$24.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

We’ve got two wines this month that you’ll never find anywhere, nor will you be able to purchase them again after our supply is exhausted:  2012 Big Star Syrah and 2012 Bright Star Chardonnay.  When we purchased this extremely limited wine, we agreed not to reveal the winemaker, but we cannot obscure the fact that both were “produced and bottled” by Sanguis, a highly regarded winery based in Santa Barbara.

If you haven’t heard of this producer it is likely because its wines are made in very small quantities and you have to get on a list to purchase them.  Typically, Sanguis wines are regularly reviewed by the major industry publications and critics and they typically score in the 90+ range.

Both Big Star and Bright Star were vinted in a custom-crush deal that for some reason fell through.  We secured these wines at fabulous pricing, which we are happy to pass along to our beloved Wine Club members.

This is a rare, limited and fascinating opportunity to have access to wonderful wines that will never be produced again.  We hope you enjoy them!

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  This wine has an intensity that spans the troika of color, nose and flavor.  Royally dense purple, Big Star will radiate in your Reidel.  Violets bloom in the glass and black fruits will smother your palate.  I’m giving this wine a “10” on the finish because it is as persistent as a teenage who wants to stay out until 10 p.m.  Got steak?  Pair it with this puppy!

$18 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Perhaps the wine with the most memorable name that I’ve written about during the last 12 years evokes a rather pleasant image: “Sexual Chocolate”, vinted by the same young duo from whence we sourced Stand Out Red Wine (a tad pedestrian, in comparison):  Brandon Allen and Bo Silliman.  These gents are still of the age when you can be irreverent, flip and hip. . .not yet 30, they still have time to set the standard for cool.  Just go to their web site for a smattering of avant garde in wine marketing.

Operating under the corporate banner of SLO Down Wines (San Luis Obispo, of course), the grapes for this offering were sourced from the Napa Valley, Sonoma and Dry Creek. . .resulting in a “California” AVA designation.

A very approachable, fruit-forward and affordable wine, you just may consider coming back for a six-pack.

Winery Tasting Notes:   “Aromatics pop with black cherry, vanilla, cola and clove.  Lively palate with bright red fruit, brown spice and blackberry.  Supreme finish that lingers in the most pleasant way.  Sophisticated and simply delicious.”

$55 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Interesting back-story with this selection.  My good friend and faux relative, Dan Moffat of Santa Cruz, introduced me to Albatross Ridge winemaker, Garrett Bowlus, when I was visiting for a few days. . .which just happened to overlap with the Pebble Beach Concurs d’Elegance in mid-August.  Garrett invited us up to his hilltop vineyard to taste his wines, and we pulled over for 20 minutes to watch an entourage of classic cars stream into Carmel.

Garrett’s grandfather piloted sailplanes off the ridges of Carmel Valley in the 1930s, hence the name and the image on the bottle.  Sipping wine in the Bowlus Vineyard at 1,250 feet—with cool breezes surrounded by 360-degree views of deep valleys—it is easy to imagine an intrepid adventurer taking flight.

But it’s all about the wine, and this juice transports your palate somewhere it’s never been before.  Actually, the wine has not been released yet; though it has been in the bottle for a year, Albatross Ridge won’t start selling it until late in November.  We’ll be the only retailer in this part of the world, and since we purchased 25 cases, we took almost 10% of the 300 cases comprising the 2012 vintage.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Bright aromatics of red fruits, red cherry, earth and sandalwood lead into flavors of ripe raspberry, tart cherry and wild raspberry framed by a long mineral driven acidity with a touch of spice.”

$24.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

We’ve got two wines this month that you’ll never find anywhere, nor will you be able to purchase them again after our supply is exhausted:  2012 Big Star Syrah and 2012 Bright Star Chardonnay.  When we purchased this extremely limited wine, we agreed not to reveal the winemaker, but we cannot obscure the fact that both were “produced and bottled” by Sanguis, a highly regarded winery based in Santa Barbara.

If you haven’t heard of this producer it is likely because its wines are made in very small quantities and you have to get on a list to purchase them.  Typically, Sanguis wines are regularly reviewed by the major industry publications and critics and they typically score in the 90+ range.

Both Big Star and Bright Star were vinted in a custom-crush deal that for some reason fell through.  We secured these wines at fabulous pricing, which we are happy to pass along to our beloved Wine Club members.

This is a rare, limited and fascinating opportunity to have access to wonderful wines that will never be produced again.  We hope you enjoy them!

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  This wine has an intensity that spans the troika of color, nose and flavor.  Royally dense purple, Big Star will radiate in your Reidel.  Violets bloom in the glass and black fruits will smother your palate.  I’m giving this wine a “10” on the finish because it is as persistent as a teenage who wants to stay out until 10 p.m.  Got steak?  Pair it with this puppy!

$43 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

I get really stressed trying to write about and understand French wines, so here goes:  This wine, a white burgundy made from 100% chardonnay grapes, is produced near the village of Chablis by a family that has owned the property since 1850.  Of the roughly 247 acres dedicated to producing chardonnay, this wine is a “premier cru” grown on 73 acres of the estate.  In terms of quality, it is a premium wine ranking just below “grands cru”.

This wine is distributed by Wilson Daniels, and it has one of the most impressive, content-rich web sites I have ever encountered.  Click here (http://www.wilsondaniels.com/our-portfolio/domaine-laroche/wines/chablis-premier-cru-les-vaudevey/2012/) if you’d like to learn more about this wine.  Select “Winery Resources” in the box on the right to learn more about Domaine Laroche.  I wish U.S. wineries provided this depth of information!

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Appearance:  Clear, bright limpid yellow.  Aroma:  Lots of mineral hints over a layer of lemon peel.  Taste:  Nervy, racy, lively.”  (I wasn’t familiar with the term “limpid,” so I looked it up.  The definition is clear, lucid, crystalline and translucent.  Guess that makes sense.)

$24.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

We’ve got two wines this month that you’ll never find anywhere, nor will you be able to purchase them again after our supply is exhausted:  2012 Big Star Syrah and 2012 Bright Star Chardonnay.  When we purchased this extremely limited wine, we agreed not to reveal the winemaker, but we cannot obscure the fact that both were “produced and bottled” by Sanguis, a highly regarded winery based in Santa Barbara.

If you haven’t heard of this producer it is likely because its wines are made in very small quantities and you have to get on a list to purchase them.  Typically, Sanguis wines are routinely reviewed by the major industry publications and critics and typically score in the 90+ range.

Both Big Star and Bright Star were vinted in a custom-crush deal that for some reason fell through.  We secured these wines at fabulous pricing, which we are happy to pass along to our beloved Wine Club members.

This is a rare, limited and fascinating opportunity to have access to wonderful wines that will never be produced again.  We hope you enjoy them!

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  A pale, parchment hue belies the fact that this wine delivers big on quality factors: an intense nose that billows with apple and vanilla notes; the flavor profile is an eclectic blend of what chard lovers expect:  a smooth creaminess and restrained oak juxtaposed against a subtle, acidic tartness that makes this wine a genuine candidate for pairing with the cheese you are enjoying before dinner tonight.

$20 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Over the years I’ve seen a lot of wine brands come through our doors—including many based on warm-and-fuzzy animal motifs—but this is a first:  a brand celebrating carrier pigeons who served with distinction during war time.  Okay.

This was the brainchild of one Eben Drucker, a 2002 U.C. Davis grad, though not in enology; he studied cultural anthropology and economics.  After being introduced to wine through a fellow student and taking extension courses in wine, he co-founded a small wine brokerage at the age of 22, and it grew quickly into a multi-million dollar business.

He struck out on his own a few years later launching Spotlight Brands to market the wines of small producers.  He crossed over to the other side in 2013 when he partnered with a Santa Lucia Highlands vineyard to launch his own brand, Carrier Wines.

Beach Comber Albarino is the third release from this budding winemaker.  His first time to bat he made a pinot noir that is now sold out.  He released a 2012 chardonnay; the 2014 “Broken Arrow” Chardonnay is due out soon.

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  This is some truly snappy juice.  It may be nearly clear in your glass, but it is a tour de force of exotic tropical flavors—principally pineapple and mango, teamed up with a solid dose of Meyer lemon.  A solid, acid core makes this wine a no-brainer with the Asian specialties you take out from Auburn Thai Garden, or even Chef Alexander’s classic Cesar salad.

$24.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

We’ve got two wines this month that you’ll never find anywhere, nor will you be able to purchase them again after our supply is exhausted:  2012 Big Star Syrah and 2012 Bright Star Chardonnay.  When we purchased this extremely limited wine, we agreed not to reveal the winemaker, but we cannot obscure the fact that both were “produced and bottled” by Sanguis, a highly regarded winery based in Santa Barbara.

If you haven’t heard of this producer it is likely because its wines are made in very small quantities and you have to get on a list to purchase them.  Typically, Sanguis wines are regularly reviewed by the major industry publications and critics and they typically score in the 90+ range.

Both Big Star and Bright Star were vinted in a custom-crush deal that for some reason fell through.  We secured these wines at fabulous pricing, which we are happy to pass along to our beloved Wine Club members.

This is a rare, limited and fascinating opportunity to have access to wonderful wines that will never be produced again.  We hope you enjoy them!

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  This wine has an intensity that spans the troika of color, nose and flavor.  Royally dense purple, Big Star will radiate in your Reidel.  Violets bloom in the glass and black fruits will smother your palate.  I’m giving this wine a “10” on the finish because it is as persistent as a teenage who wants to stay out until 10 p.m.  Got steak?  Pair it with this puppy!

$24.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

We’ve got two wines this month that you’ll never find anywhere, nor will you be able to purchase them again after our supply is exhausted:  2012 Big Star Syrah and 2012 Bright Star Chardonnay.  When we purchased this extremely limited wine, we agreed not to reveal the winemaker, but we cannot obscure the fact that both were “produced and bottled” by Sanguis, a highly regarded winery based in Santa Barbara.

If you haven’t heard of this producer it is likely because its wines are made in very small quantities and you have to get on a list to purchase them.  Typically, Sanguis wines are routinely reviewed by the major industry publications and critics and typically score in the 90+ range.

Both Big Star and Bright Star were vinted in a custom-crush deal that for some reason fell through.  We secured these wines at fabulous pricing, which we are happy to pass along to our beloved Wine Club members.

This is a rare, limited and fascinating opportunity to have access to wonderful wines that will never be produced again.  We hope you enjoy them!

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  A pale, parchment hue belies the fact that this wine delivers big on quality factors: an intense nose that billows with apple and vanilla notes; the flavor profile is an eclectic blend of what chard lovers expect:  a smooth creaminess and restrained oak juxtaposed against a subtle, acidic tartness that makes this wine a genuine candidate for pairing with the cheese you are enjoying before dinner tonight.

$55 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Interesting back-story with this selection.  My good friend and faux relative, Dan Moffat of Santa Cruz, introduced me to Albatross Ridge winemaker, Garrett Bowlus, when I was visiting for a few days. . .which just happened to overlap with the Pebble Beach Concurs d’Elegance in mid-August.  Garrett invited us up to his hilltop vineyard to taste his wines, and we pulled over for 20 minutes to watch an entourage of classic cars stream into Carmel.

Garrett’s grandfather piloted sailplanes off the ridges of Carmel Valley in the 1930s, hence the name and the image on the bottle.  Sipping wine in the Bowlus Vineyard at 1,250 feet—with cool breezes surrounded by 360-degree views of deep valleys—it is easy to imagine an intrepid adventurer taking flight.

But it’s all about the wine, and this juice transports your palate somewhere it’s never been before.  Actually, the wine has not been released yet; though it has been in the bottle for a year, Albatross Ridge won’t start selling it until late in November.  We’ll be the only retailer in this part of the world, and since we purchased 25 cases, we took almost 10% of the 300 cases comprising the 2012 vintage.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Bright aromatics of red fruits, red cherry, earth and sandalwood lead into flavors of ripe raspberry, tart cherry and wild raspberry framed by a long mineral driven acidity with a touch of spice.”