Some of our wines are steady sellers because they are customer favorites and we’ll share some of them with you at this weekend’s tasting. What they all have in common is that they are particularly food-friendly.

We’ll start off with a cool-climate Chardonnay and then focus on the reds, with a fruity Pinot Noir from coastal grapes, a highly rated Italian Chianti Classico and an equally high-rated Santa Lucia Highlands Syrah. We’re also featuring the popular Decoy Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon.

Please stop by and enjoy the company of your fellow tasters and host Bill Callahan, who will put out another fine assortment of cheeses and other goodies.

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, July 11th, 2014  5pm – 7pm
Saturday, July 12th, 2014 3pm-5pm

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

Featuring the “The Old Friends Tasting”

This weekends selections: $15.00

Jade Mountain Chardonnay 2010     ($16.99 During Tasting)

• Napa, Santa Barbara and Sonoma County grapes blended to produce white floral aromas, with flavors of tropical fruits, hints of lemon meringue pie and bright acidity with citrus and green apple crispness.

Meomi Pinot Noir 2012    ($20.99 During Tasting)

• Sourced from Monterey, Santa Barbara and Sonoma grapes, this wine opens up with aromas of ripe berries, fresh cranberry, candy apple and malted vanilla. A hint of Granny Smith apple on first sip balances out the rich cream soda and cherry cola notes. A delicious Pinot Noir.

Brolio Chianti Classico 2010    ($20.99 During Tasting)

• This elegant wine is good for everyday drinking but also lends itself to more challenging food combinations. “This is full of cherry, licorice and deft shadings of oak, matched to a firm structure and rich texture. Balanced and long, with spice and tobacco accents gracing the finish.” – 90 Pts WS

Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon 2012    ($23.99 During Tasting)

• This vintage has yielded a lush and appealing expression of Sonoma Cabernet with alluring black cherry and raspberry jam aromas, as well as more subtle notes of nutmeg, spice and chocolate. On the palate, lovely layers of raspberry and plum are supported by excellent structure and seamlessly integrated oak.

Novy Syrah 2011    ($20.99 During Tasting)

• “The inky-colored 2011 Syrah offers up a deep, decadent profile of smoked black fruits, lavender, bacon fat and crushed flowers on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, rich and mouth-filling on the palate, with juicy, integrated acidity, this knockout Syrah is a joy to drink now.” – 91 Pts WA

Red, White and Blue Wine Tasting

Come by and celebrate our nation’s birthday with a patriotic flight of wines designed to complement the foods that many of you will be grilling on backyard barbecues over the weekend.

We’ll start off with the white, a light Pinot Grigio fashioned for sipping on the patio or pairing with a fish dish and then get into the reds with a Monterey pinot noir, a Napa cabernet sauvignon and a zinfandel blended to match barbecued ribs or burgers. For the blue, we have a splendid Blue Rock Alexander Valley Baby Blue blend.

Please join your All-American host, Bill Callahan, and sample these wines and stop by our excellent meat department and pick up something to slap on the barbie.

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, July 4th, 2014  5pm – 7pm
Saturday, July 5th, 2014 3pm-5pm

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

Featuring the “Red, White and Blue Wine Tasting”

This weekends selections: $15.00

Three Pears Pinot Grigio 2012     ($11.99 During Tasting)

• Great summer wine that features aromatics of crisp pear, pippin apple and citrus. Nectarous pears, peaches and apples combine in a rich mouthful, complemented by a savory acidity.

Talbott Kali Hart Pinot Noir 2012    ($18.49 During Tasting)

• This Monterey Pinot Noir is a bright pure fruit expression from estate grown grapes aged nine months in all French oak.  It’s named in honor of the winemaker’s daughter and offers delicious lush fruit flavors of cranberry, currant, plum, as well as hints of vanilla.

Blue Rock Baby Blue 2012    ($27.99 During Tasting)

• This smooth blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Syrah grapes from Sonoma is an artisan production featuring all estate wine. Delicious and great with salmon, roast chicken or red meat.

Sean Minor Cabernet Sauvignon 2010    ($15.49 During Tasting)

• A Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that is a deep ruby color with aromas of raspberry, cassis and cigar box with flavors of blackberries, raspberries and ripe plum. The soft tannins and sweet oak balance lead to a long and lingering finish.

Rombauer Zinfandel 2012    ($25.49 During Tasting)

• This vintage delivers classic Rombauer Zin with ripe boysenberry, clove, black pepper and hints of raspberry aromas leading to plush and velvety flavors of dark berry fruits and vanilla. A lengthy finish lingers for several minutes.

Charles Hendricks Wine Tasting

We’re proud this weekend to offer an exciting flight of wines from various labels that were crafted by noted winemaker Charles Hendricks, who follows this philosophy of turning grapes into flavorful wines:

“It is a wonderful game of hide and seek that we play with Mother Nature…It is nature’s glory to conceal, and the winemaker’s glory to reveal, to discover and to persuade the grapes to unveil their highest potential, It is the playfulness of guessing when and how much to step in, that is at the heart of the winemakers’ task.”

A Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel and a couple of Cabs from grapes ranging from Mendocino to Napa to Lodi will be available in limited quantities for your tasting pleasure.

Please join your host, Bill Callahan, and sample this well-crafted assortment of great wines served up with our usual fine fruits and cheeses.

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, June 27th, 2014  5pm – 7pm
Saturday, June 28th, 2014 3pm-5pm

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

Featuring the “Charles Hendricks Wine Tasting”

This weekends selections: $15.00

Rock and Vine Chardonnay 2013    ($15.49 During Tasting)

• Fruit for this Chardonnay was sourced from a single parcel beside the Russian River in the Mendocino AVA. It displays quintessential crisp Mendocino flavors of Asian pear, apple and wildflower honey and finishes with flavors of creamy vanilla and caramel.

Parcel 41 Merlot 2012   ($18.99 During Tasting)

• A supple and elegant Merlot made from Stags Leap grapes that still has the structure, depth and richness you find in more expensive offerings this wine is enormously rich, ripe and concentrated showing layers of blackberry, currant and mocha.

Chasing Lions Cabernet Sauvignon 2012   ($15.49 During Tasting)

• This cab is rich in structure and finesse and features dark fruit aromas of black cherries, violets, and cassis with blackberry, anise and raspberry notes enhancing the bouquet.

Twenty Bench Cabernet Sauvignon 2012   ($21.99 During Tasting)

• This label purchased 20 tons of exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from a Napa Valley vineyard and asked winemaker Charles Hendricks, to have fun and do his thing and the result offers complexity, structure balance and soft tannins.

The Messenger Zinfandel 2012   ($15.49 During Tasting)

• A zin crafted from 80-plus-years-old vines in Lodi featuring intense aromas of earth, rosemary and lavender with voluptuous, jammy flavors of blackberry and cinnamon perfectly suited for hearty dishes and pungent cheeses.

“The Hidden Secrets Tasting”

Sometimes some great wines are overlooked amid the wine marketing hullabaloo and soaring ratings from well-known tasting critic’s. So, let’s step back this weekend and sample a few excellent, budget-friendly bottles that have flown under the spotlight.

We’ll start off with a Bianchi Chardonnay featuring Santa Barbara grapes followed by an Argentine Malbec, a Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon, a luscious Napa blend and a powerhouse Lodi Petite Sirah.

Please join your host, Bill Callahan, and sample this interesting assortment of terrific wines served up with our usual fine fruits and cheeses.

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, May 23rd, 2014  5pm – 7pm
Saturday, May 24th, 2014  3pm – 5pm

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

Featuring the “Hidden Secrets Tasting”

This weekends selections: $15.00

Bianchi Chardonnay 2011   ($11.99 During Tasting)

• This tasty white features tropical and citrus Santa Barbara fruit flavors with lovely vanilla spicy oak nuances of barrel fermentation and aging, as well as a delicious touch of butter.

Crios Malbec 2011   ($14.99 During Tasting)

• “Crushed blackberry, licorice and violet on the lively nose. Quite ripe and sweet in the mouth, showing impressive volume and breadth for the price range. Finishes with serious ripe tannins and noteworthy persistence.” – 89 Points International Wine Cellar

Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 2011   ($25.99 During Tasting)

• Slightly dusty and herbal on the nose, this Cab shows similarity to classic Bordeaux blends. Hints of ripe plums and black cherry flavors fan out across the palate and a soft touch of vanilla adds to the allure of this polished offering.

Rhiannon Proprietor’s Blend 2012   ($11.99 During Tasting)

• An homage to the winemaker’s Welsh roots, this Napa blend of Petite Sirah, Syrah and Barbera offers luscious cherry and fresh berry aromas that lead to juicy, lush fruit flavors of Bing cherry and Raspberry with French Vanilla.

Earthquake Petite Sirah 2009   ($25.99 During Tasting)

• The Michael David wines are unabashedly big, bold efforts aimed at folks who want lots of up front fruit and this powerhouse comes from Lodi fruit, including a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and spent 19 months in French oak.

The Final Tasting

Friday 5-15-14 is the “Swan Song” for wine tastings here at Jonathan’s Market.  The Swan Song is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement.  However, even though this is the final gesture here at Jonathan’s, it will not be the end to the many relationships we have formed together.  I invite you to come out and enjoy Jason’s selections to celebrate the good times we have shared and reminisce about some of our favorite moments.

See you this weekend.

~ Jason Perry

Jonathan’s Market La Jolla Wine Tasting:

Friday, May 16th, 2014 – 4pm – 7pm

7611 Fay Avenue
(between Kline St & Pearl St)
La Jolla, CA 92037
Phone: 858.459.2677
View Map

Friday, May 16th, 2014 – 4pm – 7pm

Friday’s Selections: $20.00 per person

Featuring “Jason’s Selections”

2012 Barnett Chardonnay ($39.99)

• The 2012 vintage of Sangiacomo Chardonnay has the typical bosque pear of other years, in addition buttered pecans, honeycomb, and lilies are present on the nose. There is a wonderful silkiness to the palette followed by flavors of passion fruit and papaya. Other flavors of pear and flint follow on the finish. There is some very good acidity here to balance the viscosity. The wine is wonderful in its youth and should age nicely over the next 4-5 years.

2011 Rusack Pinot Noir ($34.99)

• This wine is packed with bright spicy flavors of strawberries, coffee, and caramel. This makes for a very approachable, food-friendly wine and a local favorite. The grapes for this Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir hail from two vineyards, both influenced by the cooling fog of the nearby Pacific and perfectly suited for growing Pinot Noir.

2011 Limerick Lane Blend ($44.99)

• A blend of 63% Syrah and 37% Grenache (the latter from 40-year-old head-pruned vines), the 2011 Syrah/Grenache is Sonoma’s version of a French Chateauneuf du Pape. It was aged in neutral oak and achieved 14.5% natural alcohol. Abundant notes of lavender, roasted herbs, kirsch liqueur, black currants, bouquet garni and roasted meat jump from the glass of this opaque ruby/plum-colored wine. Full-bodied, rich, textured and long, it should drink well for 5-6 years. Sadly, there are fewer than 400 cases of this beauty.” Robert Parker Wine Advocate 93 Points!

2010 Peterson Zinfandel ($34.99)

• Enticing aromatics of fresh-picked blackberries, subtle pepper and minerals mingle with rich oak notes. The silken entry quickly reveals an intense core of juicy blackberry pie laced with spicy pepper, just a hint of mocha and the trademark Bradford Mountain mineral essence. Supple tannins, plush oak and concentrated flavors seamlessly marry to provide a delicious, complex wine with a long, luscious finish.   Although this wine will pair well with many meals—like braised short ribs over creamy polenta or a slow-cooked venison roast—it is also can be enjoyed solo, savoring sip after sip.

“Spring into Summer Tasting”

Temperatures are soaring like it’s mid-August so let’s just skip the rest of spring and jump right into summer with a couple of old favorites back by popular request, a stunning, bargain-priced Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, an Oregon Pinot Noir and a couple of zesty red blends.

We’ll start off with the Casas del Bosque grapefruit-heavy Sauvignon Blanc that you loved so much as a refreshing opener and then go into the reds with a classy Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, the 96-point rated Terralsole Riserva and a deep Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon.

We’ll wrap up with a Napa Valley Bordeaux-style blend and another crazy Chronic Cellars Rhone-style blend. Please join your Beach Boy host, Bill Callahan, and sample this international mix of terrific wines.

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, May 16th, 2014  5pm – 7pm
Saturday, May 17th, 2014  3pm – 5pm

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

Featuring the “Let’s Go Exotic Tasting”

This weekends selections: $15.00

Casas del Bosque 2013 Sauvignon Blanc   ($11.99 During Tasting)

• A blend of Sauvignon Blanc grapes from 9 to 19 year old vines offers intense notes of key lime, grapefruit and fresh ginger and a zesty taste of grapefruit.

Ponzi Tavola Pinot Noir 2011   ($21.99 During Tasting)

• Another Willamette Valley favorite featuring aromas of crushed cherry, spiced rose petal and a hint of toasted vanilla. The delicate mouth shows Italian plum with licorice and a velvety texture finishing bright with fine tannins.

Terrasole Brunello di Montalcino Riserva  2004   ($59.99 During Tasting)

• Ranked #31 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 of 2010. “This changes all the time as you taste it, with aromas of dark fruit and porcini mushroom turning to cigar box and dried flowers. Really powerful and long.  – 96 Points Wine Spectator

Casas del Bosque  Cabernet Sauvignon 2012   ($13.49 During Tasting)

• Deep ruby red in color, on the nose this wine exhibits notes of dark cherry, plum and espresso bean. In the mouth ample flavors of cassis, cinnamon and nutmeg dominate. Rich with fine structure and a long finish.

Bad Boy Red 2007   ($30.99 During Tasting)

• This Bordeaux-style Napa Valley blend combines 40% Cabernet, 33% Cabernet Franc, 17% Merlot and 10% Petite Verdot creating dark cherry and ripe blackberry aromas in an elegant tannin structure.

See you all this weekend!