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2010 Cornerstone Cellars Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Oregon

Wed, 08 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

Cornerstone Cellars, located in Napa Valley and Willamette Valley make some of the most incredible wines. Perfection is what I think of when drinking their wines. They are very meticulous in their vineyard care, picking and processing. You can tell that Craig Camp and his team take great pride in their wines.. And their wines are amazing!

Winemakers Notes:

High-toned cherry, raspberry, mocha, fresh blackberry, slight strawberry, slight earth and clove. The expressive palate shows boysenberry, pie cherry, wild plum, slight smoke, toast, hints of dark chocolate and grilled meat with a long, persistent finish.

Kim's Notes:

Very Fruit forward on the nose.. A big juicy luscious berry. Big front palate tastes..

Price: $50

2012 Stepping Stone by Cornerstone Napa Valley Corallina Syrah Rose

Wed, 08 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

Stepping Stone by Cornerstone makes some amazing wines. This Rose is a great example of what Craig Camp and his crew can do..

Corallina Syrah Rosé starts in the vineyard as the first step is selecting a single block of syrah vines destined to become Corallina. Conceived as a rosé from the beginning, every farming choice throughout the year is made with only one goal in mind - rosé worth thinking about. Harvest is timed solely around the complexity of fruit flavors as we don't need to worry about ripening the skin tannins. The beautiful Napa Valley climate provides us with luscious fruit with more than enough color so no other skin contact is necessary than the three hours or so it takes the fruit to be gently pressed. After fermentation Corallina Syrah Rosé rests for five months in mature French oak barrels, where the flavors grow rounder, richer and more complex.

Corallina Syrah Rosé is lifted, bright and floral, laced with aromatics redolent of fresh wild herb and spices and touches of wild strawberries and white peaches. It is mouthwatering, refreshing and irresistible. Second glasses are unavoidable.

Kim's Tasting Notes:

Even though I knew this was dry before I tasted it... I was very surprised in a good way. This Rose' is perfect. The nose is crisp and the smell of strawberries waft through my senses. The Strawberries carry over to the palate in an almost creamy way as like strawberry and cream would be. This Rose' is perfect for summer time! I enjoyed this with a dinner of Baby Back Ribs!

Price: $20

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2012 Stoney Mesa Riesling

Tue, 07 May 2013 14:35:00 GMT

Stoney Mesa Winery is a Colorado Winery located in Cedaredge, CO. All the fruit for their wine comes from the Western Slope. Bret is the winemaker and owns 3 vineyards with different varietals being grown.

This Riesling has a special place in my heart.. I actually helped pick the grapes for this wine.. Fighting the bugs, the stickiness of the grapes and the heat... What an experience! I plan to do it again! Something about being involved in the process to make you feel connected.

This Riesling is my favorite that Stoney Mesa has produced. It has a lovely pineapple on the nose with a hit of vanilla giving you a creamy smell. The palate gets to enjoy that same pleasure as it coats the tongue. Even though this wine is sweet, it is less sweet than the prior year Riesling. With that said it is still sweet for all you sweet wine lovers out there. I can't wait to share this with the general public! You will love this wine!

Price: $15

2009 Tero Estates Windrow

Sat, 04 May 2013 13:12:00 GMT

Tero Estates is located in the Walla Walla Valley. Doug Roskelley is the winemaker and does an amazing job and making perfect wines. His wife Jan is a very big part of the marketing and selling of the wines.

This Windrow is the Estate Bordeaux-Style Blend. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Malbec.

At first taste, this wine displayed alot of tannins.. as it opened up and had time to breathe, the tannins are still there but very soft. The smell of juicy ripe berries is amazing. The wine covers the tongue like a cozy blanket. Very comfortable feeling.. I love big reds... This wine went very well with our steak dinner.

Winemaker Notes:

This wine offers a big, bold nose with berries, cherries, a hint of smoke and orange peel. Good acidity makes this a great food wine, and the firm backbone will allow it to age well.

Price: $45

Colorado Wine Week 2013

Thu, 02 May 2013 21:11:00 GMT

Colorado Urban Winefest returns June 8, 2013, to Denver at Infinity Park, 4599 E Tennessee Ave. It will be the centerpiece event of the third annual Colorado Wine Week, offering a celebration of Colorado wine and food, top Denver restaurants will join dozens of Colorado wineries in creating the ultimate in local wine drinking and eating experiences.

Urban Winefest began in 2011 as an effort for CAVE to reach well beyond its agricultural roots into an urban environment. This festival, much like its big brother, Colorado Mountain Winefest, is designed to create new Colorado wine experiences with consumers.

Here is a list of the 26 wineries that will be participating. I recommend liking them all on Facebook and Twitter.. Interacting is a huge part of getting the word out!

To purchase tickets for this event is a must...Don't be left out.

2010 Stoney Mesa Pinot Gris

Thu, 02 May 2013 01:42:00 GMT

Stoney Mesa Winery, is located in Cedaredge, CO which is on our Western Slope "Wine Country" for Colorado. The 2010 Pinot Gris is a super soft wine. Very smooth with a slight tinge of sweetness. The smell is of crisp apples and citrus. The nice thing about this Pinot Gris is that it will go well with pretty much anything. From Pasta, Seafood and just cheese and fruit.

The night I had this Pinot Gris, I paired it with Sauteed Scallops, Orzo with Zucchini and Tomatoes, and Asparagus. It went beautifully and brought out the taste of the scallops.

Price: $13

2011 Tin Roof Red Blend

Thu, 02 May 2013 01:41:00 GMT

Tin Roof Cellars Red Blend was produced from grapes sourced mostly from vineyards in the Lodi appellation.

Winemaking

Boldly flavored, smoothly textured and unusually complex, Tin Roof wines are designed to please wine lovers seeking distinctive varietal character.

Winemaker's Notes

A triple play of Zinfandel, Merlot and Petite Sirah, this wine is seriously big without being overpowering. Each grape contributes unique characteristics to the wine. The Petite Sirah provides black pepper and blue fruit flavors, while the Merlot offers notes of black cherry and green olive. The Zinfandel imparts additional sophisticated berry and spice flavors. Full-bodied and rich in character, this wine can easily be enjoyed on its own or with any hearty style dish, like a beef stew or rib-eye steak

My Notes:

This Red Blend is such a soft feel. A very easy drink luscious red wine. This wine will definitely go with pretty much anything. The value of this wine makes it a great choice for an every day go to red!

Price: $10 ?

2011 Chateau Fontenille Bordeaux Clairet

Thu, 02 May 2013 01:41:00 GMT

Chateau Fontenille, has a very sought after 2011 Bordeaux Clairet. This is 100% Cabernet Fran, and has many of the qualities that a big red Cab Franc has. This wine was produced with a bleeding method and controlled temps at 16-18 degrees Celsius. The temp on this one is suppose to be 54 -57 degrees.

This wine was definitely something that was very interesting.. Cab Franc is one of my favorite grapes.. To have it in a more rose tradition was great.. Means that I can have a Cab Franc Bordeaux Clairet when I want a lighter red in the summer.

Ruby colour. Engaging nose. After agitation it quickly reveals aromas of fresh red berries, crushed strawberries and raspberry. The entry is sharp, the palate rich and round, with a lingering fruit. The middle palate is more spicy and the finale fruity. The blending being only Cabernet Franc, it gives an excellent structure. To be served at dinner parties, ideal as an aperitif, with cold meat and barbecues. To be drunk within three years after the bottling to keep its freshness.

Price: $14

The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey 2013 Spring Fling Event

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 17:55:00 GMT

What a beautiful day it turned out to be on this April day. The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey usually has this event in March but this year they moved it to April...which with the weather we have been having in Colorado, turned out to be a good idea.

First let me start by saying that if you have not been to the "Abbey" as we call it, then you should really make a point to go.. They have such a beautiful property to share with others and a bottle of wine!

This was my second year at this event and I have to say, it is a great event to attend. Music, Food, and Wine. This year we tasted 5 of the Abbey's new releases:

Apple Blossom
2012 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve
2010 Colorado Syrah
2011 Colorado Cabernet Franc
2010 American Norton

Then in the Production Room or as it is loving called by me and my friend Anne, "The Purple Door", were the Four Year Vertical Tastings. They went from 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 for each of the following:

Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Syrah
Merlot Reserve

Now, everything I tasted was great! I picked my two favorites to tell you about.

2010 American Norton

The 2010 Norton was produced from Norton grapes grown locally by Assistant Winemaker Jeff Stultz at Oak Creek Vineyards. The wine was aged in Oak barrels for 24 months and has hits of spicy red fruit, nice nuances of tasted American oak and a racy mouth feel. Only 65 cases produced!

Very fruit forward on the nose, deep inky color. This wine has a very nice finish which makes it a very easy drinking wine... Lots of repeat tastings... Just to make sure! :)

Cabernet Franc (4 Year Vertical Tasting)

Although I only got to taste the 2006 Cabernet Franc..Well Let's just say it was my favorite, although the 2006 Merlot vertical was a close 2nd.

The Cab Franc offered that peppery spice and deep mouth feel.. Tannins were very present which is a plus for me.

The Merlot was equally yummy.. What I loved about this wine is that when you took the taste it halted right at mid palate to let you know that there were HUGE tannins before letting it pass to the finish.

Thanks Sally, Larry, Matt, and Jeff for having me back..

Hope to see you there next time!

2011 Chateau SUAU Bordeaux Blanc

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 01:54:00 GMT

Chateau SUAU is a Bordeaux Blanc consisting of 60% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillion and 10% Muscadelle. Grapes are destemmed and sorted at the winery. Fermantation in stainless steel vats thermo-regulatedat low temperatures. Aging on lees for three months.

This Bordeaux Blanc is full of citrus.. Because of the main grape being a Sauvignon Blanc, it takes on alot of that characteristic. What I like is the Muscadelle in the wine.. If you didn't that was a sweet grape you would miss that hint of sweetness at the end. I love this wine.

Price: $15

2010 Domaine De Courteillac

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 22:08:00 GMT

Domaine De Courteillac is a Bordeaux Superieur Rouge consisting of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. Pre-fermantation maceration at low temperature, followed by a classic conduct of the fermentation process in temperature controlled stainless steel vats then aged in oak barrels.

This Bordeaux style wine has the great luscious berry on the nose. The mouthfeel is someone subdued with a slight mineral taste. This wine pulls a big punch of dryness and tannins..

Price: $14

Food is Best Served with Yummy Wines

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:54:00 GMT

When I open a bottle of wine, I try to pair it with what I am eating but there are times that I don't.. My mood has a lot to do with what I am drinking. Here is a compilation of meals with wines...I also must make a disclosure.. You will see many more Stoney Mesa Wines than the rest at this point.. I work for the winery and blog about other wines provided as samples. No wine was sacrificed!

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2009 Chateau Timberlay

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:02:00 GMT

Chateau Timberlay is owned by Robert Giraud, and is located in Saint-Andre-de-Cubzac. This Bordeaux Superierur Rouge is 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc.

Very Luscious berry on the nose.. Tons of Blackcherry and black berries... vanilla and just a yummy nose. The wine hits the palate very soft and gives the impression that it is a very tame wine. Then the tannins hit the mid palate. This is a dry red with a big pow... As it sat out it softened a little.. Was super delicious with my steak!

Price: $15

2011 Plum Creek Sauvignon Blanc

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:14:00 GMT

Plum Creek Winery is a Colorado Winery located on the Western Slope of Colorado.. I got the opportunity to purchase this 2011 Sauvignon Blanc that came as a recommendation. Overall, I liked the Sauv Blanc..

Price: $12

2009 Steven Kent Petite Verdot, Ghielmetti Vineyard, Livermore Valley

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 07:00:00 GMT

This wine is 5 of 6 from the Steven Kent Twitter Tasting Held on February 15, 2013.

Steven Kent's 2009 Petite Verdot. This wine is an exploration of the limits of the concept of a “blending” grape. Known for its contribution of tannin and color to Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux, there are very few instances of the wine being offered as its own varietal. We chose the finest five barrels from a larger lot to release as part of our Small Lot Offering series. Quite beyond its normal role, we believe this wine (displaying intense organoleptic qualities of crushed dark berries, black plum, licorice, violet, and semi-sweet chocolate along with wonderful mid-palate viscosity and substantial finishing acidity and length) can rightfully stand on its own. The 2009 vintage, with its finely-honed line of tannin is the most elegant Petit Verdot we have yet made. The entire lot of wine was fermented in small open-topped fermenters then aged in barrel for 18 months. Through several separate blind tastings conducted over a two-year period, new American oak barrels exhibited the most pleasurable combination of structuring elements, flavor/aroma contribution, and forwardness of fruit.

Price: $50