Wine Club Tasting Notes Online. . . Exclusively

Welcome to Carpe Vino’s Wine Club Tasting Notes Online, where each month you’ll find information about all of our current selections. After wines have been billed and are ready to be picked up or shipped, Wine Club members will receive an email notification. Simply select the club in which you are enrolled below. You can view the tasting notes online, download a PDF and view notes for other clubs. The best part is all notes are archived, so if you cellar your wines, you can come back and locate any tasting notes.

Wine pricing shown with the notes is full retail; wine club pricing is shown on your receipt when you pick up your wine. We hope you find this process helpful and easy to use. And for your privacy, your membership information will be kept confidential. Carpe Vino does not share our information with any outside companies or other organizations.

Enjoy!

Wine Club Tasting Notes for July

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The Forager Pinot Noir 2015

(Willamette Valley, OR)

The Forager Pinot Noir 2015

Winery Tasting Notes: The celebrated Pinot Noir of the Willamette Valley typically offers supple red fruit, especially cranberry, without the powerful punch often packed by its California counterparts. Elegance is paramount here, and fruit flavors are balanced by forest floor, wild mushroom, and dried herbs—much more in line with Burgundian examples of the variety.

Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol Level: 14.1%
Winemaker: Jonathan and Susan Pey
Maturity: Drink now – 2023
Pairings: Roasted Salmon, smoked pork chop, caramelized onions

Fun Facts: One of Pinot Noir’s most successful New World outposts, the Willamette Valley is the largest and most important AVA in Oregon. With a temperate climate moderated by a Pacific Ocean influence, it is perfect for cool-climate viticulture—warm and dry summers allow for steady, even ripening, and frost is rarely a risk during spring and even winter. Mountain ranges bordering three sides of the valley, particularly the Chehalem Mountains, provide the option for higher-elevation, cooler vineyard sites.

Andis Barbera 2015

(Shenandoah Valley, CA)

Andis Barbera 2015

Winery Tasting Notes: Round and fruit forward, this vintage exhibits aromas of rasberries and cedar, a robust palate balancing dark fruit with a dash of black tea, and a bright  finish.

Blend: 100% Barbera
Alcohol Level: 14.5%
Winemaker: Philippe Melka
Production: 444 cases
Maturity: Drink now – 2024

Accolades: 92 Points – Wine Enthusiast

Pairings: pizza, roast beef, cheddar cheese

Fun Facts: Melka has the rare combination of talent and fortune to be a winemaker who started at the top: his first job out of school was at Château Haut Brion. From there, he took a position with the reputable Moueix Company and was sent to Dominus Estate in Yountville to study soils in 1991. Napa Valley soil proved to be a revelation for Melka. He set out traveling, dividing time between soil study and winemaking at world renowned wineries Badia O Coltibuono in Chianti and Chittering Estate in Australia. He returned to France in 1993 to deepen his expertise at Chateau Petrus. In 1994, he returned to Napa full time, and for the past 20 years, Melka has served as winemaking consultant for some of Napa’s most highly regarded properties under his company Atelier Melka founded in 1995.

The Forager Pinot Noir 2015

(Willamette Valley, OR)

The Forager Pinot Noir 2015

Winery Tasting Notes: The celebrated Pinot Noir of the Willamette Valley typically offers supple red fruit, especially cranberry, without the powerful punch often packed by its California counterparts. Elegance is paramount here, and fruit flavors are balanced by forest floor, wild mushroom, and dried herbs—much more in line with Burgundian examples of the variety.

Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol Level: 14.1%
Winemaker: Jonathan and Susan Pey
Maturity: Drink now – 2023
Pairings: Roasted Salmon, smoked pork chop, caramelized onions

Fun Facts: One of Pinot Noir’s most successful New World outposts, the Willamette Valley is the largest and most important AVA in Oregon. With a temperate climate moderated by a Pacific Ocean influence, it is perfect for cool-climate viticulture—warm and dry summers allow for steady, even ripening, and frost is rarely a risk during spring and even winter. Mountain ranges bordering three sides of the valley, particularly the Chehalem Mountains, provide the option for higher-elevation, cooler vineyard sites.

Cain Concept (The Benchland) 2009

(Napa Valley , CA)

Cain Concept (The Benchland) 2009

Winery Tasting Notes: The nose is an undefined mix of red fruits: cherries and plums. Sweet and silky smooth on the palate, a firm dense core leads to a satisfying and graceful finish.

Blend: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 13% Petit Verdot
Alcohol Level: 14.3%
Winemaker: Christopher Howell
Production: 5,971 cases
Maturity: Drink now – 2024
Pairings: Filet Mignon with blue cheese crumbles, roasted vegetables  with balsamic glaze

Fun Facts: The main thing to know about Cain wines is that they are not “made” to create a dramatic first impression; rather, our goal is to create a lasting impression. This can only be done through less wine-“making” not more. The process begins in the vineyard—the most important element—and it continues through the cellar, on into the bottle as the wine continues to develop. We arrive at our goal only when you have time to sit with your glass and to enjoy the wine during the course of a meal.

Small Vines Chardonnay 2014

(Sonoma Coast, Ca)

Small Vines Chardonnay 2014

Winery Tasting Notes: Bright, lifted aromatics; rich, dark colors; intense flavors and a depth and complexity that lingers on the palate. The perfect combination of acidity and richness.

Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Alcohol Level: 13.6%
Winemaker:  Paul Sloan
Production:  574 cases
Maturity: Drink now – 2022

Pairings: Baked brie with apples, sole almondine, potato-leek soup

Fun Facts: Still cool from the hand- harvest these grapes are field sorted then are taken gently to press and micro-vinified. Our simple and timeless vinifications are modeled after the best white French Burgundies, sacrificing quantity for the ultimate wine quality. We use a very slow extended press cycle to allow the juice to be released from the berries without extraction of harsh flavors.

Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2017

(Napa Valley , CA)

Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Winery Tasting Notes: Lemon bergamot mint, lime zest, and citrus blossom on the palate combine with a mouthwatering acidity to showcase a crisp, clean and elegant wine. The blend of early and later picked blocks bring in more mature aromas of pink grapefruit, lychee, and fresh apricot.

Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol Level: 13%
Winemaker: Justin Carr
Maturity: Drink now – 2020

Pairings: Oysters, Fresh Crab, Basil Pesto, or Goat Cheese with Honey

Fun Facts: Owned by Ted, Laddie, and Christopher Hall, LMR employs an integrated, organic farming system, using simple, sustainable methods. Each part of the Ranch contributes to the health of the whole. Vineyards and wine making, olive orchards and olive oil making, cattle and horse breeding all work together in complementary fashion, as do the egglaying poultry flock and the organic vegetable gardens. All crops are certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and are grown without the use of herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers.

The Forager Pinot Noir 2015

(Willamette Valley, OR)

The Forager Pinot Noir 2015

Winery Tasting Notes: The celebrated Pinot Noir of the Willamette Valley typically offers supple red fruit, especially cranberry, without the powerful punch often packed by its California counterparts. Elegance is paramount here, and fruit flavors are balanced by forest floor, wild mushroom, and dried herbs—much more in line with Burgundian examples of the variety.

Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol Level: 14.1%
Winemaker: Jonathan and Susan Pey
Maturity: Drink now – 2023
Pairings: Roasted Salmon, smoked pork chop, caramelized onions

Fun Facts: One of Pinot Noir’s most successful New World outposts, the Willamette Valley is the largest and most important AVA in Oregon. With a temperate climate moderated by a Pacific Ocean influence, it is perfect for cool-climate viticulture—warm and dry summers allow for steady, even ripening, and frost is rarely a risk during spring and even winter. Mountain ranges bordering three sides of the valley, particularly the Chehalem Mountains, provide the option for higher-elevation, cooler vineyard sites.

Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2017

(Napa Valley , CA)

Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Winery Tasting Notes: Lemon bergamot mint, lime zest, and citrus blossom on the palate combine with a mouthwatering acidity to showcase a crisp, clean and elegant wine. The blend of early and later picked blocks bring in more mature aromas of pink grapefruit, lychee, and fresh apricot.

Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol Level: 13%
Winemaker: Justin Carr
Maturity: Drink now – 2020

Pairings: Oysters, Fresh Crab, Basil Pesto, or Goat Cheese with Honey

Fun Facts: Owned by Ted, Laddie, and Christopher Hall, LMR employs an integrated, organic farming system, using simple, sustainable methods. Each part of the Ranch contributes to the health of the whole. Vineyards and wine making, olive orchards and olive oil making, cattle and horse breeding all work together in complementary fashion, as do the egglaying poultry flock and the organic vegetable gardens. All crops are certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and are grown without the use of herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers.

Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2017

(Napa Valley , CA)

Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Winery Tasting Notes: Lemon bergamot mint, lime zest, and citrus blossom on the palate combine with a mouthwatering acidity to showcase a crisp, clean and elegant wine. The blend of early and later picked blocks bring in more mature aromas of pink grapefruit, lychee, and fresh apricot.

Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol Level: 13%
Winemaker: Justin Carr
Maturity: Drink now – 2020

Pairings: Oysters, Fresh Crab, Basil Pesto, or Goat Cheese with Honey

Fun Facts: Owned by Ted, Laddie, and Christopher Hall, LMR employs an integrated, organic farming system, using simple, sustainable methods. Each part of the Ranch contributes to the health of the whole. Vineyards and wine making, olive orchards and olive oil making, cattle and horse breeding all work together in complementary fashion, as do the egglaying poultry flock and the organic vegetable gardens. All crops are certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and are grown without the use of herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers.

Cain Concept (The Benchland) 2009

(Napa Valley , CA)

Cain Concept (The Benchland) 2009

Winery Tasting Notes: The nose is an undefined mix of red fruits: cherries and plums. Sweet and silky smooth on the palate, a firm dense core leads to a satisfying and graceful finish.

Blend: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 13% Petit Verdot
Alcohol Level: 14.3%
Winemaker: Christopher Howell
Production: 5,971 cases
Maturity: Drink now – 2024
Pairings: Filet Mignon with blue cheese crumbles, roasted vegetables  with balsamic glaze

Fun Facts: The main thing to know about Cain wines is that they are not “made” to create a dramatic first impression; rather, our goal is to create a lasting impression. This can only be done through less wine-“making” not more. The process begins in the vineyard—the most important element—and it continues through the cellar, on into the bottle as the wine continues to develop. We arrive at our goal only when you have time to sit with your glass and to enjoy the wine during the course of a meal.

Domaine Eugene Carrel & Fils Brut Blanc NV

(Savoie, France)

Domaine Eugene Carrel & Fils Brut Blanc NV

Winery Tasting Notes: Delicate mousse and vividly bright, aromatic and savory fruit: green apples, citrus zest, white flowers and toast for the Cremant Blanc. Their long and complex finishes resonate of their Alpine origins in the vineyards of Jongieux.

Blend: 60% Jacquere, 20% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir
Alcohol Level: 12%
Winemaker: Olivier Carrel
Maturity: Drink now – 2024

Pairings:  Sea bass with lemon-verbena crema, oysters

Fun Facts: Domaine Eugène Carrel is located in the village of Jongieux,  in the northern part of the Savoie region, at the beginning of the French Alps. Winemaker Olivier Carrel represents the third generation at the estate. They cultivate all of the traditional varieties of the region, namely Jacquere (sold as Vin de Savoie Jongieux Blanc), Altesse, Gamay and the unique red Mondeuse. Domaine Carrel’s clients include virtually every local restaurant from bistros to top Savoie gastronomic destinations.

Juve & Camps Brut Rose Cava NV

(Spain)

Juve & Camps Brut Rose Cava NV

Winery Tasting Notes: Beautiful, salmon-pink in color. On the nose, the delicate aromas evolve from notes of fresh red apple and strawberries to hints of honey white flowers and toasted almond. On the palate the texture is rich and creamy with a fine perlage.

Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol Level: 12%
Winemaker: Joan Juve Toni Cantos and Antonio Orte
Maturity: Drink now – 2023
Pairings:  sushi, salmon pâté, strawberry sorbet, and foie gras.

Fun Facts: In 2015, Juvé & Camps was granted certification for our organic winegrowing. To do so, we made the necessary changes in our agricultural processes and restructured the vineyards, eliminating any chemical insecticides and herbicides. Only authorised organic products are used to neutralise and combat the fungi that can attack the grapevines. Furthermore, fallow periods of up to 7 years let the land rest and recover. The result: healthy, balanced, top-quality grapes.

Ridgeview Blanc de Noirs 2013

(South Downs, England)

Ridgeview Blanc de Noirs 2013

Winery Tasting Notes: A deep golden color with a persistent fine stream of bubbles. Rich, earthy red fruit aromas are followed by a complex toasted palate. The finish is long-lasting and beautifully balanced.

Blend: 55% Pinot Meunier, 45% Pinot Noir
Alcohol Level: 12%
Winemaker: Simon Roberts
Maturity: Drink now – 2024

Accolades: 92 Point – Robert Parker
91 Points – Wine Enthusiast

Pairings: rich canapes, lamb, mushrooms

Fun Facts: Ridgeview has been at the forefront of the recent evolution of English sparkling wine production. A second-generation family company situated in the South Downs National Park producing world class sparkling wines.

Marcel Martin Cremant de Loire NV

(Loire Valley, France)

Marcel Martin Cremant de Loire NV

Winery Tasting Notes: Pale yellow with green highlights and a line of fine bubbles. Balanced wine with complex aromas of white flowers and dried fruit complemented with an ample, long finish.

Blend: 80% Chenin blanc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Chardonnay
Alcohol Level: 12%
Winemaker: Marc Brieau
Maturity: Drink now – 2023
Pairings: white fish, a green salad, or on its own as an aperitif

Fun Facts: Geography isn’t the only difference between a Champagne and a Cremant. The other involves the grapes that may be used to make the wine. In Champagne, the “allowed” varieties are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. For a Cremant, it’s pretty much anything goes, although certain varieties — such as Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc — are better suited for bubbly than others.