Tag: Sonoma


Jul
2018

J. Cage Cellars 2017 Tzabaco Rancho Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

categories: Booze, Wine

I am a skeptical Sauvignon Blanc drinker. When done well (to my palate), the varietal offers flavors of fruits and florals, herbs, and minerality. The mouthfeel should be crisp and refreshing, yes, but also provide a bit of texture, body, and weight. Some of this is dependent on the clone use; a lot of it is based on the terroir; but ultimately the finesse, the seamless flow from the tip of the tongue through to the back of the palate, up into the nasal and down toward the core — that is crafted by the winemaker.

Since this is my first post about J. Cage Cellars, a winery I hadn’t heard about until proprietor Roger Beery contacted me, I’d like to include a little bit of background about who they are and what they’re about…

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Jul
2018

Ferrari Carano 2012 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

categories: Booze, Wine

I’ve only had Ferrari Carano twice in my wine drinking life. No joke. So, even though I love the Chardonnay as a daily drinker, and their GSM proved a beautiful date night addition, I really had no idea how special Ferrari Carano is until a friend insisted we visit while at last year’s Wine Blogger’s Conference. (Cheers Lori!) Well we each did a tasting and the line up was fab. Some of us bought several bottles, some of us just one. And the one bottle we all had in hand when walking out the door? This Ferrari Carano 2012 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

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Jun
2018

McKahn Family Cellars 2016 Viognier

categories: Booze, Wine

I’m a Rhone girl. That’s a fact. I love Rhone-style wines and I think that winemakers who are truly focused on those varietals and understand where in California these grapes grow best, craft some of the most beautiful wines. California is no Rhone. Indeed, our West Coast, New World, expression is much more different than what you’ll taste from France. And I love that. I love that we have something that is simultaneously etched in wine history, but uniquely our own.

Charles McKahn, winemaker and co-owner of McKahn Family Cellars is one such winemaker whose passion is infectious. Though his family’s winery is based in Livermore, he’s used his years of experience working in wineries all over California to understand the variations of terroir and sources his Rhone grapes from regions that both grow quality fruit and showcase distinct character.

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Jun
2018

Inman Family 2017 Endless Crush Rosé of Pinot Noir

categories: Booze, Wine

This is my first taste of Kathleen Inman’s wine and I have to say I am absolutely honored that she and her team sent this my way. Because of scheduling issues, I’ve had to turn down at least two invites to meet with the iconic vintner herself, which left me gutted. Well, this little pink surprise perked me right back up to day the least. A solid acidity that provides a hint of effervescence that just fizzes away on the tongue leaving a solid finish — without giving too much away here, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised at how structurally sound this rosé of Pinot Noir was; it’s a rosé varietal that’s proven a bit too fruity and fatty in the past. If you’ve had that experience, cast those aspersions aside. Kathleen knows what she’s doing and, what’s more, it’s a wine that’s important to her, as it has a bit of a personal story behind the name and label…

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May
2018

Imagery Estate Winery 2016 Chardonnay

categories: Booze, Wine

As I mentioned in my post about the Imagery Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, the “mission statement” — if you will — of Imagery is “California wine with a twist.” In the case of the Cab, there was a splash of Petite Sirah in the mix — and yet the wine was completely open palate, ready to drink straight out of the bottle. I was pleasantly surprised. But for some reason, there was something holding me back about opening the Chardonnay. There’s a misconception about Chardonnay, that it’s an easy to grow and easy to make wine. Not so. Although it can grow in various regions, there are actually ideal conditions for the white grape. And the resulting wines, well, that’s utterly in the hands of the winemaker — it really is like their play-doh. (Read more about Chardonnay here.) So, I guess my hesitation was — what was this twist and was it going to be an overworked Chardonnay? Nope, not so. Imagery Estate keeps both the wine and the Benziger reputation crisp and clean….

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