Category Archives: California

2006 Moon Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

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Produced: Moon Mountain
Grape: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
Region: Sonoma County, California

From vineyards, located in the Mayacamas Mountains, on the western side of Mt. Veeder – this wine could be considered as one of the best values known.

Moon Mountain vineyards, spread high above the fog line, (at nearly 2,000 ft elevation) are overseeing Sonoma Valley. It would be fair to say that they have some of the most difficult wine growing conditions in California.  Vines are growing on the steep, south-facing slopes, in a very unique soil punctuated by volcanic rock outcroppings, consist of thin, well-drained soils derived from volcanic ash and lava.

The combination of soils and more than generous sunshine stresses the vines to produce small crops of superbly concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes. Vines are farmed organically and get as much personal attention, as possible.

Grapes are harvested by hand, in early morning hours, before the heat kicks in to preserve the rich flavors. After crushing the whole berries it underwent a hot fermentation to better extract color and rich tannin from the skins.

The wine was aged for 18 months in small, medium toast American and French oak barrels deep in the winery’s caves. It’s constant temperature of 60°F and very high humidity enhance the concentration of fruit flavors.

Tasting notes:
One of my colleagues used to call wines like this PRETTY. That’s what came to my mind, when I first tasted Moon Mountain. Wine, that makes you smile.

A beautiful dark ruby color in the glass, and sweet aroma of ripe dark berries. In my mouth it was a superb, impressive but silky wine, full of concentrated rich flavors.

It reminded me of sweet black currant, my mom grew in our backyard. The rich fruit flavors were gently dusted with cocoa and light spices of the oak. I loved the sweet mouthfeel of this wine, with never ending, generous finish.

I would say this is a very unique Sonoma Cabernet that would impress a lot of wine lovers. Approachable right now, but it can also improve with 3-5 years in the bottle.

No, this wine is not a collectible, it wouldn’t last for 10-15 years (my guess), but it also doesn’t cost $80-$100 per bottle. You can get this superb Cabernet Sauvignon for around $15 or less. Isn’t that an incredible value!

I just recently learned that Moon Mountain winery operates under the new management. I only hope that they will take full advantage of that unique place high in the mountains, and keep producing the same high quality, amazing wine.

Dry – Off dry- Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: around $15.00

Suggested food pairing:
Not so Greek Musaka,Beef Brisket with roasted grapes, Flank steak with shitakee sauce, Pistachio crusted leg of lamb, Beef Bourguignon and many more

Artesa Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Napa/Sonoma

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Winemaker:Mark Beringer
Grape:88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, Syrah, Petite Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc
Region: 56% Napa County, 44% Sonoma County

See other wine from this producer:
Artesa Elements

This wine is quite interesting for at least three reasons:
First – does the name of the winemaker sounds familiar? Yes, Mark is the great, great grandson of an iconic Beringer Winery co-founder, Jacob Beringer. He is proud to continue the long family tradition as he was raised working with vines from the early age.

Second – I didn’t have the pleasure to visit Artesa Winery and its visitors center yet. But I have seen pictures and heard that this place was probably one of the most beautiful in Napa. It was designed by renowned Barcelona architect Domingo Triay and built in the early 1990′s.

Its owners, Roventos family of Spain, were expressing their heritage as well as their passion for art and nature. Their family’s winemaking history goes back to the mid-sixteenth century!
Gordon Huether, an artist with his studio in Napa, has previously created some beautiful pieces of sculptures and large scale glass-installations for Artesa. Eventually he became an artist in residence.

His expositions and a very personal artistic work are influencing significantly the overall impression of winery.

The name ARTESA was inspired by the Catalan word for “handcrafted.” And that’s how this winery was build – in perfect harmony with nature, with a breathtaking view of San Francisco skyline.
And third – this wine is not only blend of grapes (a traditional Bordeaux varieties) but also blend of regions – Marc decided here to pick the best fruits from Napa and Sonoma, and blend them together to add an extra complexity thanks to both region’s characteristics.

I have always tasted Artesa wines young – just released, so I was excited to try this bottle that have been aged for an additional few years. Does it hold its fruit? Artesa reds are being produced in more modern style – bigger, impressive and could be drank young. Sometimes, that’s not a recipe for long time in the cellar.

The grapes for this Cabernet Sauvignon came from the following Artesa’s vineyards: Foss Valley (Atlas Peak, Napa), Oak Knoll District (Napa), Ridgeline Vineyard (Alexander Valley, Sonoma) and Knights Valley (Sonoma). After harvesting the perfectly ripe grapes, the berries were kept whole, just de-stemmed. Yet, the grapes from different lots received a different treatment.

After fermentation, most of the lots were pressed directly to the barrel, where they finished a malolactic fermentation. Selected fruit from certain lots received an additional maceration to extract more color and density of flavors. Final blend then aged for 21 months in 40% new, 60% used oak barrels (85% French Oak, 15% American Oak).

Tasting notes:
Familiar and very nice aroma of dark fruit, with addition of spices from the oak. On the palate the wine was much softer than I remember when tasted  back in 2007.
Fruit was nice a bright – hints of blackberry, dark plum mixed with a delicate spices such as glove, cinnamon or nutmeg.Intense wine,with perfectly velvety tannins was a great compliment to a piece of steak I was having with it.Some wines, opened too early, have this sharpness about them (harsh tannins) that some admire, I not so much. It could be overpowering. Not just food, but sometimes the fruit it selves.
Artesa was nothing like that. I loved it, it held up to the expectations.

Also, since it’s not just Napa fruit, the price tag is slightly more friendlier. Therefore, I would call Artesa Napa/Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon a great value!

Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: under $ 25.00

Ideal food pairing:
Flank steak Fajitas, Beef Brisket with Roasted Grapes, Beef Bourguignon, Beef Chorizo, and many more…

Grayson Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

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Winemaker: Larry Levin
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: California

There aren’t many family owned wineries in Napa, that would produce wines at this price point. And if there are some, are they also getting consistently “Best Buy” ratings from Wine Advocate? Grayson Cellars is owned by O’Connell family and their mission is to search for the finest fruit in California, and craft  wonderful wines in a very attractive price point.

I didn’t expect much when I first tasted this wine. I have tasted quite a few Cabernet Sauvignon wines, without an appellation,  from “California”, under $ 10.00. I didn’t find many that would impress me. I get it – quality fruit, the land, the equipment – all that became very expensive in California. So almost exclusively, the mass production companies could still keep the price in the reasonable range.

O’Connell family doesn’t fit this scenario. They buy fruit from all the great regions of California, but without that pricey overhead. Larry then hand-crafts high quality wines in his Napa facility, and all that personal attention pays off. His wines always over-deliver. You can buy Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir in the same price point from Grayson Cellars, and they are truly exceptional wines.

They also produce Zinfandel and Pinot Noir, but I didn’t have a chance to taste those yet. I enjoyed selling this wine. When you have value like this in your hand, it makes you proud. I usually took another, let’s say $ 24.00 bottle of Cabernet from the shelf, and tasted it with my customer side by side. Guess who won?

Tasting notes:
Dark ruby color and a lot of ripe plum and blackberries fruit aroma. Rich fruit in your mouth, full body red with notes of spice and soft tannins. Aged in French Oak, it shows a hints of toasted oak on the palate. Pleasant, long finish that you don’t expect from wine in this price range. Seriously, this wine is a steal!
Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: about $ 9.99

Ideal food pairing:
Barbeque,  anything from the grill,  Not so Greek Musaka, Lamb burgers with Relish Mayo, Flank Steak Fajitas, Beef Chorizo

Acacia Pinot Noir Carneros 2007

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Winemaker: Matthew Glynn
Grape: Pinot Noir
Region: Carneros, California

See other wines from this producer:
A by Acacia Pinot Noir
Acacia Chardonnay Carneros

I always considered Acacia to be a pioneer when it comes to Carneros and Pinot Noirs.  Founded in 1979, this winery specializes in two Burgundy varieties: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

For more than 3 decades they produce consistently high quality wines thanks to their attention to the details (in the vineyard and in the winery) and perhaps also thanks to their winemaker’s background.

Matthew gained his experience in numerous wineries in California, New Zealand, but most importantly in Burgundy, France – where he learned the traditional techniques of Grand Cru and Premium Cru wines. No doubt that the great potential of Acacia estate vineyards plays a significant role as well.

Grapes for 2007 Estate Pinot Noir Carneros were harvested by hand when perfectly ripe, and underwent careful selection to assure that only ripe, undamaged grapes made it to the fermentation tanks. Grapes were de-stemmed and cold soaked for a few days. Grapes were punched to extract the most flavor, color and character in the stainless steel fermentation tanks for about 3 weeks.

After that time, the wine was pressed and transferred to oak barrels. Pinot Noir Carneros 2007 aged in mainly French and Hungarian oak barrels for 7 months.

Tasting notes:
Dark ruby color and lovely aroma of exotic flowers, dark cherries and plums. On the palate it was silky, medium body Pinot Noir with lovely expression of ripe fruit, notes of wild blackberries, cherries and baked plums. Light hints of cacao and vanilla. Very smooth tannins and great acidity.

Acacia Carneros Pinot Noir to me is the textbook Pinot Noir, as close to Burgundy style as Carneros appellation allows it.  Based on the quality of this wine, it must be considered a great value as well!

Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: about $ 24.00

Ideal food pairing:

Warm mushroom gourmet salad, Roasted salmon with spring spinach,  Shish kebab with eggplant hash and Tzaziki sauce

Belle Glos MEIOMI 2009

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Winemaker: Joseph Wagner
Grape: Pinot Noir
Region: Sonoma, California

Belle Glos Pinot Noirs are nothing new to wine drinkers. Some of the finest California Pinot Noirs are grown in 3 different vineyards: Taylor Lane, Clark & Telephone and Las Alturas (each single vineyard is continuously getting high rates from wine reviews every vintage).

Each site works with a different clone of Pinot Noir and very distinctive terroir, there for the wine has an individual flavor profile. Belle Glos Pinot Noirs were named by its winemaker Joseph Wagner’s grandmother, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner, co-founder of Caymus Vineyards.

Although you don’t find the name CAYMUS anywhere on the label, its owner and winemaker Joe Wagner is a guarantee of top quality wine of all Belle Glos Pinot Noirs.

Meiomi Pinot Noir was composed from fine selection of grapes, sourced from top vineyards in Sonoma county and it provides more affordable alternative to top notch single vineyard wines.

Tasting notes:
This Pinot Noir with lovely floral aroma, very silky on the palate with rich tones of ripe berries, black cherry with spiced cocoa and tobacco. Quite acidic at first (which I like, it makes it more accessible to different food pairings) but perfectly balanced with a rich, fruity goodness.

When you leave it in your mouth for a few seconds, you can feel a touch of vanilla on the finish.This wine is a book example of Pinot Noir variety and the longer you leave the bottle open, the more body and flavor you are going to enjoy. Definitely worth decanting it!

Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: under $ 35.00
Biodynamic/sustainable

Ideal food pairing:
Chicken thighs in homemade mushroom gravy, Roasted salmon with spring spinach,  Chicken and shrimp skewers, Crispy tilapia, Italian turkey thighs with roasted veggies, Chicken drumsticks with mushrooms, Roasted duck

Newton Merlot Unfiltered 2005

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Winemaker: Chris Millard
Grape: 83% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc
Region: Napa Valley, California

See other wines from this producer:
Newton Claret, Red Label

Robert Parker: 91 points

I always think of this outstanding Merlot, when somebody come up with that silly statement “I don’t drink Merlot,” followed by rolling their eyes. I wish I could pour them Newton and they will never, ever repeat that statement again.

Yes, I know, Merlot got a bad name lately, thanks to Paul Giamatti’s character Miles, who consistently trashed it down throughout the iconic wine movie Sideways. Who would ever think that one movie can change the wine industry for years to come!?

But the noble grape of Merlot is one of the most important elements in some of the best wines of the world. Merlot wines can be simple, good or outstanding. The best wines made from Merlot (for example in Bordeaux) are collectibles for its capacity to age for decades.

It is definitely not a simple wine when it comes to Newton Unfiltered Merlot. This wine is a special treat. To me, it is the best in Napa, especially at that price point. The credit for its uniqueness and success will forever belong to Dr. Su Hua Newton, who first set up the tone on Spring Mountain.

Before you taste this wine, you deserve to know the rich and incredible life story of this lady. I have a big admiration for her uncompromising style of work  and perfectionism. But it would take too much space to explain it here – if you are interested, please read my blog An unforgettable dinner with Dr. Su Hua Newton.

Dr. Su Hua Newton was a pioneer and one of the first Napa Valley winemakers to craft unfiltered and naturally fermented wines. Thanks to her almost fanaticism that started in the vineyard: the way she crafted each block separately, following nature and sustainable techniques, when she insisted on the harvest by hand, (perfectly mature bunches only), all the way to the winery – where just natural yeast was used to ferment the wine, to the bottling the wine unfiltered to preserve all its beauty.

Thanks to all those thousands of little details, Newton Vineyard has become one of the most inspiring and fascinating wine estates in the world. Although Dr. Su is now just overseeing the operations, her spirit is still there in every step of the way. And the character of that approach can be felt, when you open any bottle of Newton Red Label wines (Chardonnay, Claret and Cabernet Sauvignon) or the Unfiltered series – Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Puzzle.

The typical pine tree, pictured on every Newton wine label, stands proudly on top of the Spring Mountain, overseeing some of the steepest and most difficult terrains in Napa. The terroire is one part of Newton wine’s success.

The other part is (and I don’t want this to sound like a cliché , but it’s truth) super hard work and respect to the nature. The adrenalin, when everybody else in Napa has already fermented their harvest, and in Newton they are still waiting for the natural yeast to kick in. Is it crazy? Maybe. Brave? Most definitely. Brilliant? For sure!

“All of these wines from their beautiful mountain vineyard are among the most natural made in the world.” said Robert Parker Jr., in his book World’s Great Wine Estates

Tasting notes:
Dark ruby color and beautiful aroma of ripe blackberries, blueberries and herbs. On the palate this wine is robust yet velvety, with hints of raspberries, black cherry and plum. It leaves a trace of cocoa powder or bitter dark chocolate on your tongue.

Oak notes and tannins are delicate and will devolve even more over the time. Although the wine is silky and perfectly approachable right now, it will continue to develop for another 5-10 years, I believe.

This is one of the kind wine, complex, balanced and perfectly crafted. Highest quality, Bordeaux style wine that wouldn’t disappoint the most demanding wine enthusiast.

Dry – Off dry- Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: about $ 50.00

Ideal food pairing:
Beef Bourguignon,  Flank steak with shitakee sauce, Venison, any grilled meet, Filet Mignon with a crushed black pepper sauce and many more… the chef of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse once paired this wine with a rich chocolate cake. It was insanely great! It turned the wine into liquid velvet… you might want to try it for yourself!

Talbott Logan Chardonnay 2008

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Winemaker: Dan Karlsen
Grape: 100% estate-grown Chardonnay
Region: Santa Lucia Higlands, California

“Best Talbott Chardonnay in a number of years” – 92 points Robert Parker

Robert Talbott, a wine maker who is also involved in fashion business, makes spectacular wines in Santa Lucia Highlands. His signature estate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs are named by his children, or by his antique “Diamond T” truck that Rob once restored. Robert Talbott was always a man of many talents and high work ethic. When hearing his life story, one is amazed how much he achieved aside of helping with his parents family business. His high work ethics and many different talents combined with a love of adventure, made him capable of almost anything.

When the family traveled for business to Europe, young Robert began to be very interested in wine and its making. In 1981 he planted the first grapes on his Diamond T vineyard and a year later launched Talbott vineyards with his father. Soon after he started to design a winery, the family later built in Carmel valley. I had the pleasure of tasting the scale of his wines for quite a few years, vintage after vintage so I can testify that Talbott’s wines are among the highly respected California wines on my list!

Chardonnay Kali-hart and Pinot Noir, Diamont T Chardonnay or Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay as well as several different cuvées, created in Talbott vineyards – they are all serious wines with highest attention to quality. Talbott Logan Chardonnay is named after Robb’s son.

Sleepy Hollow Vineyard is located in the northern part of the Santa Lucia Highlands . This is a vineyard considered one of the “grand cru” in California. Grapes for this Chardonnay came from several selected sections of Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, and includes grapes from 16- to 35-year-old Wente clone vines, as well as selections from more youthful Dijon clone vines.

After the harvest at the peak of ripeness the whole clusters were pressed in the winery. 70% was fermented in French oak barrels and the rest in stainless steel tanks. Wine then aged “sur lie” for 8 months which gave it that extra complexity, and rested in bottles for an additional 6 months prior to release.

Tasting notes:
Light yellow color with green notes and beautiful aroma of tropical fruits like pineapple, mango and lemon grass. Generous medium – full body structure, full of lovely fruity flavors like mango, peach and citrus. Hints of vanilla and toast, but this wine is crisp and nicely balanced with acidity and minerality. Rich and long finish makes you to reach for a second glass.

Excellent Chardonnay, which shouldn’t be surprising, coming from Talbott’s house!

Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light - Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: around $ 18.00

Ideal food pairing:
antipasto, Thanksgiving leftover turkey miniburgers, Tilapia loin with a spicy sweet potato hash, Pan seared scallops with creamy corn, Chicken and shrimp skewers and many more

Mara Reserve Zinfandel Dolinsek Ranch 2005

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Winemaker: Charles Mara
Grape: 100% Zinfandel
Region: Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California

One of my favorite people to work with, Charles Mara, has a huge personality when it comes to wine. Well, that’s not completely true – when it comes to anything. He is funny and entertaining when it comes to wine judging, production or personal presentation of his wines. This Professor of Oenology is striving to make the best possible Zinfandel out of his Napa vineyards.And the results of his “healthy obsession with big wines” are showing great year by year. Never heard of him? Perhaps because the production of his wine is extremely low so his Zinfandels are not found in every wine store.Talking about boutique winery… This small, five-acre vineyard is owned and farmed by Jim Dolinsek and the production averages 350 or so cases of wine. Very low yields (less than 1/2 ton per acre) produces fruit with huge concentration and intensity. Dolinsek vineyard, more than 100 years old, produces variety of wonderful wines, not just zinfandel.Both Charles’ vineyards Dolinsek and Luvisi Ranch are located in the valley that produces some of the world’s best wines. His dream is to produce Zinfandel that “will drink and keep like Brunello” . The intensity and deep flavors are already there. His personal attention to the winemaking process and selection of intense grapes makes it possible.

Robert Parker said about this vintage:
Proprietor Charles Mara’s performance with these two 100% Zinfandels is exemplary. My favorite is the 2005 Zinfandel Dolinsek from Russian River. One of the vintage’s most complete and flavorful Zins, it offers up aromas of red and black fruits, underbrush, pepper, earth, and spice. This rich, full-bodied wine is an amazing achievement in this difficult vintage. Drink it over the next 3-4 years. Rated 91

Tasting notes:
As always, Mara’s Dolinsek Ranch Zinfandel has a deep ruby, almost purple color that you don’t want to spill on your white shirt. Lovely aroma of ripe dark fruit, raspberry and black cherry, even ripe plum on the nose. On the palate it’s a rich, full body flavor with spicy notes like tarragon and a lot of fruit expression.

Dusty cacao or chocolate flavors on the finish, combined with a fine vanilla touch of American oak. This is a huge, masculine wine that needs to be decanted to fully enjoy. Just like Charles Mara always says: decant your wine so that the first glass taste like the last one.

Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium - Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: around $ 35.00

Ideal food pairing:
grilled beef, barbecue meats, goulash, Flank steak with shitakee sauce, Beef Chorizo, My best Chili recipe and many more

Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2008

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Winemaker: Charles G. Tsegeletos
Grape: 100% Zinfandel
Region: Carneros, California

See other wines from this producer:
Cline Cashmere

Cline to me is probably the most significant producer of Zinfandel in California.
Fred Cline, in honor of his grandfather, first founded Cline Cellars near Oakley, California in 1982. Here, he preserved and restored many ancient vine sites to their best potential as premier California vine sites.

Cline family relocated the winery from Oakley to Carneros region of Sonoma in 1991 to a beautiful, 350-acre estate. This region, mainly known for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot was another inspiration for Fred Cline. He planted a typical Rhône varietals including Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne here.

Grapes for Cline’s 2008 Ancient Vines Zinfandel were harvested primarily from Lodi and Oakley. Over 20 percent cames from the oldest, most historic Zinfandel blocks in Oakley, Contra Costa County. These grapes were originally planted by Italian and Portuguese immigrants in the sandy, phylloxera-resistant soils more than 100 years ago. These old vines produce stunning concentrated fruit year after year.

Zinfandel from Lodi (57% of blend) came from historic vineyards along the delta waterways. The rest of the blend was carefully selected from prized vineyards in Mendocino, Sonoma, and Lake County. Individual lots of Zinfandel were harvested separately by hand, as they ripen. They were de-stemmed and very gently crushed, leaving some whole berries in the must, contributing to a rich fruit character.

The “must” (grape juice, skins and seeds) were then fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks to extract rich flavors and excellent color. After the fermentation the wines were pressed and aged in American oak for approximately 7 months.

Tasting notes:
Another rich, concentrated Zinfandel that is worth to try! Bright ruby red color and great aroma of ripe dark fruit, dark cherries and chocolate. On the palate really smooth, pleasant fruit bomb, with soft tannins and big body. Pleasant, bittersweet chocolate finish.

 

Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: around $ 18.00

Ideal food pairing:
grilled beef, Beef brisket with roasted grapes, barbecue meats, goulash, Flank steak with shitakee sauce, Beef Chorizo, My best Chili recipe and many more

Artezin 2008

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Artezin 2008Winemaker: Randle Johnson
Grape: 91% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah
Region: Amador, Mendocino and Sonoma County, California

Hess Collection winery, a significant Napa Cabernet Sauvignon producer, came out with their first Zinfandel release few years back. I remember tasting this first vintage with its winemaker, and I still see his face full of excitement. It was a huge hit among us, the wine sales crowd, and our customers as well. I think Zinfandel was a grape that was poking Randle for quite some time, until he finally accepted the challenge.

The result was a wonderful, full bodied Zinfandel, full of classic jammy fruit seasoned with spicy tones like nutmeg or black pepper. The first vintage of Artezin Zinfandel had 14,5% alcohol level (this is back in 2005, when high alcohol wasn’t so common yet), but it didn’t lack elegance and complexity. A new Artezin was a very impressive, affordable wine and a huge compliment to already high quality Hess family’s portfolio.

At that time we asked Randle Johnson why he decided to make Zinfandel (until then Hess produced top notch Cabernet Sauvignon wines and Chardonnays only). With his passion for Californian heritage he told us with a smile on his face: “I just had to try it.” Well, we were glad he did. What I didn’t know then was the fact, that prior his work for Hess Collection winery, he was producing Zinfandel in Mount Veeder. He knew the traditional Californian grape well and it was only question of time for him to let it shine again.

Few weeks ago I was excited to taste a newest vintage of this, now well established, wine. Indeed, I wasn’t disappointed. Artezin, the art of Zinfandel, is a showcase of warm Amador County, where the most of the fruit came from. Combined with Sonoma valley fruit that enriches the blend with noticeable spice, this Zinfandel is balanced, rich and jammy. Grapes were harvested from 3 family owned, sustainably-farmed vineyards. The final blend then aged in 100% French oak barrels until its current release.

Tasting notes:
Dark ruby color with a strong aroma of ripe dark fruit, dried plums and black cherries. On the palate I tasted a very pleasant, rich fruit like dark cherries, blackberries, ripe plums with a spicy notes. Generous tannins are a typical for Zinfandel (it creates its mouth-feel sensation), but not always this velvety and creamy as in this wine. Enough acidity to balance it all out. Lovely, very impressive Zinfandel for upcoming winter.

Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: around $ 18.00

Ideal food pairing:
barbecue meats, goulash, beef stews, Beef Bourguignon , Beef Chorizo, Lamb burgers and many more…