$17.99 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Yolo-county based Crew Wine Company, makers of nine Matchbook wines—including Tinto Rey, has become one of our go-to suppliers.  This company produces four brands in total and is owned by the very prolific Giguiere family, farmers in the region since 1973 and previous owners of R.H. Phillips winery—birthplace of the incredibly popular Toasted Head Chardonnay—which was sold off handsomely to a major wine firm in 2000.  Shortly thereafter, the first Matchbook vineyard was planted and the party started again when Crew Wine Company was formed in 2005.

They say winemaking is all about the fruit, and great grapes come from the most unlikely of places.  Just ask Robert Parker, whose Wine Advocate slapped 90 points on this 2010 effort.  Lots to love, including the price!

Robert Parker Tasting Notes (90 pts):   “This seriously endowed red spent 26 months in a combination of American, French and Hungarian oak. A beauty, it exhibits notes of new saddle leather, unsmoked cigar tobacco, licorice, black cherries and blackcurrants as well as a medium-bodied, lusciously fruity, sensual, opulent personality. This medium to full-bodied, gorgeous wine should drink well for several years.”

Blend:  49% tempranillo, 27% syrah, 15% graciano, 6% cabernet sauvignon and 3% tannat

$30 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Every wine has a backstory and for this one, it is “Inconceivable,” or that’s what the Middleton Family of Wines would have us believe.  Middleton is a Washington-state based nascent conglomerate with interests in the Northwest, Paso Robles, Western Australia and Italy.  This wine’s name traces to the notion that the winemaker, Kendall Mix, is from Alberta, Canada, and the fact that he is making wine in Washington is inconceivable. . .who’d have thunk?

Their concept is to create a “wallet-friendly” wine using the bounty of Washington, with fruit sourced from five vineyards across the Columbia River Valley.  This wine sports a twist closure, but it spent 26 months on 45% new oak, both American and French.  Lots of value in this very thoughtfully produced and marketed Washington winner.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Intense deep purple hue, a little red brick-ish around the edges. Dark fruits (black berry, black cherry) and toasted bread lead the aromatics. Savory aspects of dark roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and a slight tinge of wet earth add complexity. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, with fruit character echoing the aromatics, plus subtler elements of cocoa powder, tanned leather, red and Bing cherries, with a very gentle hint of green bean. The finish lingers for an extended length of time with a persistent character of dried berries.”

Blend:  80% cabernet sauvignon; 11% Malbec; 7% petit verdot; 2% merlot

$35 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Vailia Esh is an up-and-coming young winemaker in Paso Robles, and not for a nanosecond would I say I understand anything about her other than the fabulous wines she makes (I took home a case of this month’s selection).  This excerpt from her web site speaks volumes:

“I arrived at a vineyard in Paso Robles on something of a lark after fleeing Toronto’s hustle and sleet. I had nothing but a crazy dog, a tiny camper and a few changes of clothes, and I couldn’t have been more delighted. I came following a light I’ve chased my whole life, but never thought I’d see so close. I’ve chased that light across North and South America, always grasping, nearly catching hold and watching it dart past. I don’t know what it is, I hope I never do, I would hate to get old and boring, but I am certain that it’s something in wine and I just have to get a closer look. In my wild chase, I’ve been everything I could for wine: importer, broker, retailer, cellar rat, harvester, vintner. The moment I set foot in that Paso vineyard, I knew I was closer than I had ever been, I just had to stay and explore.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “This is the memory of the abandoned abbey you discovered when in lithe summer nights, when you were young and alone. Crushed violet, ripped jeans, quarter sawn spruce, blueberry cake, warmed sage, buckwheat honey, anisette, chocolate brownie batter, ancient incense, cherry-skin cigar, palo santo smudge and sassafras bark.”  Oh my.

Blend:  39% cabernet sauvignon; 17% cabernet franc; 16% petit verdot; 14% Malbec; 7% merlot; 7% sangiovese

$65 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Frank Farella founded the winery that bears his name 30 years ago, but it is his son, Tom, winemaker since 1991 who drives the business today.  Farella is exactly the kind of winery we love to represent at Carpe Vino.  Small, family owned.  Just 1,800 total case production annually from a 26-acre vineyard in the Napa Valley’s Coombsville AVA.

The vineyard is sustainably farmed though not organically certified (as with many small operations, the cost of securing the piece of paper is oppressive).  Tom earned a double enology/viticulture degree from U.C. Davis in 1983, and then learned the business not at his father’s knee, but over more than five years at top wineries in California, Oregon and France.  This guy has a magical combination of innate curiosity, an incredible work ethic and the solid base of a family-owned operation.

And all of this is reflected in this month’s selection from Farella.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Rich, robust mouthfeel with ample yet fairly soft tannins.  Aromas and flavors of Kalamata olives, strawberry/cassis fruit, blackberry, deep, smoky spice and a hint of licorice.  Long, supple finish for a wine of this structure.”

Blend:  95% cabernet sauvignon; 5% merlot

$33 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Here’s another Chicago-bred boy who made good in California:  John Sweazey, owner and Stanford grad who never sought to be a winemaker, he gets his thrill from his “long-time interest in production—making the best possible wine from the finest grapes, then marketing and selling it.  To me, that’s the romance of wine.”

Speaking of marketing, here’s the story behind the name game for Anaba (not a tribute to a Swedish rock band):  the Pacific breezes that bring cool air to Sonoma valley and hit the slopes are called “anabatic winds,” and they help propel gliders.  Hence the name “Anaba”.

The winemaking team of Ross Cobb and Katy Wilson was assembled last year and represents putting the band back together.  The pair worked together previously at Flowers Vineyard & Winery.  Both also produce wines under their own independent labels.

Winery Tasting Notes:  Named for the iconic image of the wind turbine on our label, our Turbine White is a delicious blend of white Rhone-style varietals. Light citrus blossom aromas mingle with stone fruit, lychee and herbal notes. The overall bouquet is light, but the flavor profile is full. The palate is initially bright with flavors of tropical fruits and orange oil giving way to a richer mid-palate and slightly nutty characteristics.

Blend:  42% rousanne; 20% grenache blanc; 20% picpoul blanc; 18% marsanne

$45 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Silly me.  For some reason, I thought the name of this wine had something to do with plant spacing in the vineyard.  No, it is a reference to the most popular size of canvas used by artists for oil paintings.  So says the winery:  “And just as an artist is perpetually seeking balance in a composition, so too is 16×20 in its wines.”  Nice analogy and imagery. . .I get it now.

Continuing the trend this month of winery peeps coming from colder climes, the owners of 16×20, owners David and Karen Dunphy describe themselves modestly in two compact sentences under “About Us” on their web site:  “Born and bred in Minnesota.  Living the Napa Valley dream since 2004. . .but chasing the dream since 1978.”

Part of that dream must have included landing the dream winemaker for their venture, and they accomplished that by enlisting Paul Hobbs as consultant.  Hobbs is one of the most respected in the business.

Winery Tasting Notes:   “The tight, closed nose on the surface hints at green apples with a whiff of pineapple. With a little time in the glass, the spicy floral bouquet shows up carrying tingly lemon and tangerine aromas, supported by a core of spicy peaches and cream. The charm of this cold climate chardonnay is that its charms are layered and subtle, revealing themselves with a little time and a little attention. Pure, clean, refreshing and a soft and subtle sensation of fluffy lemon cream.

“Taking a sip, the first impression is of the flavor and bright acidity of little green apples. Citrus peel, citrus deserts…mainly lemon…with air tend to taste of tangerine. It’s compelling that the flavors are so bright and refreshing, light and delicate, yet the feel has substantial volume. Nuances come and go in the long, mouth-coating finish of lemon and oak-tinged minerality. Plenty of minerality.”

Blend:  100% chardonnay

$15 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

My frustration in putting together tasting notes for wine club selections is that information can be difficult—sometimes impossible—to find, especially for wines we source internationally.  When we do track down details (other than what is presented on the bottle), information may not be for current vintages or it is just very difficult to understand.  Here is an excellent example of how winemaker of Chateau Saint Cosme, Louis Barroul, describes his wine. . .entirely in context:

“Made and aged in stainsteel vat.
You ‘ll be surprised about that but it’s as pleasant to vinify a great Little James as a nice Gigondas « Le Claux ». Clearly, we don’t talk about the same category but the most important is to love what we do, love the well done work. My father taught me that and told me that 1000 times but I fully understood that much later. This is to have a logical of artisan and this has nothing to do with the prestige a wine has or hasn’t got. What is important is to be able to talk to you about the wines I make. Ideally these wines should be able to talk to you directly on a nice way. If there is a little bit of emotion, it is even better. This is why I like to dedicate myself to the « little wines » as well because the pleasure for an artisan is when the work has been perfectly done, with love at every stage. When this good work is achieved, the « terroir », the magical of a few soils, the mystery of the climates that forge every day….I don’t have any kind of control on these … Have a good year 2014”

Okay, he tried in English, and he comes across as a very sweet man who loves his work.  Bravo. . .

Wine Advocate Tasting Notes (88 pts):  “A smoking value that’s hard to beat (I probably have 5-6 glasses or more of this at restaurants every year), the 2013 Vin de Table Little James Blanc gives up lots of juicy peach, citrus and pineapple in its clean, quaffable and delicious profile. It sells for a song, yet has real class. A blend of close to equal parts viognier and sauvignon, drink it over the coming year.”

Blend:  50% viognier; 50% sauvignon

$30 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Every wine has a backstory and for this one, it is “Inconceivable,” or that’s what the Middleton Family of Wines would have us believe.  Middleton is a Washington-state based nascent conglomerate with interests in the Northwest, Paso Robles, Western Australia and Italy.  This wine’s name traces to the notion that the winemaker, Kendall Mix, is from Alberta, Canada, and the fact that he is making wine in Washington is inconceivable. . .who’d have thunk?

Their concept is to create a “wallet-friendly” wine using the bounty of Washington, with fruit sourced from five vineyards across the Columbia River Valley.  This wine sports a twist closure, but it spent 26 months on 45% new oak, both American and French.  Lots of value in this very thoughtfully produced and marketed Washington winner.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Intense deep purple hue, a little red brick-ish around the edges. Dark fruits (black berry, black cherry) and toasted bread lead the aromatics. Savory aspects of dark roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and a slight tinge of wet earth add complexity. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, with fruit character echoing the aromatics, plus subtler elements of cocoa powder, tanned leather, red and Bing cherries, with a very gentle hint of green bean. The finish lingers for an extended length of time with a persistent character of dried berries.”

Blend:  80% cabernet sauvignon; 11% Malbec; 7% petit verdot; 2% merlot

$45 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Silly me.  For some reason, I thought the name of this wine had something to do with plant spacing in the vineyard.  No, it is a reference to the most popular size of canvas used by artists for oil paintings.  So says the winery:  “And just as an artist is perpetually seeking balance in a composition, so too is 16×20 in its wines.”  Nice analogy and imagery. . .I get it now.

Continuing the trend this month of winery peeps coming from colder climes, the owners of 16×20, owners David and Karen Dunphy describe themselves modestly in two compact sentences under “About Us” on their web site:  “Born and bred in Minnesota.  Living the Napa Valley dream since 2004. . .but chasing the dream since 1978.”

Part of that dream must have included landing the dream winemaker for their venture, and they accomplished that by enlisting Paul Hobbs as consultant.  Hobbs is one of the most respected in the business.

Winery Tasting Notes:   “The tight, closed nose on the surface hints at green apples with a whiff of pineapple. With a little time in the glass, the spicy floral bouquet shows up carrying tingly lemon and tangerine aromas, supported by a core of spicy peaches and cream. The charm of this cold climate chardonnay is that its charms are layered and subtle, revealing themselves with a little time and a little attention. Pure, clean, refreshing and a soft and subtle sensation of fluffy lemon cream.

“Taking a sip, the first impression is of the flavor and bright acidity of little green apples. Citrus peel, citrus deserts…mainly lemon…with air tend to taste of tangerine. It’s compelling that the flavors are so bright and refreshing, light and delicate, yet the feel has substantial volume. Nuances come and go in the long, mouth-coating finish of lemon and oak-tinged minerality. Plenty of minerality.”

Blend:  100% chardonnay

$35 (retail) Wine Club pricing reflected in receipt

Vailia Esh is an up-and-coming young winemaker in Paso Robles, and not for a nanosecond would I say I understand anything about her other than the fabulous wines she makes (I took home a case of this month’s selection).  This excerpt from her web site speaks volumes:

“I arrived at a vineyard in Paso Robles on something of a lark after fleeing Toronto’s hustle and sleet. I had nothing but a crazy dog, a tiny camper and a few changes of clothes, and I couldn’t have been more delighted. I came following a light I’ve chased my whole life, but never thought I’d see so close. I’ve chased that light across North and South America, always grasping, nearly catching hold and watching it dart past. I don’t know what it is, I hope I never do, I would hate to get old and boring, but I am certain that it’s something in wine and I just have to get a closer look. In my wild chase, I’ve been everything I could for wine: importer, broker, retailer, cellar rat, harvester, vintner. The moment I set foot in that Paso vineyard, I knew I was closer than I had ever been, I just had to stay and explore.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “This is the memory of the abandoned abbey you discovered when in lithe summer nights, when you were young and alone. Crushed violet, ripped jeans, quarter sawn spruce, blueberry cake, warmed sage, buckwheat honey, anisette, chocolate brownie batter, ancient incense, cherry-skin cigar, palo santo smudge and sassafras bark.”  Oh my.

Blend:  39% cabernet sauvignon; 17% cabernet franc; 16% petit verdot; 14% Malbec; 7% merlot; 7% sangiovese