$24.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Double Canyon is one of six brands owned by the Crimson Wine Group in Napa.  The whole wine world seems to be congealing into corporate groups, but this one has obvious appeal because it includes some heavyweights:  Pine Ridge and Seghesio in California; Archery Summit in Oregon; and now Double Canyon in Washington, located six miles from the Columbia River.  Crimson has created a blend with contributions from all of these brands. . .the first to be comprised of components from three states.  It’s called Luminary ($45) and I can’t wait to try it.

Located in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, the Double Canyon Vineyard is 84 acres carved out of a desert landscape, planted in what originally were crop circles.  The idea is to produce estate wines, and this one comes close with small amounts of the blend courtesy of fruit from other vineyards in the neighborhood.  Winemaker is Jason Ledbetter, UCD-educated and late of stable mate Pine Ridge.  He has also worked at Cakebread Cellars and Trefethen.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “This cabernet embodies a delectable mix of fresh ripe red and black plum, intermingled with hints of dried red cherry.  Characteristic of the appellation and 2013 vintage, the nose presents spiced potpourri with the slightest hint of fresh sweet basil.  The addition of syrah leads to a full and rich texture on the mid-palate, further accented by luscious blackberry notes supplied by the Malbec and bright acidity from the petit verdot. The soft and supple mouthfeel is supported by the complexity of sweet oak tannins and fresh fruit character, finishing with the juicy acidity that is characteristic of Horse Heaven Hills.”

Blend:  75% cabernet sauvignon; 17% syrah; 4% Malbec; 4% petit verdot

$24.99 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

For those of you who were beginning to think Carpe Vino’s Shiner brand was a one-trick pony, flash-in-the-pan wine. . .guess again.  After a drought of California proportions, we’ve finally tapped into a new wine pipeline in Paso Robles, one of the nascent hot spots for cabernet sauvignon in the Golden State.

The challenge in extending our line has been to stay true to our concept of “leverage our wine experience and contacts to source outstanding finished wine from across the west coast and market this juice under the Shiner Wine label”.  The other essential ingredient in our formula is to find great wines that can be marketed for $25 or less per bottle. . .and that has become increasing difficult to do.

That said, we searched far and wide to source our second offering:  Shiner 15.1, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles.  The numbering convention is simple:  2015 yields “15” and “1” refers to the release.  We’re hoping to deliver at least one more Shiner this year; perhaps two if we’re lucky.

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  I’m all atwitter about this second Shiner release, and it was worth the wait:  an absolutely rich and balanced wine at a price that will make the person responsible for administering your household budget smile broadly.

You like fruit?  15.1 delivers a boatload.  The dense blue berry flavors harmonize gently with mouthwatering acidity and smooth tannins.  The finish has the persistence of the Bush family’s bottomless pit of presidential candidates.

I first tasted this wine using a Coravin Wine Access System (a device for extracting a single pour from a bottle without unsealing),  but relented immediately and uncorked the bottle.  After one night I sampled it again, and 15.1 behaved like a Marine recruit graduating from Parris Island. . .a raw youth entered; a chiseled, mature warrior exited.

This wine rates a case in my cellar so I can track changes as it develops over time.  I truly loved this wine, and I insist you will, too.

Blend:  80+ cabernet sauvignon, enhanced by other Bordeaux varietals and Tempranillo

$125 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Reflecting a common theme seen elsewhere in this month’s Wine Club selections (Double Canyon), Blackbird is one of three brands owned by the parent, Bespoke Collection, which also operates Ma(i)sonry in Napa and Recuerdo Wines in Mendoza, Argentina.

Blackbird is produced by a trio of very interesting fellows:  Michael Polenske is the money man, with a rich background in financial investment and management including stints with American Express Financial, J.P. Morgan and as CEO of Chase Manhattan N.A.  Handling the heavy lifting for marketing and sales is a Duckhorn veteran Paul Leary.  And, perhaps most importantly, Aaron Pott is winemaker.

Pott has a formidable pedigree, starting with enology training at UCD and a master’s in viticulture from the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon, France (the first I’ve encountered in 13 years of writing tasting notes).  He was mentored by luminaries John Kongsgaard and Michel Rolland.  He’s worked at two chateaus in France; Beringer Wine Estate; and as winemaker and general manager at Quintessa.  Currently, he operates his own consultancy and his own brand.  And. . .Food & Wine magazine named him “Winemaker of the Year” in 2012.

This stuff better be good!

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Exquisite aromas of blackberry, blueberry and tobacco. This authentic expression of cabernet franc showcases textured layers of chocolate and nutmeg, combined with fine-grained tannin and cedar overlay. The supple finish is round and balanced, providing persistent length of flavor. Paramour will continue to develop with time in the bottle for the next decade or more. The cooler-than-normal 2011 Napa Valley grape-growing season concluded in an expedited harvest. The outcome was a vintage with flavors developed at lower brix, resulting in truly elegant wines with European-style texture and great complexity.”

Blend:  71% cabernet franc; 19% merlot; 10% cabernet sauvignon

$24.99 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

For those of you who were beginning to think Carpe Vino’s Shiner brand was a one-trick pony, flash-in-the-pan wine. . .guess again.  After a drought of California proportions, we’ve finally tapped into a new wine pipeline in Paso Robles, one of the nascent hot spots for cabernet sauvignon in the Golden State.

The challenge in extending our line has been to stay true to our concept of “leverage our wine experience and contacts to source outstanding finished wine from across the west coast and market this juice under the Shiner Wine label”.  The other essential ingredient in our formula is to find great wines that can be marketed for $25 or less per bottle. . .and that has become increasing difficult to do.

That said, we searched far and wide to source our second offering:  Shiner 15.1, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles.  The numbering convention is simple:  2015 yields “15” and “1” refers to the release.  We’re hoping to deliver at least one more Shiner this year; perhaps two if we’re lucky.

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  I’m all atwitter about this second Shiner release, and it was worth the wait:  an absolutely rich and balanced wine at a price that will make the person responsible for administering your household budget smile broadly.

You like fruit?  15.1 delivers a boatload.  The dense blue berry flavors harmonize gently with mouthwatering acidity and smooth tannins.  The finish has the persistence of the Bush family’s bottomless pit of presidential candidates.

I first tasted this wine using a Coravin Wine Access System (a device for extracting a single pour from a bottle without unsealing),  but relented immediately and uncorked the bottle.  After one night I sampled it again, and 15.1 behaved like a Marine recruit graduating from Parris Island. . .a raw youth entered; a chiseled, mature warrior exited.

This wine rates a case in my cellar so I can track changes as it develops over time.  I truly loved this wine, and I insist you will, too.

Blend:  80+ cabernet sauvignon, enhanced by other Bordeaux varietals and Tempranillo

$60 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Here’s another awesome entry from the first family of winemaking on the Central Coast, the Pisonis, with patriarch Gary, and sons Mark (viticulturist) and Jeff (winemaker).  If you are a long-time Wine Club member, this brand is likely very familiar to you.  Carpe Vino has had a long, fruitful (pun intended) relationship with the Pisonis, underscored by two world-class Wine Club blowouts at their vineyard hideaway in the Santa Lucia Highlands.  I’m not sure I could withstand the after tremors of another cave adventure there, but what the hell. . .nobody lives forever!

Gary Pisoni is very similar to Gary Moffat. . .attempting to segue gradually out of the rat race with mixed results so far.  Nonetheless, the heavy lifting is now happily the responsibility of our progeny . . .God bless them.  On both sides, they’re doing fabulous work, and this Chardonnay is a testament to the Pisoni family’s unrelenting joy of making and selling grand juice.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “This was a beautiful year for chardonnay vines at the Soberanes Vineyard. Bright and vibrant on the nose, the wine gives a racy, pure and mineral-driven character true to the granite-laden soil where the vines reside. While swirling the glass, floral, citrus and light-passion fruit notes express themselves. On the palate, the wine has great depth that blends seamlessly with the long finish. The also-present vibrant acidity ensures a long evolution for those who decide to age a few bottles in their cellar, where the wine will age gracefully over the next decade.”

Blend:  100% chardonnay

$22 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

This wine is the creation of Nicole Abiouness, a native of Virginia who, after graduating from college, left her home state in 1995 to pursue a passion for food and wine.  This was the start of an odyssey that would take her to the Culinary Institute in Napa, harvests in Australia and France (in the same year), stints in Sauternes and Burgundy and finally, a cellar position at Chappellet.

Her career-defining break came when she was tapped by John Kongsgaard to work at Luna Vineyards in Napa—eventually as cellar master.  In 2000 she made her first solo wine, a Carneros pinot noir.  Nicole worked independently until 2012 when she teamed up with Sonoma native John Herrguth who helps run the company.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “This is our third year producing this delicious blend of white grapes we call Amrita, or the ‘nectar of the Gods’ in Sanskrit. The 2013 is a delicate, floral, aromatic white with nice acid and enough backbone to stand up to so many summertime dishes. Bosc pears, fresh pineapple, honey and gardenia envelop the nose. These flavors carry through on the palate and the acid leaves your mouth watering for more!”

Blend:  Four white varietals, percentages not disclosed:  malvasia bianca, pinot gris, viognier and moscato

$22 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

This wine is the creation of Nicole Abiouness, a native of Virginia who, after graduating from college, left her home state in 1995 to pursue a passion for food and wine.  This was the start of an odyssey that would take her to the Culinary Institute in Napa, harvests in Australia and France (in the same year), stints in Sauternes and Burgundy and finally, a cellar position at Chappellet.

Her career-defining break came when she was tapped by John Kongsgaard to work at Luna Vineyards in Napa—eventually as cellar master.  In 2000 she made her first solo wine, a Carneros pinot noir.  Nicole worked independently until 2012 when she teamed up with Sonoma native John Herrguth who helps run the company.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “This is our third year producing this delicious blend of white grapes we call Amrita, or the ‘nectar of the Gods’ in Sanskrit. The 2013 is a delicate, floral, aromatic white with nice acid and enough backbone to stand up to so many summertime dishes. Bosc pears, fresh pineapple, honey and gardenia envelop the nose. These flavors carry through on the palate and the acid leaves your mouth watering for more!”

Blend:  Four white varietals, percentages not disclosed:  malvasia bianca, pinot gris, viognier and moscato

$24.99 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

For those of you who were beginning to think Carpe Vino’s Shiner brand was a one-trick pony, flash-in-the-pan wine. . .guess again.  After a drought of California proportions, we’ve finally tapped into a new wine pipeline in Paso Robles, one of the nascent hot spots for cabernet sauvignon in the Golden State.

The challenge in extending our line has been to stay true to our concept of “leverage our wine experience and contacts to source outstanding finished wine from across the west coast and market this juice under the Shiner Wine label”.  The other essential ingredient in our formula is to find great wines that can be marketed for $25 or less per bottle. . .and that has become increasing difficult to do.

That said, we searched far and wide to source our second offering:  Shiner 15.1, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles.  The numbering convention is simple:  2015 yields “15” and “1” refers to the release.  We’re hoping to deliver at least one more Shiner this year; perhaps two if we’re lucky.

Gary’s Tasting Notes:  I’m all atwitter about this second Shiner release, and it was worth the wait:  an absolutely rich and balanced wine at a price that will make the person responsible for administering your household budget smile broadly.

You like fruit?  15.1 delivers a boatload.  The dense blue berry flavors harmonize gently with mouthwatering acidity and smooth tannins.  The finish has the persistence of the Bush family’s bottomless pit of presidential candidates.

I first tasted this wine using a Coravin Wine Access System (a device for extracting a single pour from a bottle without unsealing),  but relented immediately and uncorked the bottle.  After one night I sampled it again, and 15.1 behaved like a Marine recruit graduating from Parris Island. . .a raw youth entered; a chiseled, mature warrior exited.

This wine rates a case in my cellar so I can track changes as it develops over time.  I truly loved this wine, and I insist you will, too.

Blend:  80+ cabernet sauvignon, enhanced by other Bordeaux varietals and Tempranillo

$22 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

This wine is the creation of Nicole Abiouness, a native of Virginia who, after graduating from college, left her home state in 1995 to pursue a passion for food and wine.  This was the start of an odyssey that would take her to the Culinary Institute in Napa, harvests in Australia and France (in the same year), stints in Sauternes and Burgundy and finally, a cellar position at Chappellet.

Her career-defining break came when she was tapped by John Kongsgaard to work at Luna Vineyards in Napa—eventually as cellar master.  In 2000 she made her first solo wine, a Carneros pinot noir.  Nicole worked independently until 2012 when she teamed up with Sonoma native John Herrguth who helps run the company.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “This is our third year producing this delicious blend of white grapes we call Amrita, or the ‘nectar of the Gods’ in Sanskrit. The 2013 is a delicate, floral, aromatic white with nice acid and enough backbone to stand up to so many summertime dishes. Bosc pears, fresh pineapple, honey and gardenia envelop the nose. These flavors carry through on the palate and the acid leaves your mouth watering for more!”

Blend:  Four white varietals, percentages not disclosed:  malvasia bianca, pinot gris, viognier and moscato

$125 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Reflecting a common theme seen elsewhere in this month’s Wine Club selections (Double Canyon), Blackbird is one of three brands owned by the parent, Bespoke Collection, which also operates Ma(i)sonry in Napa and Recuerdo Wines in Mendoza, Argentina.

Blackbird is produced by a trio of very interesting fellows:  Michael Polenske is the money man, with a rich background in financial investment and management including stints with American Express Financial, J.P. Morgan and as CEO of Chase Manhattan N.A.  Handling the heavy lifting for marketing and sales is a Duckhorn veteran Paul Leary.  And, perhaps most importantly, Aaron Pott is winemaker.

Pott has a formidable pedigree, starting with enology training at UCD and a master’s in viticulture from the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon, France (the first I’ve encountered in 13 years of writing tasting notes).  He was mentored by luminaries John Kongsgaard and Michel Rolland.  He’s worked at two chateaus in France; Beringer Wine Estate; and as winemaker and general manager at Quintessa.  Currently, he operates his own consultancy and his own brand.  And. . .Food & Wine magazine named him “Winemaker of the Year” in 2012.

This stuff better be good!

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Exquisite aromas of blackberry, blueberry and tobacco. This authentic expression of cabernet franc showcases textured layers of chocolate and nutmeg, combined with fine-grained tannin and cedar overlay. The supple finish is round and balanced, providing persistent length of flavor. Paramour will continue to develop with time in the bottle for the next decade or more. The cooler-than-normal 2011 Napa Valley grape-growing season concluded in an expedited harvest. The outcome was a vintage with flavors developed at lower brix, resulting in truly elegant wines with European-style texture and great complexity.”

Blend:  71% cabernet franc; 19% merlot; 10% cabernet sauvignon