$24 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

It’s called “Eight Arms,” quite predictably because winemaker/owner Iain Boltin is a one-man band.  “I sometimes wish I had more arms to get the work done–like say eight of them.”  We know the feeling, Iain.

Bolton studied winemaking at U.C. Davis and Napa Valley College, working two harvests as an intern at Dashe Cellars in Oakland.  That’s where he makes his wines; his office is in Berkeley.

His slogan is “Drink the Ink,” kinda cool, and he has a number of flavors to choose from: sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, a red blend and another syrah.  For fun facts about everything octopus, click here.

Winery Tasting Notes:   “This well-balanced syrah is dark and brooding with ripe fruit flavors and a hint of spice. This full-bodied wine finishes with plenty of fruit, balanced acidity and well structured, velvety tannins. A great wine to enjoy with a hearty meal, The Octopod rises from the depths and grabs hold of you, dragging you back for more!  Enjoy now and for the next five to eight years.”

Blend:  100% Syrah from the Furlong Estate Vineyard

$20 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Troublemaker is one of five brands produced by Hope Family Wines in Paso Robles, with roots there dating back to 1978. . .making this family one of the pioneers in viticulture in this burgeoning region.  While focused purely on agriculture at the beginning (grapes and apples), the Hope family sold cabernet sauvignon fruit to Chuck Wagner (renown for Caymus Cabs) for his Liberty School label, which they purchased from him in 1995.  Treana Winery was established a year later with red and white blends.

This family is a force in winemaking, and Troublemaker is one of its most widely distributed wines after being launched in 2010, the same year the Austin Hope Syrah was produced that made Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list in 2012 (93 points, #76).  At Carpe Vino, we’ve also featured Hope Family’s Candor Zinfandel.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Troublemaker Blend 9 has a deep purple-black color. Bold fruit aromas of muddled blackberry and spicy raspberry combine with smoke, white pepper, clove, tobacco, leather and sweet brown baking spices. Troublemaker has a full juicy-fruit intensity on the palate with a smoky, toasted oak finish.”

Blend:  71% syrah, 16% grenache, 8% zinfandel, 3% petite sirah, 2% mourvedre

$50 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Here’s a blast from the past.  Some of you may be aware that I (gary) spent my first career (where I actually made money) in the telecom industry.  I moved to California in 1999 as an advertising sales manager for a telecom magazine just as the industry was exploding (following a few years later by an implosion).  Anyway, among my best customers was a firm that produced sophisticated digital gear called Advanced Fiber Communications in Petaluma.  One of the founders was Donald Green, and now we’re both in the wine biz.

These days, Green is retired from telecom; he segued into the wine industry when he purchased land in 1995 that is now the site of Kite’s Rest Vineyard, the source of fruit for the winery he operates–Black Kite Cellars–with his daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca Green Birdsall and Tom Birdsall.

Rebecca, who has an MBA from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College, oversees not only the business side, but she’s also intimately involved in the grape growing and winemaking.  Two other family members, William’s daughter Victoria Green Comfort and grandson Michael Green both work in the business.

Consulting winemaker is Jeff Gaffner who got his start in 1981 at Chateau St. Jean.  He was on the winemaking team that produced the 1996 Cinq Cepages, a red blend was named the Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator magazine.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “One of our most striking Kite’s Rest bottlings, the 2012 opens with sweet dark fruit and brown spice aromatics, with just a hint of coffee and crème. The palate is saturated with sweet cherry and wild berry flavors lifted by polished, fine grained tannins that cradle the supple flavors through the extremely long finish. Young upon release, it will benefit from time in the cellar and decanting before serving. Cellar for up to 5-7 years.”

Blend:  100% pinot noir

$34 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Adam and Tammy Webb are such huge fans of zinfandel, they were married in one of the most legendary zin plots in Napa: Howell Mountain’s Black Sears Vineyard.  That was in 2003; their daughter was baptized there two years later.

And in 2009, the pair created Gardienne des Vignes Winery, focusing on “. . .old vine and heritage sites of zinfandel and petite sirah, which we consider the “Jewels” of the valley. Witnessing many of these great old vineyards being pulled out as the demand for Napa cabernet grew and the new generation began to take over control of family vineyards, we were determined to become involved with some of our favorite vineyards and try to help insure their legacy. The spirit of these Old Vine Zinfandel and Petite Sirah vines and the people that tend to them is the very essence from which Gardienne des Vignes was born.

It helps that Adam had a world class mentor in Ray Coursen, owner of Elyse Winery in Napa and a long-time friend of Carpe Vino.  Adam worked for Ray and no doubt is where he learned about the Korte Ranch Vineyard where the zinfandel fruit for this selection was sourced.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “The 2012 displays a saturated deep ruby color with bright aromatics of juicy black fruits, from wild raspberries to black raspberries to marion berry and black cherry.  The exuberant fruit is rounded out by touches of white pepper, cigar box, savory spices and vanilla cream. Medium- full bodied in style with a rich texture that coats the palate in lavish fruit flavors and intriguing spices. Shows power, purity and a lively acidity with powdery, dusty tannins providing structure while maintaining a deft balance through the intense and lengthy finish.”

 Blend:  100% zinfandel

$50 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

From the Miner web site:  “Miner is a family-owned winery tucked along the eastern hills of the Oakville appellation in the heart of Napa Valley. Founded in 1998 by Dave and Emily Miner along with his parents, Ed and Norma, Miner makes reserve style wines using fruit from Napa Valley and other specially selected California vineyards. Winemakers Gary Brookman and Stacy Vogel use a combination of old world winemaking techniques and modern technology to make wines that reflect the unique characteristics of individual vineyards or “terroir” where specific varietals grow best. The fusion of superb vineyard sites and thoughtful winemaking helps Miner create elegant, expressive wines.”

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Full-bodied and lush, yet never heavy, our Wild Yeast Chardonnay shows off flavors of ripe pear and melon with butterscotch and hazelnut notes balanced by oak spice and bright acidity. This is a wildly expressive wine that will reward a few years of patient cellaring. The grapes are fermented using only indigenous or “wild” yeast cultures found on the skins of the grapes themselves, in the vineyards and within the walls of our winery.”

Blend:  100% Napa Valley chardonnay

$29.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Ever hear of the Benziger Family in Glen Ellen, one of Sonoma’s storied wine dynasties?  The Envolve brand, including this month’s chardonnay selection, is a venture founded in 2008 and owned and managed by the next generation Benziger siblings Mike, Kim and Chris.  Their portfolio consists of six wines, including a Sonoma Valley cabernet sauvignon.

Things have been going gang-busters for these entrepreneurs, including opening an Envolve tasting room in the city of Sonoma.  The future seems bright, if a bit uncertain.  The Benziger family–headed by founder and CEO Mike Benziger–has recently completed a blockbuster deal, selling the company for an estimated $100 million to wine conglomerate, The Wine Group.  This is the second huge score for the family, having sold its first wine brand, Glen Ellen, to Heublein for an estimated $80 million in 1993.

We’ll watch to see what envolves.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Farmed from 3 well-known family Russian River vineyards, this wine is a true representation of the Chardonnay grape’s beauty.  Aroma:  green apple, vanilla, lemongrass.  Flavors: Anjou pear, butterscotch.  Finish:  Fuji apple, hazelnut.”

 Blend:  100% chardonnay

$29.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Ever hear of the Benziger Family in Glen Ellen, one of Sonoma’s storied wine dynasties?  The Envolve brand, including this month’s chardonnay selection, is a venture founded in 2008 and owned and managed by the next generation Benziger siblings Mike, Kim and Chris.  Their portfolio consists of six wines, including a Sonoma Valley cabernet sauvignon.

Things have been going gang-busters for these entrepreneurs, including opening an Envolve tasting room in the city of Sonoma.  The future seems bright, if a bit uncertain.  The Benziger family–headed by founder and CEO Mike Benziger–has recently completed a blockbuster deal, selling the company for an estimated $100 million to wine conglomerate, The Wine Group.  This is the second huge score for the family, having sold its first wine brand, Glen Ellen, to Heublein for an estimated $80 million in 1993.

We’ll watch to see what envolves.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Farmed from 3 well-known family Russian River vineyards, this wine is a true representation of the Chardonnay grape’s beauty.  Aroma:  green apple, vanilla, lemongrass.  Flavors: Anjou pear, butterscotch.  Finish:  Fuji apple, hazelnut.”

 Blend:  100% chardonnay

$20 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Troublemaker is one of five brands produced by Hope Family Wines in Paso Robles, with roots there dating back to 1978. . .making this family one of the pioneers in viticulture in this burgeoning region.  While focused purely on agriculture at the beginning (grapes and apples), the Hope family sold cabernet sauvignon fruit to Chuck Wagner (renown for Caymus Cabs) for his Liberty School label, which they purchased from him in 1995.  Treana Winery was established a year later with red and white blends.

This family is a force in winemaking, and Troublemaker is one of its most widely distributed wines after being launched in 2010, the same year the Austin Hope Syrah was produced that made Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list in 2012 (93 points, #76).  At Carpe Vino, we’ve also featured Hope Family’s Candor Zinfandel.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Troublemaker Blend 9 has a deep purple-black color. Bold fruit aromas of muddled blackberry and spicy raspberry combine with smoke, white pepper, clove, tobacco, leather and sweet brown baking spices. Troublemaker has a full juicy-fruit intensity on the palate with a smoky, toasted oak finish.”

Blend:  71% syrah, 16% grenache, 8% zinfandel, 3% petite sirah, 2% mourvedre

$59.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

While winemaking on their estate dates to the 1870s, William and Mary Seavey purchased the property in Conn Valley in 1979, and the pair embarked on a lengthy project to restore the property and replant the vineyard.  Mary passed away in 2008, but William still lives on the estate, which is maintained by his five children.

Winemaker Jim Duane earned a master’s degree in enology and viticulture from U.C. Davis, and he has worked at wineries in the Pacific Northwest, New Zealand, France and the Napa Valley (Robert Mondavi Winery and Stag’s Leap Cellars).  He joined Seavey as winemaker in 2011, and is fortunate to have French winemaker Philippe Melka assist as consultant.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Strawberry, raspberry and melted red liquorice flavors resonate in the mouth laced with hints of cocoa and cinnamon. Smoky, mouth-coating tannins lead to a rich and long mid-palate. This opulent and round wine has considerable weight and density—a deep and velvety personality that will reveal itself fully over the course of a meal. The 2012 Caravina is ideal for drinking now or over the next 5 to 10 years.”

Robert Parker Review (92 points):  “A beauty, the 2012 is more seductive, open-knit, round and opulent in contrast to the bigger, more muscular and masculine Estate. Displaying terrific fruit, the 2012 has the drama and opulence of the vintage well-displayed. Moreover, it is a good value for a 90-point plus Napa cabernet. Drink now-2026.”

Blend:  94% cabernet sauvignon; 3% petit verdot; 3% merlot

$29.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Ever hear of the Benziger Family in Glen Ellen, one of Sonoma’s storied wine dynasties?  The Envolve brand, including this month’s chardonnay selection, is a venture founded in 2008 and owned and managed by the next generation Benziger siblings Mike, Kim and Chris.  Their portfolio consists of six wines, including a Sonoma Valley cabernet sauvignon.

Things have been going gang-busters for these entrepreneurs, including opening an Envolve tasting room in the city of Sonoma.  The future seems bright, if a bit uncertain.  The Benziger family–headed by founder and CEO Mike Benziger–has recently completed a blockbuster deal, selling the company for an estimated $100 million to wine conglomerate, The Wine Group.  This is the second huge score for the family, having sold its first wine brand, Glen Ellen, to Heublein for an estimated $80 million in 1993.

We’ll watch to see what envolves.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Farmed from 3 well-known family Russian River vineyards, this wine is a true representation of the Chardonnay grape’s beauty.  Aroma:  green apple, vanilla, lemongrass.  Flavors: Anjou pear, butterscotch.  Finish:  Fuji apple, hazelnut.”

 Blend:  100% chardonnay