$21.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

It’s back, and we know you’ll love the new vintage of Luli Pinot Noir as much as we do. A companion label to the venerable Pisoni stable of the Santa Lucia Highlands, the genesis of this wine stems from a partnership of the family and Master Sommelier Sara Floyd.

Expect nothing but huge fruit with dense, ripe flavors from winemaker Jeff Pisoni. His brother, Mark, is responsible for viticulture and Patriarch Gary. . .well, he is the heart and soul of the venture as well as the godfather of pinot in California.

Details from the Winery: “Luli Pinot Noir captures the best of Santa Lucia Highlands. This wine has bright aromatics, lots of fruit and floral notes, and a very full bodied, velvety texture.

“Grapes for this wine are sourced from different vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Sourcing from diverse locations within the appellation adds to the wines flavor profile. In the winery the grapes undergo a long cold soak for maximum flavor extraction and a subsequent fermentation by native yeast. The wine is aged for eleven months in French oak barrels before being bottled, without fining or filtration. A very low percentage of new oak barrels are used in order to maintain the bright vineyard flavors.”

$22 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

This is a fabulous little Rhone blend from Monterey County. Winemaker and surfer Ian Brand first worked at Bonny Doon, Coastview Vineyard and Big Basin Winery before launching his own label. He also makes a chardonnay, vigonier, rosé, Meritage and petite sirah. He sources fruit from around the central coast.

Winery Tasting Notes: “White flower, plums, chaparral and sandal- wood on the nose. Bright red fruit on the palate. Finishes with red plum, hints of tobacco and umami notes. The persistent finish is bright, fruit-focused and coats the mouth.”

TMI: A blend of 42% grenache, 42% mourvedre and 16% syrah. 14.5% alcohol; aged 11 months in neutral barrels; just 260 cases produced.

$55 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

This wine is from one of the most respected prolific zinfandel producers in the state using fruit from one of the premiere zinfandel vineyards in California. Do I need say more than “Black Chicken”? This wine is an explosive mouthful, and don’t even think about pairing it with anything less than a cowboy steak or a full rack of spicy, sticky pork ribs.

On top of that, it’s harder to find than Screaming Eagle. Just 290 cases were produced, and of the 10 cases available, Carpe Vino snagged seven. At $55 per bottle, they’re not giving this juice away, but consider this statement from the wine broker who represents the brand: “Take one sip of this stuff and we’ll be scraping you off the floor with a spatula.”

Winery Tasting Notes: “Right up front, quartz-like crystalline stone and pure berry aromas give way to toasted pecan and subtle spice and yet more fruit notes such as dry apricot, citrus, boysenberry, and black raspberry. This is a Zinfandel to keep and enjoy over the next 5 to 7 years.”

TMI: Aged 14 months in 20% new “Burgundian” oak; 15.8% alcohol (Zowie! You won’t get this at Corti Brothers); 290 cases produced.

$22 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

This is a fabulous little Rhone blend from Monterey County. Winemaker and surfer Ian Brand first worked at Bonny Doon, Coastview Vineyard and Big Basin Winery before launching his own label. He also makes a chardonnay, vigonier, rosé, Meritage and petite sirah. He sources fruit from around the central coast.

Winery Tasting Notes: “White flower, plums, chaparral and sandal- wood on the nose. Bright red fruit on the palate. Finishes with red plum, hints of tobacco and umami notes. The persistent finish is bright, fruit-focused and coats the mouth.”

TMI: A blend of 42% grenache, 42% mourvedre and 16% syrah. 14.5% alcohol; aged 11 months in neutral barrels; just 260 cases produced.

$30 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

For background on Tatomer, see the notes for the Tatomer “Vandenburg” Riesling, another selection this month.

Vinography Tasting Notes (Alder Yarrow): Light yellow gold in the glass, this wine has a nose of wet stones and floral aromas. In the mouth silky, even creamy textured flavors of apple, cucumber, and lemon zest are electrified by excellent acidity, and linger for some time in a lacy, delicate finish. Outstanding, and definitely one of the best Rieslings I’ve ever had from California.

“Wine Advocate” Tasting Notes: “The 2009 Riesling Kick-on Ranch fills out beautifully in the glass with gorgeous layers of quince, jasmine, apricots and floral honey. All of the elements flow together in this textured, fleshy wine. Sweet honeyed notes wrap around the enticing finish. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2016.”

$49.50 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

This is the first label of three created by Arpad and Peter Molnar of Carneros. Their other two brands are Molnar Family and Obsidian Ridge, and we’ve sold wines from all three in Carpe Vino. The umbrella company is called Tricycle Wine Company based in Carneros. The third wheel is partner and founding winemaker Michael Terrien.

There is much more behind this winemaking machine. The father of the Molnars, Nicholas, escaped communism in Hungary by relocating to Napa in 1956 where he started purchasing property and planting grapes which he sold to the likes of Joseph Phelps, Heitz Cellars and Pride Mountain. His sons partnered with Terrien in 1995, and the rest is history.

Winery Tasting Notes: “There is youth and vitality to the 2009 that is related to the aging clock being reset at the end of fermentation, nearly a year later than normal. The citrus, apple and white peach flavors are bright and alive, with gorgeous, rich brioche aromas due to the prolonged lives of the yeast.”

TMI: 14.4% alcohol; aged for 21 months on Hungarian oak; just 227 cases produced.

Betcha Didn’t Know: “Boon Fly was a legendary, colorful character in Carneros history. He used to own the land which was this vineyard, complete with a house with 16 fireplaces, long since burned down. And, it is rumored that he was buried somewhere near the cypress tree that grows atop what is now Boon Fly’s Hill, but a grave has never been located.

“Wine Advocate” Tasting Notes: “The 2009 Chardonnay Boonfly is soft, supple and totally beautiful. The Hungarian oak barrels add hints of spiciness and volume to the wine, yet this remains a medium-bodied, refined Chardonnay loaded with class and sheer pedigree. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017.”

“Wine Spectator” Tasting Notes: “Offering a fruit bowl of aromas and flavors, this is ripe, intense, pure and focused, picking up a cedar-hazelnut-nutmeg touch on the finish that ends with an intriguing anise twist. Drink now through 2018.”

$24 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

This is a family farming that began simulataneously with the repeal of Prohibition in 1933 when Italian immigrants John and Emma Salvestrin purchased the Crane Ranch in Napa and started a vineyard. Three generations have continued the tradition on 26 acres now under the stewardship of Rich Salvestrin, who earned a degree in viticulture from Fresno State in 1987.

Salvestrin also produces great cabs and we just scored a six-pack of their 2008 “3D” Cabernet Sauvignon. Just 100 cases were made, and we couldn’t help ourselves by enjoying a bottle as part of our own 10-year celebration.

Winery Tasting Notes: “Lively notes of grapefruit, white peach and pear rise from the glass as this wine is poured. On the palate a crisp entry leads to balanced acidity, concentrated flavors and rich structure, while maintaining a soft round mouthfeel. The flavors return and last as the freshness pleasantly lingers.”

TMI: 100% steel fermentation; aged six months in 51% neutral oak and 49% stainless steel; 14.2% alcohol; just 970 cases made.

$22 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

This is a fabulous little Rhone blend from Monterey County. Winemaker and surfer Ian Brand first worked at Bonny Doon, Coastview Vineyard and Big Basin Winery before launching his own label. He also makes a chardonnay, vigonier, rosé, Meritage and petite sirah. He sources fruit from around the central coast.

Winery Tasting Notes: “White flower, plums, chaparral and sandal- wood on the nose. Bright red fruit on the palate. Finishes with red plum, hints of tobacco and umami notes. The persistent finish is bright, fruit-focused and coats the mouth.”

TMI: A blend of 42% grenache, 42% mourvedre and 16% syrah. 14.5% alcohol; aged 11 months in neutral barrels; just 260 cases produced.

$64.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

The last two vintages of this wine have received 92 and 95 points respectively from one Wine Spectator’s toughest and most respected wine critics. So expect nothing but a stellar bottle with this outing. The vinters/owners Bill and Liz Armstrong are both geologists and when they decided to segue into making wine, there extensive search pointed directly to Paso Robles where they purchased the Paderewski Vineyard. Nice choice, as were their consulting winemaker, Justin Smith, and winemaker Jordan Fiorentini (Araujo Estate, Antinori and Chalk Hill).

Rhone Report Tasting Notes (93-96 pts., Barrel Sample): “Inky and dense, but far from cumbersome, it boast awesome aromatics of smoked black fruits, charred meat, earth, and big minerality and chalky notes that emerge with additional time in the glass. This leads to a full-bodied wine that has serious structure and concentration, a focused, light texture, fresh acidity, and a superb finish that leaves the impression of liquid rocks on the palate. Bottles should be given 2-3 years of bottle age, and then consumed over the following 12-15 years.”

Blend: 62% syrah, 14% mourvedre, 12% grenache, 12% petite sirah.

“Wine Advocate” Tasting Notes: “The 2009 Ingenuity flows from the glass with gorgeous texture in its dark plums, licorice, flowers and French oak. It is an impressive wine endowed with gorgeous purity in its fruit and a striking, opulent personality. In 2009 the blend is 65% Syrah, 12% Petite Sirah, 12% Mourvedre, 7% Grenache and 4% Zinfandel, but it is the Syrah character that speaks most loudly. I especially like the textural richness and volume here. The wine was fermented in concrete, stainless steel tanks and new French oak barrels, and spent 22 months in French oak, 42% new. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019.”

“Wine Spectator” Tasting Notes: “Refreshing, pure, ripe and lively, with snappy blackberry and wild berry, mineral, cedar and sage notes, firming nicely on the finish where the tannins make a chewy presence. Syrah, Petite Sirah, Mourvdre, Grenache and Zinfandel. Drink now through 2022. 751 cases made.”

$24 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

This is a family farming that began simulataneously with the repeal of Prohibition in 1933 when Italian immigrants John and Emma Salvestrin purchased the Crane Ranch in Napa and started a vineyard. Three generations have continued the tradition on 26 acres now under the stewardship of Rich Salvestrin, who earned a degree in viticulture from Fresno State in 1987.

Salvestrin also produces great cabs and we just scored a six-pack of their 2008 “3D” Cabernet Sauvignon. Just 100 cases were made, and we couldn’t help ourselves by enjoying a bottle as part of our own 10-year celebration.

Winery Tasting Notes: “Lively notes of grapefruit, white peach and pear rise from the glass as this wine is poured. On the palate a crisp entry leads to balanced acidity, concentrated flavors and rich structure, while maintaining a soft round mouthfeel. The flavors return and last as the freshness pleasantly lingers.”

TMI: 100% steel fermentation; aged six months in 51% neutral oak and 49% stainless steel; 14.2% alcohol; just 970 cases made.