As club members of Envy wines, we took a bottle of the 2007 Envy Napa Valley Merlot to dinner this evening at a local Italian restaurant.  This was our first sample of the 07 Merlot which we found to be full of fruit on the first sip, but quickly followed by chocolate notes with barely noticeable tannins.  The wine was smooth, yet still able to stand up and not become lost among the bold flavors of the pancetta and tomato in the homemade pasta dishes we dined on.  Envy wines have produced nothing but quality since I have first tasted them at the recommendation of a dear friend in the valley, Lin, from Venge Wines.  Kirk Venge produces Venge Vineyard wines where we first met Lin, but Envy is another one of his father, Nils Venge’s many wine projects.   Envy is the mastermind project of Mark Carter and Nils Venge.  As a side note, Nils also owns and produces Saddleback Cellars wines…another nice place to visit with very good wines.  Envy produces some white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, but as a red wine fan, I am most interested in their reds.  They produce a wonderful blend called Beebee’s blend, described as sexy, full bodied, and elegant meant to be enjoyed for 15+ years as reviewed by Robert Parker who considered it a top value in 2009.  A 2007 Cabernet currently being offered that Envy touts to be one of their best to date… another must try.  In addition to the Merlot we enjoyed this evening there is also a Petite Sirah that is as big and bold as the mountain the fruit was grown on, almost ink like in color with flavor to match.  As for Envy tasting room, it offers a very home like appeal that allows you to enjoy all of the wines in a relaxed environment where you can truly appreciate the wines for what they are.

Tonight we are enjoying a Rosenblum Cellars, Contra Costa County, Carla’s Reserve Zinfandel.  The wine we are drinking is the 2006 vintage; however, the 2007 is the most current release being offered.  As a side note, the 2007 wines; Zinfandel in particular are drinking very well.  As a Zinfandel fan, I am not sure why I normally shy away from their wines when Rosenblum self describes as a winery dedicated to the production of Zinfandel and Rhone varietals.  I also have never disliked any Rosenblum wine; I just think there are too many choices that I become a bit overwhelmed when trying to select.  According to their website Rosenblum produces over 50 wines annually to select from so you can see where one may not know where to start.  With the kudos being given to the latest vintage of Zinfandels, I felt now was the time to begin exploring some of Rosenblums extensive offerings.  I must say Carla’s Reserve is a nice place to start, I know you are probably thinking sure, start with a reserve, but heck, you have to start somewhere.  The vines used to produce this intense wine are over 100 years old and consistently produce fruit of exceptional quality, which is then blended with only a small amount of fruit sourced from other vineyards. At first look there is deep, dark, intense color, so rich that you have to look hard to find hints of ruby when holding the wine to the light.   A first swirl of the wine gives off ripe black cherry notes, followed by olive and spice notes.  With lots of spicy pepper on the taste the wine will stand up to any of your boldest dishes and will pair nicely right alongside of your favorite pizza as well.  Rosenblum describes this wine as one of their most exotic Zinfandel offerings, although I have not tried too many yet, I have to agree this wine is extremely tasty.  Under $25, this Zin is a must try if you are looking for a big, bold, spicy, Zinfandel.  Be sure to check back for additional Rosenblum wine reviews.

As a self professed wine snob that really likes a good red wine, I have to step back once in a while, especially in these economic times and remind myself that all expensive wine is not necessarily good.  Nor are the inexpensive wines necessarily bad.  Yes, there are levels of complexity, smoother finishes and so on.  Thus, the reason for the rating system that some rely so heavily on, but we all know special wines should be reserved for special occasions and drinking 90 point wines every night just doesn’t make sense.  Therefore, back to my roots and my never ending quest to find the best value for your dollar wines.  It seems as though the 2007 wines are coming out with a bang and one in particular recently caught my eye…The Columbia Crest Grand Estates 2007 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This Washington grown wine received 89 points and was noted in the Savvy Shopper-Spectator Selections Best Value wines.  Blended from 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the remaining 5% comprised of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah and total alcohol at 13.6%, this vintage is described as supple and surprisingly complex. Notes of cherry, cassis and chocolate along with some spice round out this medium bodied, yet complex wine, all for under $15…yes, that is certainly a best value for your dollar price.  Try it for yourself today and be sure to check out all of Columbia Crest wine offerings at columbiacrest.com.

As I sit here on an early Sunday evening the rain is stopping and I have finished making my famous red sauce or gravy as some call it, with meatballs and braciola. Of course the famous part is all in my own mind. I decided we would need a good red wine to drink, one that can stand up to the heavy richness of the sauce. Normally I would pick out a bold Cabernet, tonight however, I chose a Zinfandel. Zinfandel is quite strong and usually carries a nice peppery finish that stands up to most foods; including my red sauce.  At the recommendation of a friend I recently tried Elyse Zinfandel A.K.A Napa Valley.  Wow…did I tell you I love my friend?  This wine is awesome!!  I think of earthy berry notes along with layers of spice and pepper that all meld perfectly together in this 2007 Zinfandel. The wine is graceful while packing its punch of flavor, a blend of 86% Zinfandel and 14% Petite Sirah.  It is also offers an aging life of 5-8 years in the cellar and as the Elyse Winery website tasting notes say, it is meant to be paired with rich, hearty dishes; like my sauce!   Pick up a bottle today, just under the $30 price point; it is well worth every dollar.  Also, check out the rest of the Elyse wine offerings at elysewinery.com.  I can’t wait to sample some of Elyse wines and definitely plan to visit the winery on my next trip to the valley in October.

While walking through the Cabernet section of my local liquor store this weekend, I spotted a familiar name; Robert Craig.  I say familiar as I recognize it based solely on the fact that I have treated myself in the past to some Robert Craig Howell Mountain Cabernet and fell in love.  The Howell Mountain Cabernet sparked enough interest that I quickly purchased a few more bottles to store in the cellar as well as one as a gift for my sister’s wine cellar, but I still did not do my normal research to find out more about the winery.  I have no problem paying for quality wine, but I do reserve any wines over $50 for special occasions, so when I happened upon a 2007 Robert Craig Affinity Cabernet under that price mark, I became quite excited.  I was sure Robert Craig could not possibly make a bad wine based on my prior experience.  Well, once I looked past the label and saw the advertising tag on the shelf, apparently Robert Parker does not think Robert Craig can make a bad wine either. Parker gave this new Napa Valley Cabernet a very generous 96 points.  As I sit here swirling and sniffing and tasting, I realize I need to designate an area of my wine cellar for more Robert Craig wines…this Affinity is outstanding!  This Cabernet is a real treat still within a range that fits into the tighter budgets of 2010 while the economy is still trying to recover.  Not to say any of the Mt Veeder or Howell Mountain Cabs should be overlooked, just saying if you are watching your budget these days you can indulge in a fantastic Napa Valley Cabernet without guilt. Composed of 79% Cabernet, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec.  Aged 16 months in French oak, the wine offers lots of ripe berries and oak on the nose, with luscious fruit flavors mixed with cocoa and a very full, yet polished finish.  In my opinion worth every bit of the accolades the wine has been given.  In looking over the offerings from Robert Craig, I see there is also a Cuvee and a Zinfandel that I would love to try. I think my next trip to the Valley has to include a visit to Robert Craig.

“YeeHaw” ….that’s right, Yeehaw!  That is what you exclaim when you taste a bottle of Lamborn Family Vineryards Napa Valley Howell Mountain Zinfandel!  The 2007 25^th Vintage, Silver Anniversary is the wine I have sampled.  I had never purchased Lamborn Family wines before this year, but I came across their website and being a lover of Howell Mountain wines and having a love of Zinfandel wine, I figured it had to be a win-win for me.  I could not have been more right with rich ripe berries and the spicy white pepper flavor that you would come to expect from most Zinfandel wines.  Hints of oak also accentuate the rich fruit flavors.  An outstanding wine with only a little over 500 cases produced, overseen by winemaker, Heidi Peterson Barrett. 

So, now that I have told you how good the wine is and you want to buy a bottle, I am sure your curiosity is getting the best of you about the “YeeHaw”.  It is a Lamborn Family tradition; another thing I love about this wine…it is a family affair.  It seems to me the whole family is active in the winery business and what more could you ask for, family and a passion for wine.  The “Yeehaw” tradition was started by Bob (Papa) Lamborn during the 1980’s when he exclaimed “Yeehaw” to signify the beginning of Harvest.  Each and every harvest since has begun the same way…a tradition that will continue along with the tradition of family and making great wine. 

As previously mentioned, this is a limited production wine so be sure to order today, visit their website at: http://www.lamborn.com

Remember

I recently found a new Cabernet Sauvignon that is a second label of Pine Ridge called Forefront.  I am not sure if tough economic times are the reason for the second label from Pine Ridge, or simply a new venture for the well known Napa Winery, but regardless of the reason I am a fan.   The Forefront Cabernet is an excellent full bodied everyday drinking wine under $20 that offers the quality you would expect from a wine that Pine Ridge would put their name on.  And yes, unlike some other wineries that produce second labels with no mention of their original name, Pine Ridge proudly announces on the Forefront label that they are the producer; another sign of pride in quality.  The wine is a Bordeaux style Cabernet blended with grapes sourced from various regions.  From the Napa area is 78% Cabernet, 5% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot , 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, plus 13% Syrah from El Dorado and San Luis Obispo. The result is a fruit forward, very complex, full bodied wine with soft tannins that make the wine very approachable and easy to drink.  Along with the ripe berries, there are hints of lavender and oak nuances.  To me this is the type of everyday wine that one searches for, kudos to Pine Ridge!

In addition to the Cabernet Sauvignon, the Forefront label also offers a Pinot Noir and a Sauvignon Blanc according to the Forefront Website.  I have not yet tried the other two varietals, but I do highly recommend that you try the Cabernet Sauvignon and fully expect that the other two varietals will be as equally pleasing.

The concept for the Forefathers 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Lone Tree Vineyard is simple; 100% single vineyard, 100% single variety, and 100% single appellation.  The basis of this concept is that the philosophy of Goldschmidt Vineyards for their Forefathers line of wines is that one vineyard site could not possibly produce great Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz, which are the three wines they love to make.  For that reason Forefathers has selected Marlborough in New Zealand for the Sauvignon Blanc, McLaren Vale in South Australia for the Shiraz, and Alexander Valley in California for the Cabernet Sauvignon.  The vineyards are selected for the ultra premium quality wines that can be produced from these sites without further blending. We recently purchased the Cabernet which offers quality as soon as it reaches the mouth.  The Alexander Valley location is perfect in that it allows the grapes to mature in the morning sun with cooler temps, rather than the hot afternoon sun which provides longer hang time resulting in complex richness. The wine has an intriguing floral bouquet with a hint of vanilla. A big full body wine with lots of ripe dark berry flavors, a smooth silky mouth feel, and soft tannins complete the taste of this quality Cabernet.  This wine is priced around $45, but I was able to purchase around the $30 price point.  A wine that is very approachable now, but can certainly rest in the cellar for a few years if you prefer to allow it to rest a bit.