Something for everybody

We have something for everybody this week.

We tasted wines from Italy, Napa, Sonoma, and Slovenia. We had Cabernets, Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs, Pinots, Sangiovese, and a Red Blend. Wines from $20/b to $160/b, and everything in between. If you have been hemming and hawing about pulling the trigger and reaching out to us, this is the week to get over that hump. Email us or call us today. social@winespectrum.com or 800-933-8466.

2010 Saint Helena Winery ‘Grand Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Wine Spectrum 97: Once in a while, with extraordinary vintages, a special lot of wine is discovered in the cellar. Winemaker Aaron Pott traced one 2010 barrel lot back to the vineyard parcel – not surprisingly, this extra special wine originated on the rocky soils of “Block 1” on the south side of our estate. The See clone bud wood came from Napa Valley’s famed “Backus Vineyard” in Oakville. The soil and clonal selection (and farming practices) yield very small berries with intense flavors and tannins. Aaron carved this small lot wine out of the cellar to create the fist vintage of our “Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.” Of course this sweet spot in the vineyard will be watched closely each vintage for more Grand Reserve opportunities. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Just 100 cases produced. Learn more about Saint Helena Winery.

2012 Saint Helena Winery Chardonnay, Sonoma Mountain

Wine Spectrum 96: Saint Helena Winery’s Chardonnay fruit is grown on Scopus Vineyard in the Sonoma Mountain appellation of California, farmed by Ulises Valdez, one of California’s most respected vineyard managers. The Scopus vineyard is 15 acres, all Chardonnay, sitting at roughly 700 feet above sea level, sloping eastward above the town of Glen Ellen. During summer, the Pacific coastal fog lingers here, creating cool nights and mornings. The soils are very rocky with volcanic red earth on the hillside. Learn more about Ulises Valdez.

This wine is made by Aaron Pott. The clusters are pressed whole before tank fermentation using native yeasts. The fermented wine is then put into French oak barrels (half new, half once-used) where it goes through malo-lactic fermentation and then is aged sur lie with battonage for 16 months before bottling. Just 370 cases produced. 

2012 Kinsella Estates ‘Jersey Boy’s Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley

Wine Spectrum 95: Jersey Boys is a six-acre vineyard that was replanted in 2008 with four different clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, handpicked by our winemaker, Thomas Brown. The 2012 Jersey Boys Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunner. The wine possesses a very pretty nose of orange blossoms, fennel, and freshly picked raspberries. This gorgeous, heady fragrance leads into a juicy mouth-feel with flavors of bright red raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and mocha. A full-bodied pallet with fine, precise and well-integrated tannins is followed by a long finish. Drink now through 2020. 689 cases produced. Learn more about Kinsella Estate.

2010 Edi Simcic ‘Duet’ Proprietary Red Goriska Brda, Slovenia

Wine Spectrum 95: Edi Simcic calls his wines “controversial.” Funny for a man whose smile puts one completely at ease. But just over the Italian border, in the nature-blessed zone of Goriška Brda, Slovenia, Simcic is turning traditional heads with his stunningly bold wines. His Duet is pure Simcic: bold, stirring, compelling. Its richness is like a restaurant-only dessert: chocolate, cherries, cheesecake, and coffee. It’s silky tannins underscore a lush, ripe, fruit-full body that goes on and on, and will improve for 20 years. 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc. 300 cases produced. 

2010 Saint Helena Winery ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Wine Spectrum 95: Our estate vineyard is situated at the east end of Pratt Avenue in the Saint Helena appellation of Napa Valley along the Napa River. Our Consulting Winemaker, Aaron Pott, purchased fruit from our estate in the early 2000’s for another notable Napa Valley winery, and now he works intimately with our vineyards to create distinctive Cabernet Sauvignons reflecting our terrior. This wine has aromas of red cherry and cedar, with a hint of spicy clove. The velvety mid palate and smooth tannins carry flavors of raspberry and mocha with a hint of toffee. Aged 22 months in French oak barrels, this wine will evolve nicely in the cellar for ten years or more. 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot. Learn more about Aaron Pott.

2009 Luca Brunelli Brunello di Montalcino, DOC

Wine Spectrum 95: Made by emerging Brunello sensation Luca Brunelli, this truly exceptional Brunello satisfies even the toughest of critics. It is exceptionally powerful, yet elegant, made in a neo-classic style that is pleasing from the first sip. Typical aromas of dried morello cherry, black tea, rosemary, plum, and soy intermingle into a palate layered with delicious, refined cooperage that tastes decadent. 

2011 La Quercia Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva, DOC

Wine Spectrum 94+: Antonio Lamona is the most humble rock star we know. His basic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a staple of our portfolio, and now we are thrilled to present his Riserva for the first time. Aged in 50hl Slovenian oak for 12 months, and an additional year in steel, the wine exudes wonderful character from the 40 year old vines. Grown in the classic ‘tendone’ (or tent style), the plantings are pruned to produce about 2/3 of a bottle per plant. Very low yields! A wine not to be missed.

2013 Agnitio Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

Wine Spectrum 94: Aromas of bright citrus, grapefruit, orange peel and kiwi are expressed on the nose, while hints of anise and limestone suggest an elegant minerality. The palate is driven by its extraordinary acidity giving this wine a refined crispiness and long lasting finish. 285 cases produced. Learn more about Agnitio.

Excerpts from Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences, Volume XVIII, Issue 15, May 29, 2014: …It was a Sauvignon Blanc like almost no other. And you can get it. It is a classic example of a Concept Wine (see Page 4) that has to be tasted to be believed. The wine maker is Belgian- born Anthony Weytjens […] who worked with Christian Moueix at Petrus and Dominus, later at HdV, and who loved the Pouilly-Fumés of the late Didier Dagueneau. This wine is styled a bit like Dagueneau’s Pur Sang. The 2011 Pur Sang sells for $90; 2013 Agnitio (see Tasting Notes) is only $26 and worth it. Pressed very gently, aged in mostly used oak on lees, the wine has high acid, a great modest pH and only 13% alcohol.

Sauvignon Blanc purists and fans of great Pouilly-Fumé will adore this wine. It was recently listed on the French Laundry’s wine list.

2012 Edi Simcic ‘Riserva’ Chardonnay Goriska Brda, Slovenia

Wine Spectrum 94: One of the finest Chardonnays produced anywhere in the world, this classic from Simcic offers a profound array of sweet cream, peaches, citrus, and honeycomb with a full, lush volume in the mouth. Most wineries ferment in steel, then pass through oak, giving the wine barbed edges and an inelegant balance, but Simcic ferments his wine in the barrel, which offers a soft, velvety tannin that is a confident and generous. 300 cases produced. 

2013 Agnitio ‘Sun Chase Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Wine Spectrum 94: The 2013 Sun Chase Pinot is the inaugural release of Pinot Noir for Agnitio wines. An incredibly young wine, the aromas are vibrant and rich – raspberry pie, luscious black cherry and blackberry, green olive and Asian spices. This Pinot Noir has great structure and backbone, with balanced mouthwatering acidity, soft tannins and a long finish. This is definitely a wine to hold on to for a few years. Learn more about Agnitio.