AARON WINES 2007 PETITE SIRAH
"SWELL" PASO ROBLES 750mL
Producers of Petite Sirah need to take note: there's a young gun out there who's going to show you some new moves! Winemaker Aaron Jackson is one amazing guy! He fully commits to whatever the task at hand is. So being the hardcore surfer that he is, you can imagine how dedicated to winemaking Aaron must be when he has to leave those firing Central Coast point breaks to head for the vineyards! His wines have been staples at our store for years, and it's amazing how he can make Petite Sirah taste so good, keep it complex yet easy to drink, and sell such a tasty wine for so little money!
Blended with just a splash of both Zinfandel and Syrah, it is still a massive wine, yet a touch more supple and approachable than others, with its big nose of chocolate covered cherries, plums, licorice, and similar flavors intermixed with blueberries, vanilla bean, grilled meat and spice. This wine is dense, rich, flavorful, fruit-forward, and has a long finish balanced with velvety tannins. Feel free to pick one up for your filet, or for that pizza after your next sunset session!
AARON 2009 ROSE OF PETITE SIRAH
PASO ROBLES 750mL
Producers of Petite Sirah need to take note: there's a young gun out there who's going to show you some new moves! Winemaker Aaron Jackson is one amazing guy! He fully commits to whatever the task at hand is. So being the hardcore surfer that he is, you can imagine how dedicated to winemaking Aaron must be when he has to leave those firing Central Coast point breaks to head for the vineyards! His wines have been staples at our store for years, and it's amazing how he can make Petite Sirah taste so good, keep it complex yet easy to drink, and sell such a tasty wine for so little money!
Aaron loves Rose, plain and simple. Whilst living in Australia, Aaron and friends would guzzle bottle after bottle of dry Rose to beat the heat at barbecues. The 2009 vintage inspired him enough to go ahead and produce a Rose, and of course it had to be from Petite Sirah! He used juice from two lots of Petite Sirah, one Eastside vineyard and one Westside.
Because of the monster color of Petite Sirah, only 30-60 minutes of skin contact were necessary to attain the vibrant pink color. His goal was a Rose in a crisp white wine style, keeing it snappy, acidity and fruit driven. We adore the aromatics of unripe strawberry, watermelon, and rhubarb, aided by the long, cold fermentation. The bright, fruit-driven palate has plenty of acidity and just a touch creaminess to add complexity. Finishing fresh and clean, this wine leaves your mouth watering and asking for more. Drink it with fruit, oysters, or ice cubes; just make sure you finish the whole bottle and enjoy the sun!
BARREL 27 2006 SYRAH
"RIGHT HAND MAN" CENTRAL COAST 750ml
Made by Russell From (Herman Story Wines) and McPrice “Mac” Myers (McPrice Myers Wine Company)
The 2006 exhibits a deep garnet-purple color, with seductive aromas of raspberry jam and crème de cassis, sweet cherry, black plum and blood orange fruit, with rose petal, anise/black licorice, vanilla and Asian spices adding layers of complexity. The mouth is round and dense, with a full mid-palate lifted by excellent acidity. The long finish begins with rich, red fruit and ends on a trailing spicy note that goes on and on. The best structured of Barrel 27's Syrahs yet, it will add weight and even more complexity over the next 2-3+ years and hold well after that.
As if their white wasn’t good enough (yeah...right!), if the “High on the Hog” was the left hand, then why shouldn’t they have a red as their “Right Hand”? Russell From (owner/winemaker for Herman Story) and Mac Meyers (owner/winemaker for McPrice Meyers) both contribute a little wine from their own projects in order to make the Barrel 27 Syrah. So in a sense, here you get a wine that may retail for twice the price! The 2005 sold as fast as we could get it on the floor, so we had high expectations for the 2006... and it didn’t disappoint! Opaque purple in color, the wine has a knockout nose redolent of flowers, blackberries, black cherries and grilled meats. The flavors start out with blueberries, blackberries and crème de cassis, then turns toward dense, rich, complex flavors of spice, vanilla, oak and supple tannin. This is full-throttle Syrah; it will gain complexity over the next 2-3+ years, and hold well after that!
BARREL 27 2006 GRENACHE
"ROCK and a HARD PLACE" CENTRAL COAST 750ml
In a recent issue, Wine Spectator stated, “California Grenache is capable of stardom. But there needs to be a lot more made so that the average consumer can buy it.” Well, here’s your star! The Barrel 27 guys have long searched for that perfect vineyard for the Rhône Valley’s bedrock grape... Grenache. That search has ended and the result is a stunningly beautiful wine with
a medium ruby-black color and a captivating nose of sweet raspberry milk chocolate, hibiscus, logan berry, cranberry and caramelized sugar beet. On the palate, the wine shows the same pure red fruit characters filled out with notes of black tea and orange rind with a hint of vanilla. Soft and rich, with beautiful, broad mid palate, the wine’s fruit and spice notes continue to build through the long, long finish.
Made by Russell From (Herman Story Wines) and McPrice “Mac” Myers (McPrice Myers Wine Company)
Winemaking team Mac and Russell have long searched for that perfect vineyard for the Rhone Valley's bedrock grape...Grenache. That search has ended and the result is a stunningly beautiful wine with a medium ruby-black color and a captivating nose of sweet raspberry milk chocolate, hibiscus, logan berry, cranberry and caramelized sugar beet. On the palate, the wine shows the same pure red fruit characters filled out with notes of black tea and orange rind with a hint of vanilla. Soft and rich, with beautiful, broad mid palate, the wine's fruit and spice notes continue to build through the long, long finish.
BARREL 27 2008 PROPRIETARY WHITE
"HIGH ON THE HOG" PASO ROBLES WHITE
On a recent trip up to Paso Robles, we decided to stop in and say hi to Russell, Mac, and Jason at the trio’s new winery and tasting room right off Hwy 46. They make delicious wines at prices for people who still need to make mortgage payments, car payments, kid payments, pet payments... you name it! These three guys really know their stuff, as evident by the praise they’ve received from such publications as Wine Spectator. This white was the first wine we tasted with Russell; we already knew the price, but after the first sip, we just looked at each other and went “WOW”! This wine delivers way more than the price suggests. It’s a blend of Viogner, Roussanne, and Marsanne that offers refreshing aromas of honeysuckle, marzipan, lemon zest and jasmine notes. Straw/gold in color, this is a full-bodied wine with ripe, rich flavors of peach, citrus and apple yet still retains nice acidity to keep it crisp. So how can a wine that starts out this fat end on such a focused note? Buy a bottle and find out!
BIALE 2006 PETITE SIRAH
"ROYAL PUNISHERS" NPA VALLEY 750ml
WINE SPECTATOR 92 POINTS
"An intense, focused mouthful of ripe blackberry, huckleberry and boysenberry flavors, with thick tannins and wonderful details of mineral, cedar, tobacco and spice box nuances that follow through on the long finish. Drink now through 2014."
BLACK BART 2007 PROPRIETARY WHITE
"BLACK BART'S BRIDE" STAGECOACH VINEYARD NAPA VALLEY 750mL
43% Marsanne, 37% Viognier and 20% Chardonnay
Entire barrel fermented and aged on its lees for 9 months, the 2007 Bride displays intense aromas of peach blossom, nectarines and honeysuckle explode from the glass. The palate is pristine and focused with wonderful weight and richness, the wine slips across the mouth with succulent texture, and the finish is long with persistent minerality.
BOGLE 2007 PROPRIETARY RED
"PHANTOM" CALIFORNIA 750ml
Although out of the market for a short while the Phantom has reappeared! Three distinctive varietals (Petite Sirah 53% - Zinfandel 44% - Mourvèdre 3%) from three distinctive areas (Clarkburg, Amador and Lodi) combine lush berry and fierce spice into a wine characterized by its incandescence. Deeply luscious and succulent blackberries ignite this vintage of our rich ruby
apparition. Aromas of anise and sweet fig are embraced by touches of black pepper. From the shadowed dark depths, subtle notes of cloves and vanilla emerge and complement the concentrated fruit characters of this wine. Captured in 1-, 2- and 3-year-old American oak barrels, this wine showcases the best these distinct varietals have to offer. Welcome the winery ghost into your home again with this latest vintage, and enjoy with full-flavored and hearty meals… before it vanishes again.
BOGLE 2007 PETITE SIRAH
CALIFORNIA 750ml
We feel that Bogle has one of the most solid wine portfolios in the business, and they prove that it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg! The Bogle family has been farming since the mid 1800’s and their reputation has continued to grow. The fact that they want to sell wines that people can actually afford doesn’t hurt, either.
Those seeking a quality wine for little money should look no further, as this Petite Sirah is one of our everyday favorites! Sourced from vineyards in Clarksburg and Lodi, this wine has a nose of luscious boysenberry that teases you with touches of black pepper and herbs. Trademark inky and jammy tones fill the mouth with ripe fruit and berries and a voluptuous finish that lingers with toasty oak and lush fruit.
BONNY DOON 2005
PROPRIETARY RED
"LE CIGARE VOLANT - ROUGE" CLAIGFORNIA 750ml
A Rhone inspired blend of: Grenache (38%), Syrah (35%), Carignane (12%), Cinsault (8%). This is an aleph of light and dark notes; vibrant, fruity, and floral notes contasted against a denser, darker core rarely seen in preceding Cigares. the first wafting aromas suggest freshly warmed black raspberry conserve, rose petals, black licorice, and garrigue. The Grenache is hinted at by way of the bright puffs of raspberriocity and cherry liqueur, with the Syrah and Mourvedre showing their tendency towards dominant density - laying down thick, recumbent panes of flavor vaguely suggesting spice, meatiness, and a strong expression of the minerality.
BOOKER VINEYARDS 2008 PROPRIETARY RED
"THE ALCHEMIST" PASO ROBLES 750mL
ROBERT PARKER 95 POINTS
"The 2008 The Alchemist (65% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 10% Tempranillo, and 5% Grenache) possesses an inky/ruby/purple color along with notes of barbecue smoke, asphalt, graphite, blackberries, kirsch, loamy soil, and minerals. Intense and full-bodied as well as impeccably well-balanced, this superb effort coats the palate, but is never heavy or overbearing. It should drink well for a decade or more."
BRIDLEWOOD 2005 SYRAH
"RESERVE" CENTRAL COAST 750ml
Bridlewood Estate Winery is on a roll! Not only do they have one of the best Viogner values in the store, but this Syrah is fantastic! Formerly an Arabian horse farm, Bridlewood is now an artisan winery dedicated to varietals that are perfectly suited to the area.
Winemaker Dave Hopkins has designed this wine to showcase the best of what California’s Central Coast has to offer. Aged in a combination of French and American oak for 18 months, this dark, garnet-colored wine opens with spice, blackberry, plum and cedar, with hints of violets and coffee stepping forward as it breathes. Full-bodied, but with soft tannins, blackberry jam, violets, plum and black cherry, this well-textured wine has a lovely mid-palate and a forward, rewarding, “drink me now” profile.
COPAIN 2005 SYRAH
"HAWKES BUTTE" YORKVILLE HIGHLANDS 750ml
Made by Wells Gutherie (Chapoutier, Chave, Turley)
ROBERT PARKER 92+ POINTS
"The 2005 Syrah Hawks Butte is made with 100% whole clusters, and comes from distinctive schiste soils. The wine is dense ruby/purple and shows plenty of blueberry and almost wild mountain berry fruit with a floral note as well as some earthiness. The wine is dense, rich, moderately high in tannin, and more restrained and backward than some of these other 2005s. This wine will definitely benefit from another 1-2 years of bottle age and should keep for 10-12."
DUCHAMP 2006 SYRAH
"GRAND MASTER" DRY CREEK VALLEY 750mL
WINE SPECTATOR 93 POINTS
"A big, powerful, flavorful expression of Syrah, with intense berry, spice, pepper and herb-sage notes that are full-bodied and pick up depth and richness on the finish. Drink now through 2014."
DUCHAMP 2006 SYRAH
"CUVEE TROUVEE" DRY CREEK VALLEY 750 mL
The Dry Creek Valley is a special part of Sonoma. Because of its unique soil characteristics and cool afternoon breezes, it is here that some of the best Syrah grapes in the state are grown. And that’s why Duchamp grows Syrah here, and ONLY Syrah! Winemaker Gary Galleron (who worked at Chateau Montelena, Grace Family, and Whitehall Lane) has created a beauty of a wine, one stylistically similar to those of France’s Northern Rhône Valley, and this beauty will compete with the best of them! Their Cuvée Trouvée Syrah is elegance and refinement in a bottle. It has a luminescent ruby color, with complex aromas of leather, tar, smoked meat and gunflint. Bright flavors of tart cherry and raspberry are punctuated by a peppery edge. This is a fleshy, opulent wine that balances red and black fruits with smoky earthiness, much in a Northern Rhône style.
WINE SPECTATOR 93 POINTS - "Intense and powerful, with a rich mix of firm wild berry, black cherry, pepper and spice, gaining depth and strength and picking up tar and black licorice flavors that add dimension. Drink now through 2015."
WINE SPECTATOR 90 POINTS
"Firm, intense and balanced, with dried currant, berry, spice, tobacco, cedar and sage, gaining a dusty mineral and cedary edge. Closed on the finish, with tight tannins. Drink now through 2016. 1,600 cases made."
EPOCH 2007 PROPRIETARY RED
"AUTHENTICITY" PASO ROBLES 750mL
Made by the talented Justin Smith (of Saxum fame), who was also intrumental in the development of these vineyards, which are planted on the Westside of Paso Robles!
A blend of 88% Syrah and 12% Mourvedre, this is a pure, delicious expression of red and black fruits, with layers of pomegranate, wild berry and huckleberry fruit that offers touches of sage, mineral and cedar. Ends with ripe, fine-grained tannins. Only 203 cases produced!
EPOCH 2007 PROPRIETARY RED
"INGENUITY" PASO ROBLES 750mL
Made by the talented Justin Smith (of Saxum fame), who was also intrumental in the development of these vineyards, which are planted on the Westside of Paso Robles!
A terrific blend of 46% grenache, 43% syrah, 9% petite sirah,1% mourvedre, and 1% zinfandel, this is deliciously ripe, fresh and juicy, with supple blackberry, wild berry and black cherry fruit that’s spicy, balanced, complex and layered, ending with firm, integrated tannins. 327 cases produced!
