I was introduced to MacLaren by winemaker and good friend Cindy Cosco of Passaggio. After visiting her tasting room in the Sonoma Square, she literally took me by the hand and walked me just a few doors down. Who could escape a recommendation like that? Needless to say — though I’ll say it anyway — I wasn’t disappointed. Their focus is single-vineyard expressions of single varietals. And while their Pinot Noir was memorable, their Sauvignon Blanc as dry as I like it, it was their Syrah that was the real standout. If you’ve never experienced a Syrah tasting where the only difference is the specific vineyard source, I highly recommend it. You’ll be amazed at the different ways the grape can express itself even within the same
AVA. And with four Syrahs on their current release list, MacLaren is the perfect place to conduct this wine-nerdy experiment. I did, and I couldn’t walk away without this 2012 Stagecoach Vineyard Syrah.
Tag: red wine
Wairau River 2016 Pinot Noir
Until recently, I never considered Pinot Noir from New Zealand. My first was was the te Pa 2015 Pinot Noir from the Awatere Valley region, south of the Wairau Valley. I then tried the Mt. Beautiful 2015 Pinot Noir, harvested from the southern island’s coastal Canterbury/North Canterbury region. The difference between the two regions is remarkable. The Wairau River 2016 Pinot Noir offers yet a third variation, hailing from the heart of the Wairau Valley where the grapes are grown along the valley floor, influenced by the river’s soils, and the mountains protect the land from harsh weather conditions. Yes, the perfect place for the picky Pinot grape it seems — both on paper and in the glass…
Mud House 2015 Pinot Noir
I’ve recently been tasting more and more wines from New Zealand (with many more to come in the near future, I assure you), and while I did stumble across a beautiful expression of Pinot Noir from Mt. Beautiful hailing from the North Canterbury region, it seems that many, if not most, wines produced are coming from the Wairau Valley. As Mudhouse Vineyard Manager Nev Gane says, “In Marlborough’s Wairau Valley most vineyard rows run perpendicular to the old braided riverbed deposits […] slight humps and hollows often lead to differing canopy densities, producing great depth and diverse flavors in the fruit.” This depth and diversity takes any of the “wishy-washy” stereotypes out of the region’s Sauvignon Blanc and certainly showcases itself in the Pinot Noir.
The Withers 2014 Charles Vineyard Pinot Noir
When I talked to Andrew Tow, owner of The Withers winery, I asked him about the various vineyards he sources from. When speaking of the Charles Vineyard he simply said, “It gave me goosebumps.” Well this wine gives me goosebumps…
Cuvaison 2015 Spire Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir from Carneros has been hit or miss with me. I often times find the expression so tightly wound that I lose all mention of real fruit. But Cuvaison has provided me not just a hit, but a home run. Crafted from a single vineyard block located on the vineyard’s highest elevation, using winemaking methods created specifically for these grapes, and keeping the real essence of those grapes and vineyards through every step of the winemaking process — Cuvaison has changed my perception of what Carneros has to offer Pinot Noir vineyards and has piqued my interest in the AVA.