$14.99 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

This brand is the second label of Joseph Carr, a former sommelier and wine industry executive who launched his main brand, Joseph Carr in 2005, making his wines at Larson Family Vineyards in Carneros.  He is both a négociant and a wine director, working with small vineyards, wineries and coopers to produce his wine.

Josh Cellars is a tribute to his father, a former stock car racer.  Carr makes a cab, chard, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, and refers to them as “garage wines,” because the idea for the wines came up when Carr was hanging around a winery with friends. . .just like his father used to hang with his friends after racing.

The odd thing is Joseph Carr’s father’s name was also Joseph, and though he never heard anyone call his father “Josh,” his mother says his racing friends called him by that name.  The reason he never heard the name before, his mother said, is because she wouldn’t let anyone into the house who called him Josh. . .apparently they were a bit rough-edged!

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Aromas of cherry and strawberry on the nose with layers of spicy oak.  On the palate, the wine is plush and subtle yet has affirm texture and finish.  Dark cherry and chocolate flavors fill the mouth with a rich intensity and lingering finish.”

$48 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

See introduction to this month’s selections for full story on the Shiner Cabernet Sauvignon.

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  This wine gives up the goods immediately; it’s an exhibitionist on every level. Your nostrils will flare when you inhale dense aromas of blackberries, violets and cinnamon pixie dust. When it comes to flavors, this is a potent, luxurious wine. . .one with broad shoulders. . .very much like Daniel Craig in a Brioni tux., resonating upfront with dense black currant, subtle vanilla and a hint of spice. Two years on oak has left its mark subtly through a solid tannin structureand toasty overtones. Acid balance is near perfection and this wine will persevere righteously through the first term of our next president

$46 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

When it comes to the “cool factor” surrounding a winery/winemaker story, it just doesn’t get any better than Scott and Judy Pruett, owners of Pruett Vineyard near Auburn.  Scott has had a long career as a racecar driver, and he has just won his fifth Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona, adding to credentials that position him as one of the most successful pros in the sport.

He’s also a seasoned and accomplished winemaker with three wines that scored 93 points from Wine Spectator magazine late in 20012 (he was also featured as a winemaker to watch).  One of those wines, his 2010 “Taylor Reserve” Syrah is a selection this month.  With just 125 cases made, we’re very fortunate to be able to get enough for everyone!

We’re hoping to get Scott and Judy back to Carpe Vino to do a winemaker dinner soon, time to his release of their 2011 vintage wines.  Last time we hosted and event with Pruett Vineyards, we packed the joint!  Stay tuned for details.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Dense and opulent, with a fascinating display of rich, syrupy wild blackberry and sweet wild berry. Wonderful aromas matched with a smooth, long, rich mid palate. A silky smooth texture, firm, ripe tannins and a wonderful focus that keeps repeating the dense, dark fruit flavors. A little tight at the moment, but that will smooth out with a bit of cellaring.”

Wine Spectator Tasting Notes (93 Points)

“Beautifully crafted, rich and sumptuous, with a tiered mix of supple blackberry and wild berry, offering subtle floral and anise scents on the long, mouth-coating finish. Drink now through 2022.”   –James Laube

$48 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

See introduction to this month’s selections for full story on the Shiner Cabernet Sauvignon.

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  This wine gives up the goods immediately; it’s an exhibitionist on every level. Your nostrils will flare when you inhale dense aromas of blackberries, violets and cinnamon pixie dust. When it comes to flavors, this is a potent, luxurious wine. . .one with broad shoulders. . .very much like Daniel Craig in a Brioni tux., resonating upfront with dense black currant, subtle vanilla and a hint of spice. Two years on oak has left its mark subtly through a solid tannin structureand toasty overtones. Acid balance is near perfection and this wine will persevere righteously through the first term of our next president

$24.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

One of the hottest red bends introduced at Carpe Vino last year was the Carne Humana Red Blend. . .a luscious bloody wine whose name translates to “human flesh.”  Nice.  Despite the imagery, we shot the lights out with this wine and it’s back in stock again with a new vintage.

Now winemaker Derek Beitler, an Oregon native, has launched the second in the series, this one a white blend.  This wine exhibits many of the same characteristics as its red counterpart:  it is a surprisingly satisfying blend, nice and smooth with lip-smacking fruit flavors.

Beitler, 31, virtually grew up in the wine business, spending summers in California at his uncles winery. . .Camus in the Napa Valley.  He does not have a formal wine education, his degree from the University of Oregon at Eugene is in environmental sciences.

He moved to California in 2005 and launched his first label two years later, his 2007 Bodega Rancho Syrah with fruit sourced from a vineyard near the Petaluma Gap.  He also makes an SLH vigonier in very limited quantity each year.

Since 2009, Beitler has lived and worked in Napa, and his goal is to stay there, though he will continue to make wine with fruit sourced from outside the valley.  Next up in the Carne Humana series. . .could be a syrah blend, so stay tuned!

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Very light in color with slight aromas; not indicative of intensity on the palate.  Bright pear with subtle citrus flavors. Classic ripe Sauvignon blanc characteristics are complimented by fruity tropical highlights.  A mellowed and neutral barrel mouthfeel gives way to a long bright clean finish. Firm but elegant for a white blend.”

$48 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Winemaker Jeff Gaffner’s career began in 1981 at Chateau St. Jean under the tutelage of renowned vintner Richard Arrowood. Most notably, Jeff was part of the winemaking team responsible for Chateau St. Jean’s 1996 Cinq Cepages, which was named the 1999 Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator Magazine.  (We were lucky enough to taste this wine at Carpe Vino and it was awesome!)

In 1997, Jeff, together with wife Terisa, launched the family’s own wine label, Saxon Brown, named for the willful heroine in Jack London’s Valley of the Moon. The winery gained instant recognition for its flagship “old vine” Zinfandel from the family’s Casa Santinamaria Vineyard, one of only a few remaining classic, Italian field blended vineyards. As a second generation Sonoma Valley farmer, Jeff and his family have managed their prized, 100-year-old vineyard in Sonoma since 1934.

In addition to his own brand, Jeff consults on projects in Sonoma and Napa Valley, including Armida Winery, Three Sticks and Sand Hill Wines. Most recently, Jeff was hired to oversee winemaking of Xtant, a luxury Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon label.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Our 2009 Durrell Vineyard Chardonnay is made in our favored Burgundian style, highlighted by fresh citrus notes and a lovely wet-stone minerality. The 2009 vintage imprint is found in the slightly amplified lemon curd, pot de crème character. The perfect summer wine – with or without food.”

$13.99 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

After spending two weeks in Spain in October, next up on the ole international travel itinerary is Argentina and Chile (with a projected travel date of late April/early May).  Love that Latin juice and the pricing pretty special, too!

From the Winery Website:  “Just outside the small, picturesque mountain town of Cafayate, you will find a small, new winery with a panoramic view built on a hillside covered in cacti, dry rock and sand and vineyards. Domingo Molina is a family winery managed by three brothers (Osvaldo, Gabriel & Rafael Domingo) who grew up in Cafayate, and their winery represents the second generation of Domingo brothers making wine together. The name Hermanos translates to “brothers.” Their high altitude vineyards are located between 5,300 and 7,300 feet above sea level and are fed by the ultra-pure water that percolates through the mountains just above. This extreme altitude and 340 days of sunshine yield wines with intense aromas and soft tannins which are a pleasure to drink.”

Winery Tasting Notes:  “This refreshing torrontés is a pale yellow with shades of green, with a delicate fruity aroma and a note of freshly mown grass. We suggest chilling in the fridge before serving, then sipping it with friends or pairing it with mild cheeses and simple seafood dishes.”

The Wine Advocate Tasting Notes (92 Points):  “Beginning with the entry-level Hermanos range, the 2012 Hermanos Torrontés from Cafayate in Salta is from 26-year old vines.  It has a superb bouquet of peach skin, pear and a hint of lime flower that has a Riesling like personality.  The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannins and a precise, mineral-rich finish that shows what torrontés can do in the right hands.  Excellent.  Drink now through 2016.”  Neal Martin

$48 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

See introduction to this month’s selections for full story on the Shiner Cabernet Sauvignon.

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  This wine gives up the goods immediately; it’s an exhibitionist on every level. Your nostrils will flare when you inhale dense aromas of blackberries, violets and cinnamon pixie dust. When it comes to flavors, this is a potent, luxurious wine. . .one with broad shoulders. . .very much like Daniel Craig in a Brioni tux., resonating upfront with dense black currant, subtle vanilla and a hint of spice. Two years on oak has left its mark subtly through a solid tannin structureand toasty overtones. Acid balance is near perfection and this wine will persevere righteously through the first term of our next president

$48 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Winemaker Jeff Gaffner’s career began in 1981 at Chateau St. Jean under the tutelage of renowned vintner Richard Arrowood. Most notably, Jeff was part of the winemaking team responsible for Chateau St. Jean’s 1996 Cinq Cepages, which was named the 1999 Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator Magazine.  (We were lucky enough to taste this wine at Carpe Vino and it was awesome!)

In 1997, Jeff, together with wife Terisa, launched the family’s own wine label, Saxon Brown, named for the willful heroine in Jack London’s Valley of the Moon. The winery gained instant recognition for its flagship “old vine” Zinfandel from the family’s Casa Santinamaria Vineyard, one of only a few remaining classic, Italian field blended vineyards. As a second generation Sonoma Valley farmer, Jeff and his family have managed their prized, 100-year-old vineyard in Sonoma since 1934.

In addition to his own brand, Jeff consults on projects in Sonoma and Napa Valley, including Armida Winery, Three Sticks and Sand Hill Wines. Most recently, Jeff was hired to oversee winemaking of Xtant, a luxury Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon label.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Our 2009 Durrell Vineyard Chardonnay is made in our favored Burgundian style, highlighted by fresh citrus notes and a lovely wet-stone minerality. The 2009 vintage imprint is found in the slightly amplified lemon curd, pot de crème character. The perfect summer wine – with or without food.”

$48 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

See introduction to this month’s selections for full story on the Shiner Cabernet Sauvignon.

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  This wine gives up the goods immediately; it’s an exhibitionist on every level. Your nostrils will flare when you inhale dense aromas of blackberries, violets and cinnamon pixie dust. When it comes to flavors, this is a potent, luxurious wine. . .one with broad shoulders. . .very much like Daniel Craig in a Brioni tux., resonating upfront with dense black currant, subtle vanilla and a hint of spice. Two years on oak has left its mark subtly through a solid tannin structureand toasty overtones. Acid balance is near perfection and this wine will persevere righteously through the first term of our next president