$9 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

How is it possible to top Robert Parker’s assessment that this is, “Possibly the single greatest dry wine value in the world”? We can’t, but it is interesting to note that another wine from Bodegas Borsao was the most popular entry in our Wine Thing last January. The Berolda Red Wine was another in a string of great values we have scored from Spain. We love them so much, we’re going to two Spanish wine tastings in San Francisco over the next couple of weeks.

The Wine Advocate Review (90 points): The Wine Advocate Review (90 points): Another outstanding effort is the 2011 Tinto, fermented and aged in stainless steel. Possibly the single greatest dry red wine value in the world, this is an unbelievable wine. And don’t complain that you can’t find any, as there are 15,000 cases available, and any wine retailer worth his weight should be stockpiling this wine next to the cash register. Its deep purple/ruby color is followed by classic aromas of kirsch liqueur intermixed with raspberries, loamy soil and flowers. This medium to full-bodied wine possesses remarkable depth, an expansive texture and wonderful freshness as well as purity. On taste alone, this beauty could easily sell for $30 to $50 a bottle. –-Robert Parker

Winery Tasting Notes:
Cherry red with violet nuances. Has a ripe fruit nose with floral tones. Full bodied wine, spicy and with a complex and long aftertaste.

Blend:
85% grenache; 15% Tempranillo

$33 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Great story behind this one: Co-owner of the winery is actor/screenwriter/director Doug Barr, who is so serious about his wine he hired Napa rock star Celia Welch to make it for him. Those of you who remember the TV show “Fall Guy,” Barr played sidekick to Lee Majors. Doug participated in a tasting at Carpe Vino, and he’s truly a nice guy. His 2480 Cabernet Sauvignon is a serious wine and a Carpe Vino top seller when we have it on the racks.

The Short Ends Story from the Winery:
“When making a movie and there’s not enough film left in the camera for another take, we replace the magazine and call the left over film stock; “Short Ends”. Similarly, after crafting our Hollywood and Vine “2480” wines, we often have a little wine left from each of our world class vineyard sources, and we blend those “Short Ends” into this remarkable and uniquely delicious Napa Valley wine.”

Winery Tasting Notes:
“The Hollywood & Vine 2009 Short Ends Cabernet Sauvignon is a brighter, fresher, slightly more lighthearted version of the flagship 2480 Cabernet Sauvignon. Grapes for this wine hail from Oak Knoll District, one of the cooler regions of Napa Valley. Judiciously blended with cabernet sauvignon and merlot from St. Helena, as well as a touch of malbec from Yountville, complexity is the end result of this carefully crafted combination of varieties and growing areas. Cherry, clove, anise and forest-floor aromas combine with warm spiced plums and a hint of mocha to create a wine that will stand up well to a wide array of foods.”

Blend:
77% cabernet sauvignon; 20% merlot; 3% malbec

$49.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

The Wine Advocate Review (91 points):
“The 2010 Quartet emerges from the glass with layers of expressive dark red fruit, spices, crushed flowers and licorice. This is another pretty wine, although it doesn’t quite have the distinction of the very best selections in this range. In 2010, the Quartet is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2022.” —Antonio Galloni

Winery Tasting Notes:
“The 2010 Arietta Quartet is marked by substantial power and structure, which underpin the dark, concentrated, plush core of ripe fruits. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc seem to be driving the overall impression of the wine, with cassis, bramble and sage riding on a solid chassis of carefully extracted tannin and dense color. This framework is balanced and rounded by soft, supple flavors and textures brought by the addition of Merlot.”

Blend:
50% cabernet sauvignon; 29% merlot; 19% cabernet franc; 2% petit verdot

$35 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

This is the kind of gem we love to find. I attended a Santa Lucia Highlands AVA tasting in February at restaurant in Costa Mesa and had one of those beloved “ah-ha” moments when I tasted the oh-10 Tondré Pinot Noir. There was a room full of wonderful pinots from one of the leading growing regions in the state, and the Tondré stood out for me. . .for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the wine was lush, flavorful and clearly a product of the SLH. Second, there were only 750 cases made, and it was not distributed in our area. Third, the Tondrés are awesome people, quick to follow up and easy to deal with. That’s the magic formula for getting a wine on the shelves at Carpe Vino.

Winery Tasting Notes:
“After a very long cool growing season, the 2010 Vintage was finally harvested…it was truly worth waiting for. The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA was also lucky enough to be harvested before most of the rains that hit the northern coastal vineyards. The long hang time in the vineyard gave us fruit of exceptional quality. Perhaps this vintage will go down as a classic vintage to remember. The aromatics of this wine are stunning; glorious red and black cherries in abundance. Subtle hints of vanilla and cinnamon linger on the finish where they intermingle with the obvious pinot cherry fruit. This wine is well structured, balanced and certainly worthy of further bottle ageing as any great vintage should be.”

Blend:
100% estate pinot noir

$30 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Tutu is produced through a Pavi Wines partnership. Carpe Vino fans will be familiar with Pavi and its siblings. . .such as Fisticuffs Cabernet Sauvignon—a true crowd pleaser and annual favorite—and Ghostblock, a premium Napa cab that is an absolutely brilliant example of the varietal.

Winery Tasting Notes:
“Light medium straw color, this wine awakens the senses with aromas of honeydew melon, ripe yellow peach and a hint of gardenia. The palate displays lively ripe peaches, golden delicious apples with an accent of honeysuckle complimenting the slight minerality in the soft yet bright finish. Tutu is simply delicious and pairs well with light pastas and fresh seafood.”

$32 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Mike Drash is a young and talented Napa winemaker whom we have showcased in the past. For those of you with any early film history knowledge, Tallulah is a reference to Tallulah Bankhead, a sultry and flamboyant movie and stage actress of the 1930s noted for an extremely deep voice. Drash, raised in Tennessee, is a distant relative, but close enough to honor Ms. Bankhead by naming his daughter after her and with top billing on his label.

Winery Tasting Notes:
“The Orchard Avenue vineyard is one of the oldest plantings of chardonnay in the valley.  Planted in 1969 this three-acre vineyard made up a portion of the historic 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that won the 1976 Paris tasting; a wine that helped put California on the map.  I was lucky enough to pick up this vineyard just before the 2010 harvest.  I couldn’t believe my fortune.  It was like finding an old classic car in the neighbor’s barn. Over the last two years we have taken this little gem and helped take it back to its original glory.  The wine is reminiscent of a great vintage of Montrachet. Flinty with mineral notes but underlying tropical fruit that reminds you it is from the Napa Valley. The wine spent 10 months in 50% new French oak barrels before bottling.  We only allowed the wine to go through partial ML to keep the acidity high. The Orchard Avenue Chardonnay will age for a decade or more.  Enjoy!”

Blend:
100% chardonnay from the Orchard Avenue Vineyard

$9 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

How is it possible to top Robert Parker’s assessment that this is, “Possibly the single greatest dry wine value in the world”? We can’t, but it is interesting to note that another wine from Bodegas Borsao was the most popular entry in our Wine Thing last January. The Berolda Red Wine was another in a string of great values we have scored from Spain. We love them so much, we’re going to two Spanish wine tastings in San Francisco over the next couple of weeks.

The Wine Advocate Review (90 points): The Wine Advocate Review (90 points): Another outstanding effort is the 2011 Tinto, fermented and aged in stainless steel. Possibly the single greatest dry red wine value in the world, this is an unbelievable wine. And don’t complain that you can’t find any, as there are 15,000 cases available, and any wine retailer worth his weight should be stockpiling this wine next to the cash register. Its deep purple/ruby color is followed by classic aromas of kirsch liqueur intermixed with raspberries, loamy soil and flowers. This medium to full-bodied wine possesses remarkable depth, an expansive texture and wonderful freshness as well as purity. On taste alone, this beauty could easily sell for $30 to $50 a bottle. –-Robert Parker

Winery Tasting Notes:
Cherry red with violet nuances. Has a ripe fruit nose with floral tones. Full bodied wine, spicy and with a complex and long aftertaste.

Blend:
85% grenache; 15% Tempranillo

$49.95 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

The Wine Advocate Review (91 points):
“The 2010 Quartet emerges from the glass with layers of expressive dark red fruit, spices, crushed flowers and licorice. This is another pretty wine, although it doesn’t quite have the distinction of the very best selections in this range. In 2010, the Quartet is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2022.” —Antonio Galloni

Winery Tasting Notes:
“The 2010 Arietta Quartet is marked by substantial power and structure, which underpin the dark, concentrated, plush core of ripe fruits. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc seem to be driving the overall impression of the wine, with cassis, bramble and sage riding on a solid chassis of carefully extracted tannin and dense color. This framework is balanced and rounded by soft, supple flavors and textures brought by the addition of Merlot.”

Blend:
50% cabernet sauvignon; 29% merlot; 19% cabernet franc; 2% petit verdot

$32 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Mike Drash is a young and talented Napa winemaker whom we have showcased in the past. For those of you with any early film history knowledge, Tallulah is a reference to Tallulah Bankhead, a sultry and flamboyant movie and stage actress of the 1930s noted for an extremely deep voice. Drash, raised in Tennessee, is a distant relative, but close enough to honor Ms. Bankhead by naming his daughter after her and with top billing on his label.

Winery Tasting Notes:
“The Orchard Avenue vineyard is one of the oldest plantings of chardonnay in the valley.  Planted in 1969 this three-acre vineyard made up a portion of the historic 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that won the 1976 Paris tasting; a wine that helped put California on the map.  I was lucky enough to pick up this vineyard just before the 2010 harvest.  I couldn’t believe my fortune.  It was like finding an old classic car in the neighbor’s barn. Over the last two years we have taken this little gem and helped take it back to its original glory.  The wine is reminiscent of a great vintage of Montrachet. Flinty with mineral notes but underlying tropical fruit that reminds you it is from the Napa Valley. The wine spent 10 months in 50% new French oak barrels before bottling.  We only allowed the wine to go through partial ML to keep the acidity high. The Orchard Avenue Chardonnay will age for a decade or more.  Enjoy!”

Blend:
100% chardonnay from the Orchard Avenue Vineyard