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 September

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Camp Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

(Sonoma County, CA)

Camp Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Winery Tasting Notes: Dark crimson color. The nose is rich, ripe, and layered. Plenty of blackberry fruit, spicy and herbaceous with green pepper, peppercorns, licorice, potpourri, dark chocolate. Plush, silky mouthfeel with notes of eucalyptus, menthol, and anise along with fine tannins and a lingering finish.

Blend: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot,2% Malbec
Alcohol Level: 13.0%
Cases Produced: 2452
Winemaker Name: Kenny Likitprakong
Maturity: Drink Now – 2025
Pairings: Beef Bourgogne, Braised short ribs, Roquefort cheese

Fun Facts: Camp Wines were created by the Hobo Wine Co. in 2011 to showcase the quality and value of Sonoma County wine. We work with top growers and vineyard managers in very high quality and responsibly farmed, though lesser known, vineyards throughout Sonoma County to produce delicious, approachable, and affordable wines.

Folk Machine (Avian Science) Carignane 2016

(Redwood Valley)

Folk Machine (Avian Science) Carignane 2016

Winery Tasting Notes: Magenta hue with a nose full of fresh, bright red berries, raspberry, plums, currants, wildberries, and rhubarb followed by fresh roses, herbaceous tones. The palate is consistent; juicy with racy acidity and fine tannins and a persistent finish.

Blend: 100% Carignane
Alcohol Level: 12.1%
Cases Produced: 220
Winemaker Name: Kenny Likitprakong
Maturity: Drink Now – 2023
Pairings: Smoked brisket, rosemary chicken, roasted figs

Fun Facts: These old Carignane vines charm me like no other vines. They are large tree-like beasts that I can almost stand under. There is a certain magic and timelessness that they have, almost an aura about them. I like to think about the Greek brothers whose hands planted these vines, their families who lived on the same property, and all of the lives that have come and gone and been provided for by these beautiful creatures.

David Arthur ‘Mertaggio’ 2014

(Napa Valley)

David Arthur ‘Mertaggio’ 2014

Winery Tasting Notes: Our 2014 Meritaggio has a dense, dark ruby violet color that shows off a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon with aromas of baked cassis and plum as well as cocoa nibs, cedar and earth tones. The palate is lush and full bodied while framed with Sangiovese’s acidity, candied strawberry and red cherry leading to a long savory finish.

Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, 8% Petite Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol Level: 14.9%
Cases Produced: 2721
Winemaker Name: Nile Zacherle
Maturity: Drink Now to 2020
Pairings: Rustic ‘Italian’ tomato sauce, ribeye steak, flame grilled hamburger

Fun Facts: Meritaggio is the brainchild of the Long family. Wanting to fulfill his desire of producing a fine blend, David Arthur Long set out to find clones of the five classic red Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. After many trials, he came across the Tuscan varietal Sangiovese, which stole the spotlight from all the Malbec he had tasted. The resulting blend was christened, “Meritaggio,” in honor of its outstanding quality and French Italian heritage.

Ocapada Cabernet Franc 2014

(North Coast (Lake County), CA)

Ocapada Cabernet Franc 2014

Winery Tasting Notes: Complex, lush and well balanced.  This offers great intensity of dark fruit, baking cocoa, fresh herbs and licorice. The fruit shows beautiful ripeness tempered with savory herb notes.

Blend: 100% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol Level: 13.5%
Cases Produced: 250
Winemaker Name: Trevor Sheehan
Maturity: Drink now -2020
Pairings: Pork chops with cherry compote, foie gras, roast duck

Fun Facts: Trevor Sheehan, the proprietor and winemaker for Octapada, has been making wine in Napa Valley for 8 years and has several labels in the market.  Trevor has worked in the wine industry for 15 years in Napa Valley and has strong contacts with outstanding vineyard sources and grape growers as well as with the top winemakers in Napa. This 2014 Cabernet Franc is another example of Trevor’s hard work and great resources to create an excellent, well balanced wine for a great value.

Trombetta Family Chardonnay 2015

(Sonoma Mountain (Four Brothers Vineyard), CA)

Trombetta Family Chardonnay 2015

Winery Tasting Notes: Nose of apple, pear, mango and white flowers. Layered flavors of stone fruits, honey, zesty citrus and lemon oil pair with a rich mouthfeel without being creamy or buttery. Shows good intensity, complexity, and minerality with a smooth midpalate and a finish that lingers on the palate. Native yeast and malolactic fermentations, then aged 8 months on the lees in French oak barrels (90% neutral) then bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Alcohol Level: 13.9%
Cases Produced: 220
Winemaker Name: Erica Stancliff
Maturity: Drink now -2022
Pairings: Rosemary rotisserie chicken, Perk tenderloin, Brie cheese with apples

Fun Facts: Trombetta Family Wines handcrafts beautifully balanced small lot Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from vineyards that exemplify the area in which they are planted. Erica Stancliff (Vina Cobos, Crossbarn) daughter and winemaker, takes great pride in producing wines with purity of flavor and balance. Rickey Trombetta, mother and owner, works closely with Erica and their growers to identify only the best fruit for their wines. Erica was picked out at the young age of 10 years old by Paul Hobbs and she has worked closely with him ever since both in the vineyards and in the winery.  As a protégé of Paul Hobbs, Erica has an incredible background of knowledge, experience and she is confident in her own approach to crafting these wines for her family’s name.  A very exciting, up and coming estate!

Waterfall Albarino 2015

(El Dorado, CA)

Waterfall Albarino 2015

Winery Tasting Notes: Lemon, honey and wetstone aromas open up to this rich and fully flavored Albarino.  Notes of honeyed white stone fruit and savory flavors linger on the palate.  The finish is remarkable, full of bright acidity and spices. This 100% Albarino comes from a single vineyard that is high elevation, 2600’feet elevation, yields are very small, less than one ton per acre. The Defino Vineyard is a 1.5 acre site, north facing, with  Aiken strewn soil with lava pebbles, perfect for Albariño.

Blend: 100% Albarino
Alcohol Level: 13.7%
Cases Produced: 220
Winemaker Name: Helen Keplinger
Maturity: Drink now -2019
Pairings: Clams, mussels, oysters, pasta with lemon and butter

Fun Facts: The Waterfall Wines are made by the young and very talented Helen Keplinger (Grace Family, Bryant Family, Scully, Kenzo, Keplinger…. ),  Wine Spectator’s Winemaker of the Year in 2012.  This is Waterfall’s third release of their Albarino. Waterfall proprietor, Boris Guillome, is a 20-year veteran of the wine industry, having worked in some of California’s best restaurants and shops. In 2013, he decided that his next challenge would be in creating his own label, so he hired Helen Keplinger as his winemaker and set out to find exceptional sites and the best fruit possible. These wines are pure, focused and spectacular.

Domaine des Vieux Pruniers Sancerre Blanc 2016

(France)

Domaine des Vieux Pruniers Sancerre Blanc 2016

Winery Tasting Notes: Delicate mineral notes of chalk and slate with good citrus and melon in the nose. The wine is quite floral with firm acidity and a  rich, full-bodied middle with a nice snap.

Blend: 100% Sancerre Blanc
Alcohol Level: 13.0%
Cases Produced: 2000
Winemaker Name: Christian Thirot-Fouriner
Maturity: Drink Now -2021
Pairings: Fish, shellfish, goat cheese

Fun Facts: Christian Thirot-Fournier’s family has been making wine in the Sancerre region for several generations.  Their winery and most of their nine hectares of vineyards are located in the chalky, clay soil around their village of Bué, where many of Sancerre’s most prestigious vineyards are located.  The soil around this village contains the perfect balance of chalk and clay.  Their harvest is done entirely by hand.  The grapes are pressed slowly and gently, and after a simple racking, the alcoholic fermentation starts and goes on for several weeks at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.  Standard fining and a light filtration follow in the winter, and the wines are bottled in the spring to retain their freshness.

Camp Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

(Sonoma County, CA)

Camp Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Winery Tasting Notes: Dark crimson color. The nose is rich, ripe, and layered. Plenty of blackberry fruit, spicy and herbaceous with green pepper, peppercorns, licorice, potpourri, dark chocolate. Plush, silky mouthfeel with notes of eucalyptus, menthol, and anise along with fine tannins and a lingering finish.

Blend: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot,2% Malbec
Alcohol Level: 13.0%
Cases Produced: 2452
Winemaker Name: Kenny Likitprakong
Maturity: Drink Now – 2025
Pairings: Beef Bourgogne, Braised short ribs, Roquefort cheese

Fun Facts: Camp Wines were created by the Hobo Wine Co. in 2011 to showcase the quality and value of Sonoma County wine. We work with top growers and vineyard managers in very high quality and responsibly farmed, though lesser known, vineyards throughout Sonoma County to produce delicious, approachable, and affordable wines.

Waterfall Albarino 2015

(El Dorado, CA)

Waterfall Albarino 2015

Winery Tasting Notes: Lemon, honey and wetstone aromas open up to this rich and fully flavored Albarino.  Notes of honeyed white stone fruit and savory flavors linger on the palate.  The finish is remarkable, full of bright acidity and spices. This 100% Albarino comes from a single vineyard that is high elevation, 2600’feet elevation, yields are very small, less than one ton per acre. The Defino Vineyard is a 1.5 acre site, north facing, with  Aiken strewn soil with lava pebbles, perfect for Albariño.

Blend: 100% Albarino
Alcohol Level: 13.7%
Cases Produced: 220
Winemaker Name: Helen Keplinger
Maturity: Drink now -2019
Pairings: Clams, mussels, oysters, pasta with lemon and butter

Fun Facts: The Waterfall Wines are made by the young and very talented Helen Keplinger (Grace Family, Bryant Family, Scully, Kenzo, Keplinger…. ),  Wine Spectator’s Winemaker of the Year in 2012.  This is Waterfall’s third release of their Albarino. Waterfall proprietor, Boris Guillome, is a 20-year veteran of the wine industry, having worked in some of California’s best restaurants and shops. In 2013, he decided that his next challenge would be in creating his own label, so he hired Helen Keplinger as his winemaker and set out to find exceptional sites and the best fruit possible. These wines are pure, focused and spectacular.

David Arthur ‘Mertaggio’ 2014

(Napa Valley)

David Arthur ‘Mertaggio’ 2014

Winery Tasting Notes: Our 2014 Meritaggio has a dense, dark ruby violet color that shows off a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon with aromas of baked cassis and plum as well as cocoa nibs, cedar and earth tones. The palate is lush and full bodied while framed with Sangiovese’s acidity, candied strawberry and red cherry leading to a long savory finish.

Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, 8% Petite Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol Level: 14.9%
Cases Produced: 2721
Winemaker Name: Nile Zacherle
Maturity: Drink Now to 2020
Pairings: Rustic ‘Italian’ tomato sauce, ribeye steak, flame grilled hamburger

Fun Facts: Meritaggio is the brainchild of the Long family. Wanting to fulfill his desire of producing a fine blend, David Arthur Long set out to find clones of the five classic red Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. After many trials, he came across the Tuscan varietal Sangiovese, which stole the spotlight from all the Malbec he had tasted. The resulting blend was christened, “Meritaggio,” in honor of its outstanding quality and French Italian heritage.