where all the elements come together effortlessly. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.”

$59.95 750ml [275970]

JUSTIN 2011 CABERNET SAUVIGNON PASO ROBLES

While 2011 may have been a troubling vintage for Cabernet elsewhere in California, it appears that the reds from Paso Robles did just fine! They avoided many of the plagues and hardships of the vintage, and the region experienced a long and gradual ripening. Just a preview of what is to come down the road, Justin Vineyards & Winery knows how to coax the best from their vineyards, and their latest release of Cabernet Sauvignon shows they have a deft hand, even in challenging vintages! After opening the bottle, it takes about 30 minutes for this wine to really show its stuff. Ruby/garnet in color, the aromas are of red cherry, raspberry, currant, spice and herb, while the flavors show an array of cherry and other red fruits with a high-toned profile. This isn’t as rich as the 2010, but is prettier, with smooth, soft, supple tannins…and it’s pretty darn easy to drink!

$20.95 750ml [235540]

ANDREW MURRAY 2011 “TOUS LES JOURS” SYRAH CENTRAL COAST

We feel the wine makes an ideal “House Wine”-- the wine you open just for the heck of it, or just to pour a single glass, the rest to be enjoyed later. And at this price, why not? However, Andrew Murray does not skimp on the winemaking for this wine. He starts with great grapes from Paso Robles and the Santa Ynez Valley and uses the different climates to create a wine that is both fruity and spicy at the same time. This wine is pretty darn dark, showing opaque garnet and purple colors with aromas of leather, plums, cherry flambé, grilled meats, and white pepper. Savory flavors of plum, black cherry, other black fruits, earth and graphite coat the palate. While it has good fruit, it’s not a jam ball; rather it has good tannin and “tips the hat” to its Rhône roots.

$12.95 750ml [244070]