The Italians are coming.

Tantara and Italy dominated this weeks tasting lineup.

The Italians are coming! The Italians are coming! This week we tasted some amazing wines from Italy as well as a special treat from Tantara. Check them out below! 

2009 Edi Simcic ‘Kolos’ Single Cru Cuvee Goriska Brda, Slovenia

Wine Spectrum 96+: If one ever desired to challenge Bordeaux in a blind tasting, Aleks’ Kolos would be THE competitor to knock any Bordeaux champion off its pedestal! Bold statement? Hardly – If you have Kolos as your secret weapon. Understanding the supreme pedigree of this transcending wine is simple as one taste vividly displays the entangled, sultry finese of pine oil, cherry liqueur, bilberry and dehydrated blueberries, blended with steeped tea leaves, liquid smoke, cinnamon stick, fern leaf and dirt road minerality. Kolos is truly Slovenian in its purest expression and not in fact at all Bordeaux! 1/3 Merlot, 1/3 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1/3 Cabernet Franc. 100 – 6-PACK CASES MADE

2013 Tantara ‘Evelyn’ Reserve Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley

Wine Spectrum 96: ‘Evelyn’s Reserve’ is the flagship Tantara cuvee of select barrels representing the pinnacle of each vintage. Named in memory of Evelyn Waldron, mother of owner Bill Cates, a beautiful, gracious woman whose generosity and faith helped make Tantara Winery a reality. It exhibits those characteristics that make a wine great – balance, suppleness, elegance and mystery. The primary vineyard sites are Dierberg and Tondre H Block. Exceptionally aromatic with notes of truffles, tobacco, and smoked meats. The palate is dense and full weighted showcasing black cherries, kirsch and warm mixed spices. Aged for 16 months in French oak barrels, using 60% new oak. 99 cases made.

 

 

2010 Giuseppe Lonardi Amarone della Valpolicella

Wine Spectrum 96: Of all the wines of Italia, none is more breath-takingly unique than the wine of Verona called Amarone. And, in our opinion, few make it better than Giuseppe Lonardi. His Amarone is remarkably port-like and very concentrated, with powerful, heady aromas of dried fruit potpourri, chocolate, cedar chest, and exotic spice. The production is micro, and it shows in this luxurious, breathtaking wine. That is one reason why this monumental wine will age for 30+ years. 75% Corvina, 20% Molinara, 5% Rondinella.

 

 

 

2013 Tantara ‘Radian Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills

Wine Spectrum 95: Radian is one of the westernmost vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Planted on a wide selection of slopes, aspects and exposures, Radian seemingly wraps around the undulating hillsides that comprise this cool climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyard. In 2014, the vineyard was purchased by Jonata winery (owned by Stan Kroenke, who also owns Screaming Eagle). This first vintage of Radian Pinot Noir has bright aromas of watermelon rind, rose-hips and red cherries. It is warm and generous on the palate with chalky tannins and a long finish. 89 cases produced. 

 

2012 Marchetti ‘Villa Bonomi’ Conero Riserva, DOCG

Wine Spectrum 95: A recent winner of Gambero Rosso’s highest Tre Bicchieri for this impeccable wine, Maurizio Marchetti’s Rosso Conero Riserva is quickly becoming one of the singularly best wines coming from the Marche. One of the greatest expressions of the Montepulciano varietal we have ever tasted, this sleek, muscular wine is aged 14 months in French oak, and like all of Marchetti’s wines, consists of only free run juice! With enticing notes of exotic spice, vanilla, dried cranberry, and bitter, dark chocolate, this is one not to be missed. 100% Montepulciano. 450 cases produced. 

 

 

 

2012 Walt ‘Bluejay’ Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

Wine Spectrum 94: The Bluejay is a blend of fruit from the Savoy Vineyard and Anderson Creek. Concentrated blueberry, lavender, and wet stone on the nose. Full and rich on the palate, with broad and powerful tannins. Warm, spicy oak leads into flavors of blackberry jam, white pepper, and freshly turned earth. 

Wine Enthusiast 93: Flavors are ripe and fruity and laced with vanilla, maple and toasted bread nuances. Vibrant acidity pairs with firm tannins to keep it mouthwatering on the finish.