This is a blend of 60% verdejo and 40% viura (one of the primary two grapes in white Rioja). Carefully selected Verdejo grapes are harvested during the night and quickly carried to the winery. The fermentation takes place in temperature controlled, stainless steel vats at very low temperatures where only native yeasts are used. We get notes of honeysuckle, white pepper and lemon.
So, this is the 2nd
label of a beloved chardonnay producer in Napa. The cover story is, a
commercial ship hit ground and the smart sailors aboard lost the ship but
saved the wine. There is a REAL story but upon pain of death, we're not
allowed to say who made this wine. All we can say is some really talented
people got a hold of some really good and really tasty juice. This is 100%
chardonnay aged in Hungarian oak for 12 months which brings out more
tropical and spicy flavors rather than butter.
Il Trullo Primitivo 2008, Salento, Italy
A Trullo is a
classic tradition in Puglia; these conical, mortar-less, stone houses have
dotted the countryside for centuries. This Primitivio (Italy’s Zinfandel) is
equally classic, made from 40-year-old head-trained vines, fermented and
aged in stainless steel tanks to keep its freshness and focus. This wine has
an earthy, meaty aroma but tastes ripe and fresh, with notes of plum, dried
berry, smoke and plenty of acidity to back it up.
San Simeon Petite Sirah 2006, Paso Robles, California
This 100% Petite Sirah is often the victim of wine snobbery when people see that it is from “that LA winery near downtown”. But that’s better for you because you’ll get a really good deal on tasty wine and they won’t. The Riboli family gets their fruit for this bottling from the Steinbeck Vineyard in Paso Robles and like most California Petite Sirahs, this is one big boy. We tasted about 15 Petite Sirahs at the Family Winemaker’s Tasting in Pasadena a couple of years ago (600 wineries and over 1200 wines), and for the money, this won hands down. Try this guy with grilled eggplant, pork tenderloin with plum sauce, or a guiltless Friday night on the couch with a netflix DVD and a candybar.