Four Quarters Brewing Co.
Enfield Wine Co.
Brosseau Vineyard White Wine "On Skins" Chenin Blanc Blend 2015
@Delectable Wine
This is the 2015 Enfield White Wine "on Skins" Brosseau Vineyard.
Fun tasting at Weygandt Wines with John Lockwood. The second of four wines being poured. Definitely unfiltered and medium to deep yellow. A little floral on the nose with some dirt and honeycombs. Love the mouthfeel and texture, balanced tannins (5.5/10) and acidity (6/10). Dark citrus notes with some hay. Packs a punch with a medium plus body. Just as John says "this wine is like rock and roll". A slight zing in the long finish. Drink till 2020.
This wine is made up of 60% Chenin Blanc and the rest of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier. Aged for 16 months in neutral oak on the lees. — 9 years ago
Enfield Wine Co.
Brosseau Vineyard Syrah 2014
@TheSkip this will be right up your alley.
Fun tasting at Weygandt Wines with John Lockwood. The last of four wines being poured.
Deep ruby red. Layered nose with iron from the get go with some spices, and dark red berries, a nice savory backend as well. Medium tannins (6.5/10) and medium plus bodied. Complex palate with lavender, black cherries, black olives and twigs. Solid acidity with dark gravel in the dry lingering finish. Definitely more of a Northern Rhone style Syrah. Drink till 2026
This wine is made up of 100% Syrah. 100% whole cluster and aged in neutral oak barrels (225L) for 12 months. Only 13.5% alcohol. — 9 years ago
Four Quarters Brewing Co.
Christollen
A rum barrel aged opus dei beer, modeled after stollen bread. A Christmas beer delight! Crisp and clean, very easy drinking, not sweet but all of the fruits are represented perfectly. From Four Quarters Brewery, Winooski, VT. A new personal fave! Great job! — 10 years ago
La Jota Vineyard Co.
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
An excellent blend of four Bordeaux varieties come together for tantalizing Howell Mountain amazingness. The nose is rich and stunning with notes of smoke, damp earth, leather and red fruits. On the palate I get more red fruits than I was expecting along with blackberries, earth, smoked meats, spice and espresso. Velvety light tannins for its age with a medium finish. — 10 years ago
Mother Earth Brew Co.
Four Seasons of Mother Earth Autumn Belgian Quad
Complex brew with toffee and caramel flavors. High alcohol balanced with richness and sweet notes. There is a hint of burnt sugar, otherwise it was a perfect beer. — 11 years ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Hudson Vineyard North "Whole Cluster" Syrah 2008
Alaskan Brewing Co.
Hop O Thermia Double IPA
The best beer this brewery has put out, so far, all their beers are very good, this one is excellent, in the style of a double west coast IPA, four different hops, and a perfect balance of a big malt backbone, very impressed, last year only on tap, now in 12oz 4 packs, — 12 years ago
Lucia Vineyards (Pisoni)
Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012
A wine I’ve enjoyed mostly upon release or near it. I vowed to wait six years and nearly made it. At least it is 2018...just! It’s worth waiting this/that long for it to develop. On the nose; sweetly, baked fruits of; dark cherries, strawberries, black plum, plums, blackberries, and notes of blue fruits. Cinnamon, vanilla, very light clove & nutmeg, caramel, soft, medium, beautiful spice, black fruit tea, limestone minerals, loamy, dry, brown top soil, fresh dark florals and violets. The mouthfeel is full, rich & lush. The tannins are round, still have some teeth and possess velvety round edges. It’s fruit driven but not a bomb and showing elegance & grace. Fruits are perfectly ripe; dark cherries, strawberries, black plum, plums, blackberries, notes of blue fruits and dry cranberries dip in and out. Cinnamon, vanilla, very light clove & nutmeg, caramel, soft, medium beautiful spice that is more pronounced on the palate, black fruit tea, touch of melted brown sugar/molasses, limestone minerals, touch of rich dark sweet turned soil, loamy dry brown top soil, soft understated eucalyptus/mint, dry fresh florals and violets. The round acidity is just right, just a slight very small alcohol burn, the length, structure, tension and beautifully balanced finish are in a very good place. Even better in 2-3 more years in bottle; which is when I’ll have my next one. Photos of; the winemaking duo of Gary Franscioni (left) and Gary Pisoni, Rosella’s Vineyard on the right. As well as, Garys’ Vineyard at the bottom. Producer notes and history...The Santa Lucia Highlands appellation is known for its rich, vibrant Pinot Noirs. However, that wasn’t always the case. The first Pinot was planted in 1973, but results weren’t all that great. Chardonnay was the appellation’s early star. Much of the area’s current fame for Pinot Noir arguably can be traced to Gary Pisoni, a free-spirited wine enthusiast who grew up in a Salinas Valley vegetable farming family. Pisoni decided to plant a few acres of Pinot Noir in 1982 on his family’s horse ranch, at the southern end of what was to become the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation but his horses started eating the grapes. So, they had to go. His initial planting were limited by a lack of water until he dug a well on the property. Pisoni started planting even more Pinot Noir. The vineyard is now around 45 acres and nearly all of it Pinot. By the late 1990s, word had spread about the success of his vineyard, and a number of Pinot specialists from around California had started lining up to buy his grapes. He started producing his own wine in 1998. Pisoni isn’t the only Gary who has become a force in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Gary Franscioni, a childhood friend, followed Pisoni’s lead by planting grapes and started Roar Wines in 2001. The two of them now have five vineyards between them...all farmed meticulously with the same crew. They are best of friends...sort of a Mutt & Jeff. They have become a formidable presence in the Highlands, attracting interest from top winemakers and Pinot Noir lovers from all over. Franscioni is also from a vegetable farming family; Pisoni figures they’ve known each other since they were 3 or 4. Franscioni saw his friend’s success and once he got some money together, decided to plant grapes of his own. Franscioni’s property is farther north and cooler as it’s closer to the Monterey Bay. He was going to plant Chardonnay. He woke up and Franscioni recalls imitating Pisoni, and shouted, “plant Pinot!” Franscioni planted what became Rosella’s Vineyard, named for his wife, in 1996. He took Pisoni’s advice and planted four acres of Pinot Noir, although he still planted 12 acres of Chardonnay. It’s now a total of around 50 acres with three-quarters of it Pinot Noir. The next year, they decided to become partners and planted Garys’ Vineyard, a 50 acre parcel where they grow Pinot and a little Syrah. Since then, Franscioni has developed Sierra Mar, 38 acres of Pinot, Chardonnay, Syrah and a tiny amount of Viognier. The two teamed up again to establish Soberanes Vineyard, 35 acres of mostly Pinot Noir, with a little bit of Chardonnay and Syrah. That last vineyard was developed by Pisoni’s son Mark. The Garys might seem an unlikely pair. Pisoni is colorful character to say the least and has an outspoken manner. Franscioni comes across as more serious- minded. However, the collaboration between the two, who often address each other as “partner,” clearly works well. The two are good on their own, but better together. Pisoni being more gregarious acts as the frontman. He is the Ambassador. He’s a check on the rest to keep the quality high. Franscioni and Mark Pisoni run the farming on their own vineyards and work together on the joint ventures. The family involvement doesn’t stop there. Jeff Pisoni makes his family’s wines, which are under the Pisoni and Lucia brands. Franscioni’s son, Adam, joined the family business in time for the 2011 harvest. He handles sales for Roar and helps his father manage the vineyards. The grapes from all five vineyards are in huge demand, because the two families are such careful farmers, constantly tweaking and improving. Prominent customers include; Testarossa, Siduri, Kosta Browne, Copain and Bernardus. When a new vintner approaches them about buying grapes, the partners examine the winery’s track record and the Winemaker. If they like what they see, the winery is put on a waiting list. There’s not very much movement in their vineyards. When Franscioni planted Sierra Mar, he and Pisoni had 62 wineries waiting to buy fruit. Soberanes was developed with the idea of working with some new winemakers. There was some concern, even among the two families, that quality might suffer as the vineyard operations grew. However, there’s no indication that’s the case. In fact, with each new venture, they build on what they’ve learned in their older vineyards. Eventually, there will be even more vineyards. The Pisonis and Franscionis have purchased a 100 acre cactus farm in the Santa Lucia Highlands. There’s still a lease on the property. So, prickly pear cactus will continue to be grown for five more years. But at some point, the land will be planted with vines. Both families understand the importance of continuing to build for the future. The Garys looking back tell a story of being in the same spot some years ago and looking at a field of broccoli out back. He told Franscioni that the field would look a lot better with Pinot Noir vines. Now that parcel is part of Rosella’s Vineyard, and it’s planted with Pinot. Everybody thought he was crazy...most people usually think that when someone makes a bold decision. He’s a person who has always had vision and creativeness. He also has tremendous passion. Good things only happen when a person possesses all three of these qualities. Their wines are primarily available by mailing list. However, Nepenthe in Big Sur, CA acts as a quasi tasting room for some of their wines. — 9 years ago
Rovellotti
Chioso Dei Pomi Ghemme Nebbiolo 2007
It's been an honor to sell the wines of the Rovellotti family over the last couple years. From 05 to 07 there has been a high mark of consistency. I'm so happy that people are catching on to the magic of Northern Piedmont. This wine spends around four years in Slovenian botte before bottling. Just released, this is one of the most intense but fragrant wines I've had from Antonello and co. — 12 years ago
Domaine Leroy
Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2015
On the nose, nicely concentrated wild dark berries, black plum, notes of blue fruits, vanilla, understated cinnamon, soft, warm spices, Christmas cake and fresh dark, fragrant florals. The mouthfeel is rich & concentrated. The fruits dark are clearly fresh & ripe. Wild dark berries, black plum, plum, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, Thompson raisins, light vanilla, soft warm spices, limestone minerals, grainy/silky chalkiness, dark moist soils, crushed rocks, violets, fresh dark florals, touch of mint, beautiful round acidity and amazing long rich beautiful finish that is well balanced fruit & earth. This is a vintage (even though Bourgogne) will cellar around 20 years. My rating could jump 2-3 points with proper storage years in the cellar. It's tasting more like 1st Cru than village wine. Photo tour of the estate, open top fermenters (I believe they ferment all their lots separately) and Lalou Bize-Leroy singing and talking to her precious vines. Producer history and notes...Domaine Leroy is arguably producing the greatest red Burgundy wines in the Cote d`Or at present. Lalou Bize-Leroy started out as a négociant, working for her family's Maison Leroy, which was founded by her father Henri. There are three parts to the Leroy empire; the Maison Leroy based in Auxey-Duresses, Domaine d’Auvenay and substantial holdings in Vosne-Romanée. Lalou Bize-Leroy also owns 25% of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, where she was co-director until the other shareholders ousted her in 1992, partly because she had started a competing winery. Domaine Leroy has been farmed biodynamically from the start and is now certified by ECOCERT. The other exciting, if not controversial, move was the change in training system for the vines. For some time previously the hedging (rognage) of the vineyards had been done by hand rather than more abrasively by machine. However, it is not natural for the vine to be cut back as it affects the vine’s performance both in the current season and the following year. So now, after the flowering, when the shoots are lengthening, they are curled over instead of being cut back. This minimises entrecoeurs and second crop bunches forming, as well as leaving the vine happier and healthier. She also talks and sings to her vines daily. She believes this promotes health of the vines and who could argue with her given what she puts in the bottle. Lalou Bize-Leroy has 23 hectares of vines, mostly Premier and Grand Cru classified. In the vineyard, Lalou practices biodynamism as well as severe pruning and crop-thinning. The result is ridiculously low yields. Yield arguments at DRC were also an issue in her departure. You want to buy this wine. $39.99 at K&L Wine Merchants on pre-arrival. Just bought four bottles.
— 9 years ago
Enfield Wine Co.
Antle Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014
Fun tasting at Weygandt Wines with John Lockwood. The third of four wines being poured and first red.
Medium garnet red with a ruby core. A bit singular to start with a medium intensity floral attack. After a few minutes in the class, red berries carried throughout and the floral notes morphed into a spiced finish or white pepper. Medium tannins (5/10) and medium acidity (6/10) on the palate. Light body and fresh. Lots of red berries on the palate; strawberries, raspberries and a touch of rhubarb. Stoney notes and acidity carry from the mid palate through the long and lingering finish. Drink till 2024.
This wine is made up of 100% Pinot Noir. 50% whole cluster and aged in neutral hogshead barrels (350L) for 12 months. — 9 years ago
Matthiasson
Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2013
The 2013 blend is roughly 55 percent Sauvignon blanc, 25 percent Ribolla gialla, 15 percent Semillon, and 5 percent Tocai Friulano. All four varieties were co-fermented in 20% new Boutes barrels, and aged on its lees, with no stirring, until bottling. Splendid mix of old world with a dash of new world. The Sauvignon brings out the tropicals; peach, lychees, lime, pineapple, ripe fig, nuts and yellow & white florals. Ribolla gives it great stones & minerality. The Semillon gives it a waxy and creamy feel in the mouth. The Tocai Friulano gives it spice on the nose and palate. It's got great acidity with a rich, round, full long brilliant finish. — 10 years ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Weill a Way Vineyard Exposition One Syrah 2012
Even with a four hour decant, this one was so dense. The nose was incredible, lots of purple drank fruits and a hint of meatiness. It was spicy and briary, but kept changing. The palate was still wound up tightly but had a ton of power behind it. Will wait a few more years on the other two in the three pack. — 10 years ago
Buffalo Trace Distillery
William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Co.
Lost Prophet 22-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
The best of the four released so far. The old Stagg juice is drinking so well. Not over oaked like the Old Blowhard. Has more complexity compared to the Bernheim juice of the Rhetoric and Barterhouse. — 12 years ago
Rich Friedland
This pairs really well with jalapeño. I know, mind blowing. But it’s a perfect match. — 8 years ago