One of our favorite holidays is Independence Day, when we celebrate our country, our families, and good times.  Our Friday wine tasting this week falls right in the middle of a long weekend of fun and, most likely, a lot of grilling and parties. So, what could be better than some fantastic barbecue wines – wines that not only pair well with grilled foods, but are so mouth-wateringly delicious that everyone loves them.  Oh, and the price is not bad, either!

~ Patrick

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting:

Friday, July 5th, 2013 – 5pm – 7pm
759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

This weeks selections:

Poppy Chardonnay  2011 (Regularly $11.99) $9.99 At Tasting

• Sourced entirely from the winery’s estate vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands, Poppy has that distinct California style of bright acidity, toasty oak spice, and a creamy, buttery texture. The wine is ideal for unwinding at the end of a long day, or with richer poultry and fish dishes.

Murphy-Goode Dealer’s Choice Cabernet (Regularly $21.99) 18.99 At Tasting

• This Alexander Valley wine shows a dense, rich flavor of cherry and toasty, vanilla spice, with notes of blackberry and thyme.

Laya Spanish Blend  2011 (Regularly $9.99) $7.99 At Tasting

• Creamy, with lifted dark plum scents. The palate is medium-bodied with good acidity, the 2011 is elegant and refined, blessed with fine tannins and tension towards the dark plum and boysenberry finish. *89 Points Wine Advocate

Four Vines Biker Zin  2010 (Regularly $23.99) $20.99 At Tasting

• “Ripe and zesty, with distinctive aromas of raspberry and smoky cracked pepper that lead to plush, briary flavors of black cherry, anise and sage.”  A massive, in-your-face Zin! *90 Points Wine Spectator

  T~Vine Syrah  2008 (Regularly $39.99) $32.99 At Tasting

• Deep and intense, with complex fruit; the power and concentration of the explosion of blackberries, leather, licorice, and chocolate in your mouth is unimaginable.  A perfect pairing for grilled baby back ribs!

See you all at the tasting!

On Friday we will be tasting some great wines from Spain. Spain is the most widely planted wine producing nation in the world, but it is the third largest producer of wine in the world, the largest being France followed by Italy. This is due, in part, to the very low yields and wide spacing of the old vines planted on the dry, infertile soil found in many Spanish wine regions. Major Spanish wine regions include the Rioja and Ribera del Duero which are known for their Tempranillo production; Jerez, the home of the fortified wine Sherry; Rías Baixas in the northwest region of Galicia that is known for its white wines made from Albariño; and Catalonia which includes the Cava and still wine producing regions of the Penedès as well the Priorat region.

On Saturday, we will taste some wines from the Niner Wine Estates. Niner Wine Estates is the visionary initiative of Richard Niner, who believes that a blend of exceptional people, vineyards, tools, and ideas is the key to creating world-class wines and providing a one-of-a-kind experience in the heart of Paso Robles wine country. Niner Wine Estates owns and operates three estate vineyards: Bootjack Ranch located on the east side of Paso Robles, Heart Hill Vineyard located on the west, and Jespersen Vineyard located in the Edna Valley wine-growing region.

We hope to see you here!

Jason Perry
Wine Specialist

Jonathan’s Market La Jolla Wine Tasting:

Friday, June 28th, 2013 – 4pm – 7pm
Saturday, June 29th, 2013 – 4pm – 7pm

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

Friday, June 28th, 2013 – 4pm – 7pm

Friday’s Selections: $20.00 per person

2011 Martin Codax Albarino ($17.99)

• The 2011 Albarino begins well with an attractive, well-defined nose with hints of white peach and green apples. The palate is fresh and nicely balanced. It is not a complex Albarino, but it is clean and vibrant with pear and hints of orange peel towards the finish. That will do nicely at this price. Drink now.” Neil Martin -  Wine Advocate 86 Points!

2005 Adega Algueira Mencia ($29.99)

• From an obscure D.O. located in Galicia, the 2005 Algueira is 100% estate grown Mencia aged for 11 months in French oak. Medium to dark ruby-colored, it offers Pinot Noir-like aromatics with plenty of spicy red fruits and a touch of oak. This leads to an elegant wine with incipient complexity, a silky texture, sweet red berry flavors, and good length. The wine should evolve with 1-2 years of additional bottle age but can be enjoyed now and over the next 6 years.” Jay Miller – Wine Advocate 90 Points!

2005 Callejo Crianza ($32.99)

• The 2005 Crianza was sourced from 35+-year-old Tempranillo vines and aged for 12 months in French and American oak. It has an expressive perfume of pain grille, pencil lead, spice box, and assorted black fruits. Medium to full-bodied, layered, and spicy, this nicely balanced, lengthy wine will evolve for 2-3 years and drink well through 2015.” Jay Miller – Wine Advocate 91 Points!

2007 Muga Rioja Tempranillo ($32.99)

• “The 2007 Reserva has an attractive, bashful bouquet that demands coaxing, with scents of singed leather and allspice. The palate is very well-balanced with crisp tannin. It is a little rustic but there is a surfeit of personality. It has lovely leafy red fruit married with white pepper and leather towards the meaty finish. Drink 2015-2030.” Neal Martin – Wine Advocate 92 Points!

2005 Martinet Bru Priorat ($44.99)

• The 2005 Martinet Bru is purple-colored with an excellent nose of cedar, smoke, mineral, black cherry, and black currant. Structured, with enough tannin for 5-7 years of further evolution, this intense, lengthy wine will require considerable patience.” Jay Miller – 91 Points Wine Advocate.

Saturday, June 29th, 2013 – 4pm – 7pm

Saturday’s Selections: $20.00 per person

2012 Niner Sauvignon Blanc ($27.99)

• Fermentation began in tanks, moving to a mixture of stainless-steel, once-filled and neutral French-oak barrels, about halfway through the fermentation. The wine was aged “sur lies” (French for “on the yeast lees”), which brings a lovely creaminess to the mouth-feel – without Malo-lactic fermentation, which would take all that creaminess and make it into butter. This wine has vibrant aromas of honeydew melon, meringue, citrus and lemon curd. It is balanced on the palate with bright acidity and tropical fruit flavors of kiwi, pineapple and lychee, lending itself to many food-pairing possibilities.

2009 Niner Sangiovese ($27.99)

• Aromas include malt chocolate, hot cocoa mix, a dried woody character and tart cran-cherry. Vanilla, caramel and nutmeg baking spices round out the velvety flavor profile, with big texture and good tannin structure. In true Italian-style, this Sangiovese simply begs for food!

2009 Niner Twisted Spur ($32.99)

• This delicious estate blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah and Carmenere is redolent with many of the qualities that we love in these varieties – notes of juicy blueberry, blackberry, mocha, caramel and sweet tobacco fill the glass. These flavors transition into beautiful earthy aromas of cedar, lichen and forest floor. Firm tannins and ideal structure combine in this lively Paso Robles blend.

2009 Niner Petit Syrah ($27.99)

• This wine is well-structured with complex fruit characteristics of plum and blackberry intertwined with pleasing herbal notes. On the nose, there are hints of cedar. In the mouth, the wine is rich yet dry, with chewy tannins and an extended, lingering finish.

2008 Niner Fog Catcher ($54.99)

• This barrel select blend has complex aromatic and flavor layers that evolve in the glass, beginning with wood characters followed by tart berry and lovely notes of rosemary and thyme. Flavors are full and big but not overripe, with chalky tannins and a long, dry leafy finish. For a soft approach, we recommend decanting this wine.

ALL WINES SATURDAY WILL BE 15% OFF DURING THE TASTING!

This week we welcome Catherine Uzeta of Monterey Bay Imports to the El Cajon wine bar. Catherine will be pouring her favorite wines for our enjoyment, including Carol Shelton, Robert Goyette, and Hestan wines!
Hestan Stephanie Cabernet was awarded 96 points from Wine Enthusiast, and we’re anxiously looking forward to trying that!

Robert Goyette was co-founder of the famous La Crema winery, and also made wine at Chalk Hill and Benziger.

Carol Shelton is widely cited as the most awarded winemaker in the United States. She has won countless medals for her wines and has been honored as Winemaker of the Year numerous times.

Hope to see you out here!

Patrick Campbell
Wine Specialist

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting:

Friday, June 28th, 2013 – 5pm – 7pm
759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

This weeks selections:

Carol Shelton Rendezvous Rose 2012 (Regularly $15.99) $13.99 Tonight

• Light cranberry color, juicy strawberry-watermelon fruit aromas, nice mineral, with a hint of pink grapefruit.  Refreshingly crisp and dry.  Great with almost any food, from sushi to salmon to BBQ!

Carol Shelton Coquille Blanc 2010 (Regularly $24.99) $19.99 Tonight

• Exotic nose of spicy pears and white peaches, almond paste/marzipan, a touch of honeysuckle perfume. Multidimensional (many layers), a hard-to-describe range of aromatics, intriguing, almost mysterious! In the mouth it is crisply dry yet creamy and round and full-bodied, nice almond paste on crisp-yet-juicy pear fruit.

Carol Shelton Wild Thing Zin 2010 (Regularly $21.99) $18.99 Tonight

• Aromas of black cherry, plum and raspberry fruit combine with a beautiful hint of vanilla-oak loveliness, smoothly textured in mouth, very creamy and round, the finish is long and has lush jammy fruit — this wine is dangerously good! Remember – you are what you drink ….

Robert Goyette Cabernet 2010 (Regularly $21.99) $18.99 Tonight

• Bob was the founder of the La Crema Winery. Following La Crema, Bob had a stint as assistant winemaker at Chalk Hill Winery before landing at Benziger Family Winery.

Stephanie Cabernet 2008 (Regularly $54.99) $46.99 Tonight

• A blockbuster new Cabernet blend from Hestan Vineyards.  Usually only available to mailing list members, we have a small amount of this tiny production Cabernet while our allocation lasts! 96 Points – Wine Enthusiast

Different varietals of grapes thrive in different regions of the world  Over the centuries, French winemakers developed the concept of “terroir” by observing the differences in wines from different regions, vineyards, or even different sections of the same vineyard. The French began to crystallize the concept of terroir as a way of describing the unique aspects of a place that influence and shape the wine made from it. While wine experts disagree about the exact definition, particular consideration is given to the natural elements that are beyond the control of humans. Components often described as aspects of terroir include climate, topography, and geology.  On Friday we will taste five different varietals from the places they are best known for producing.

The Sonoma County AVA (American Viticulture Areas) is one of California’s largest producers of wine grapes, far outproducing the Napa Valley AVA. Sonoma County’s large number (15) of AVAs reflect the wide variety of climate and soil conditions in the County, the large production in the County, and the prominence of Sonoma County in the wine market. The difference in climate and soil (terroir), means that cooler climate grapes grow well in certain regions and in others warm climate grapes are more suitable. On Saturday we will visit five different sub AVA’s within the larger Sonoma County one.  As with the Friday tasting we will be concentrating on varietals from the places they are best known for producing.

Jonathan’s Market La Jolla Wine Tasting:

Friday, June 21st, 2013 – 4pm – 7pm
Saturday, June 22nd, 2013 – 4pm – 7pm

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

Friday, June 21st, 2013 – 4pm – 7pm

Friday’s Selections: $20.00 per person

Tonight we will be exploring wines from five different countries, while focusing on what each Country is most well known for.  The following five varietals are on the menu for the evening: German Riesling, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Argentinean Malbec, Italian Brunello, and an American (Napa Valley of Course) Cabernet Sauvignon. 

2010 Weingut Robert Weil Riesling ($31.99)

• The Riesling Tradition is a cuvée from parcels that neighbor the estate’s top vineyard sites in Kiedrich. The deep and medium-deep soils of the vineyards consist of stony, fragmented phyllite mixed with loess and loam. The character of this Riesling, like all Robert Weil Rieslings, is defined largely by these mineral-rich soils. The 2010 Riesling Tradition has a complex, enveloping aroma of lush fruits, with a hint of sandalwood. It is full and juicy on the palate, with a spicy acid crackle and a long, tingling finish.

2012 Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc ($16.99)

• Elderflower and currant aromas are accompanied by notes of citrus and passion fruit in this years Sauvignon Blanc. It has a radiant light yellow hue, tinged with green and the dominant flavors are fresh and herbal layered over ripe tropical fruit and citrus notes. A fine line of acid ensures the flavors are focused and leads to a delicate yet persistent finish with underlying mineral tones.

2007 Colome Malbec ($29.99)

• The purple-colored 2007 Malbec Estate spent 18 months in French oak, 20% new. It has an excellent bouquet of lavender, spice box, black cherry, and black raspberry. Ripe and full-bodied on the palate, it has plenty of spicy, savory black fruit, good balance, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. Give it 2-3 years and drink it from 2011 to 2019.” Jay Miller – Wine Advocate 89 Points!

2004 Terralsole Brunello ($89.99)

• This changes all the time as you taste it, with aromas of dark fruit and porcini mushroom turning to cigar box and dried flowers. Full-bodied, with masses of fruit and chewy tannins. Really powerful and long. Best after 2011. 1,450 cases made. – JS Wine Spectator 96 Points – #31 Top 100 Wines of 2010

2010 Snowden Napa Valley Cabernet ($49.99)

• Snowden’s 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon The Ranch is one of the bigger, juicier wines readers will come across in this vintage. Mocha, chocolate, spices, plums and black cherries seem to literally jump from the glass. Merlot plays a pretty important role in the 2010, which gives the wine much of its roundness and early accessibility. Round, expressive and racy, the 2010 Ranch is a terrific effort from Snowden. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.” Antonio Galloni – Wine Advocate 92 Points!

Saturday, June 22nd, 2013 – 4pm – 7pm

Saturday’s Selections: $20.00 per person

The Sonoma County AVA (American Viticulture Areas) is one of California’s largest producers of wine grapes, far outproducing the Napa Valley AVA. Sonoma County’s large number (15) of AVAs reflect the wide variety of climate and soil conditions in the County. Tonight we will visit five different sub AVA’s within the larger Sonoma County one.  As with the Friday tasting we will be concentrating on varietals from the specific areas  they are best known for producing.

2010 Lancaster Alexander Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($29.99)

• The 2010 Samantha’s Sauvignon Blanc has complex aromas of pear, fresh flowers, dried citrus & honeysuckle. The bright acidity is balanced with a layered texture and minerality that pushes through the smooth finish. Complemented with ripe grapefruit, fresh peaches & lemon drops.

2010 Vine Cliff Los Carneros Chardonnay ($29.99)

• This is a flashy Chardonnay, marked by scads of oak that contributes buttered toast and vanilla cream. You find rich fruit flavors of pineapples and golden mangoes, but they struggle to overcome the barrel influence. Still, there’s no denying the opulence.” Wine Enthusiast – 90 Points!

2010 Donum Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($74.99)

• The 2010 Donum Russian River Pinot Noir is graceful and delicate, showing tremendous purity, with a core of red raspberry coulis, cherry and pomegranate juice. Whiffs of white pepper and forest floor lend this some traction, while it features plush tannins on the finish. Drink it now through 2022. Only 483 cases made. – MW – Wine Spectator 93 Points!

2010 Seghesio Rockpile AVA Zinfandel ($36.99)

• Offers floral black raspberry and smoked pepper aromas. The flavors are full and soft, yet more acidity would provide lift. Finishes with notes of licorice and briary sage. Drink now through 2018. 2,000 cases made. – TF - Wine Spectator – 89 Points!

2009 Athair Sonoma Valley Cabernet ($39.99)

• The rich, volcanic, red earth soils create an intricate and concentrated wine with savory herb, complex wild berry and ripe plum flavors. Rich and elegant, gaining depth and complexity on the finish. Drink now through 2020.

Hope to see you all at the tasting!

Jason Perry

Legendary northern California wine merchant Kermit Lynch will host our tasting in El Cajon this Friday. Kate McWilliamson will be on hand to represent Mr. Lynch and pour our favorite French and Italian wines from the Lynch portfolio.

If you are not familiar with Kermit Lynch, he is my favorite importer in the United States. Personally, I have enjoyed every wine that I have tried that he has brought to the United States. He began with a small retail wine shop in Berkeley, in 1972. Soon after, he discovered the secret to unraveling the mystery of French wines – he drove the wine regions and got to know the vignerons.

His first book- Adventures on the Wine Route- won the Veuve Clicquot Wine Book of the Year award, and I cannot overemphasize how good it is. Kermit has also been awarded the Order of Merit and appointed to the Legion of Honor by the French government.
You will not want to miss this tasting!

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting:

Friday, June 21st, 2013 – 5pm – 7pm
759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

This weeks selections:

Perrusset Macon 2011 (Regularly $19.99) $16.99 Tonight

• Kermit and Henri Perrusset met rather serendipitously. There weren’t enough tables in the restaurant and the hostess seated Kermit with Henri, who was just finishing up his meal. Their conversation blossomed, and Henri invited Kermit to visit and taste his first vintage.  We have been buying these delicious, distinctive Chardonnays ever since.

Regis Bouvier Burgundy  2011 (Regularly $24.99) $21.99 Tonight

• This domaine represents terrific value for a number of reasons–a lesser-known appellation combined with quality vineyard holdings and a conscientious and talented wine grower. We consider this one of our most prized finds of the last 5 years.

Guido Porro Barolo  2008 (Regularly $42.99) $36.99 Tonight

• “Simply put, these are the very finest wines I have ever tasted from Guido Porro. They also happen to be among the most fairly priced Barolo fans will come across in today’s market.” Robert Parker – 94 Points

Domain Tempier Bandol 2010 (Regularly $44.99) $37.99 Tonight

• Of all of the domaines we represent, no other serves more as our cornerstone, or stands more in the defense of terroir. The Peyraud family restored the Mourvedre grape to its former glory, raising deep and structured wines of such refinement and longevity that it has made Domaine Tempier truly a Grand Cru de Provence.

Kermit Lynch Cote du Rhone 2010 (Regularly $12.99) $10.99 Tonight

• 2010 was a great vintage, but with a reduced production, which makes this value priced Rhone blend all the more remarkable.  Kermit Lynch was the first to champion the benefits of unfined and unfiltered wines, long before they had become fashionable.

We hope to see you at the tasting.

Patrick Campbell