Other Half Brewing Co.
d'Arenberg
The Dead Arm McLaren Vale Shiraz 2011
Luscious dark fruit compote with leather and tobacco. I was particularly intrigued by the label’s message: “Dead Arm is a vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa Lata that randomly affects vineyards all over the world. One half, or one arm of the vine slowly becomes reduced to dead wood. That side may be lifeless and brittle, but the grapes on the other side display amazing intensity.” — 5 years ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Belle de Jour Vineyard Zinfandel 2013
Slightly tart blackberries and a suggestion of toast on the nose, followed by wild blueberries and creamy vanilla notes in the mouth. Finishes with a rush of zippy acidity. This shows more oak than other Bedrock zins I’ve had. It’s still terrific; I would just give the next one a few more years for everything to integrate further. — 6 years ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Ode to Lulu California Old Vine Rosé Blend 2017
Consistently my favorite rose. I’ve already been through a half case of these this summer. The bottles are under screwcap so there is no variation, every sip from every bottle is just as delicious as the last. — 6 years ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Esola Vineyard Zinfandel 2016
Ya know, not many quality vineyards are producing Zins any longer, but there does seem to be a movement back to them. Once again, thanks to my friends on Delectable for introducing me to Bedrock. 2016, 14.4 ABV. Lovely pepper and leather and minerals, along with blackberry and other dried dark fruits. Touch of tannin, appreciated. Won't knock your socks of, but a really nice wine overall, for a relaxing night with friends and pork chops. 9.2. — 6 years ago
The Other Wine Co.
McLaren Vale Grenache 2017
The versatility of this Wine knows no bounds. Pairs with Chinese cuisine naturally. — 6 years ago
Badet Clément & Co.
Révélation Vin de Pays d'Oc Chardonnay
Black Friday Thanksgiving redux, with relatives, mothers-in-law, various dogs and multitudinous small children. Will the ice cream freeze? Will turkey cook? Will everyone have a fun time? No worries, the Chardonnay will keep the uncles happy for another half hour. Cuz it's awesome, not buttery, not so sweet. Good stuff. Trader Joe's. — 7 years ago
Other Half Brewing Co.
Small Green Everything
Small Green Everything from Other Half is such a good, light hazy IPA. A session beer that demands a session. — 5 years ago
Enfield Wine Co.
Fort Ross-Seaview Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Gave this 5h slow ox then 1 hour decant. It’s made in the “old” Cali style of the 70s/80s, or perhaps Mayacamas of today, or obviously Bdx. Low ripeness, low extraction, moderate oak. Shows beautiful freshness and clarity of terroir and fruit, with nice secondary notes. This is a little unfocused at the moment with the acid a touch too strong. But overall it’s a fantastic and refreshing bottle swimming amongst an ocean of oak and extraction. I will pop my other bottle in 5 years. — 6 years ago
Other Half Brewing Co.
Forever Ever Double Dry Hopped India Pale Ale
A light version of Other Half. Definitely sessionable, as the name indicates, and hits the spot when wanting something refreshing and a notch up from "simple". — 6 years ago
Other Half Brewing Co.
Oh... Dream Oat Cream India Pale Ale
Greenish color for supporting Mexico in this morning's World Cup fixture. Ok a Mexican beer would have been more appropriate but I know what I prefer. — 6 years ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Monte Rosso Vineyard Zinfandel 2016
The 2016 Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard is utterly sublime. Lifted, aromatically precise and nuanced, the 2016 Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard is fabulous. Rose petal, blood orange, cranberry and raspberry notes give the Monte Rosso striking aromatic presence and brightness. Unfortunately, Bedrock, like all the other wineries that purchased grapes at Monte Rosso, no longer have access to the fruit off this historic ranch. Morgan Peterson and Chris Cottrell certainly chose a strong vintage as their last. The 2016 is sublime. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, April 2018) — 6 years ago
Other Half Brewing Co.
Space Dream India Pale Ale
Made in Other Half's signature "juicy" style, the Dream in the beer's name indicates the addition of lactose which results in a very pillowy texture, while adding some additional weight which isn't altogether welcome. — 6 years ago
Cruse Wine Co.
Valdigue Nouveau
Tangy and soda like. Took a few sips for me to warm up but loving it half a glass in. — 7 years ago
Enfield Wine Co.
Pretty Horses California Tempranillo Graciano 2015
Garnet in the glass with wet dirt, cherries, and floral notes. Talk about fresh. This baby is alive and kicking. Tannins providing so much excitement here that couple with the wondrous acidity and delivers a stunning package. Wet funk, subdued cherry tartness, and dark fruits on the palate. This isn’t anything like the other New World Tempranillos I’ve had before. Head and shoulders above the rest. — 5 years ago
Jean-Charles Boisset (JCB)
JCB No. 3 Pinot Noir
Peter Michael Winery
Estate Vineyards Les Pavots Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005
Not as good as the other time I had it a month or so ago. Might have been due to the service... Waiter breaks the cork in half. Happens to all of us. He then proceeds to tell me that it wasn’t his fault and that the cork was soft. Ok. Not sure I care, it happens. Says he has to decant it. Great, thought we would no matter what right :) Comes back with one of those tiny decanters, filled to the top with cork all over the top of the wine. Sigh. Then proceeded to pour very full glasses for my parents who are sitting there saying just a little please. Comes back a bit later and proceeds to top off the glasses and empty the decanter. Can I blame the wine for not having a good showing? My last one too :( — 6 years ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
The Bedrock Heritage Sonoma Valley Red Blend 2015
Has gone to sleep a little since last year. I’ll give my other bottle a couple years hibernation. — 6 years ago
Château Brane-Cantenac
Grand Cru Classé en 1855 Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
I have a six-pack of this 05. I thought after 10 years in bottle, it would be interesting to check in on its evolution. While tasty, I’ll wait another 8-10 to open another. Even after 2-3 hours in the decanter, it’s still a very young adolescent. On the nose, slightly sour blackberries & dark cherries, dark currants, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, anise, whiff of spice, steeped tea, dry stones, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, caramel, vanilla with fresh & dry red florals. The body is thick & full. Tannins are starting to round out. It’s velvety on the palate. The fruits are; bright, fresh & ripe and really show the greatness of the 05 vintage. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, baked strawberries, cherries, raspberries on the long set, dark spice, clay & loamy dry top soil with crushed rocks, dry stones, cigar with ash, graphite, dry stems, slight herbaceous character, mint, used leather, clove, caramel, vanilla, fresh & dry red florals with violets. The round acidity is about perfect. The structure and length are still strong. The balance is in harmony. As for the long finish, it’s lush, ruby, rich and well polished. Photos of; Chateau Brane Cantenac, large wood vats, Henri Lurton and Estate vines. Producer notes and history...Chateau Brane Cantenac began in the early 17th century. At the time, the estate was known as Domaine Guilhem Hosten. Even that far back, wine was produced from the property. In fact, the wine was so highly regarded it was one of the more expensive wines in Bordeaux. It sold for almost as much money as Brane Mouton. This is interesting because of who went on to buy the vineyard in the 1800’s. The Baron of Brane, also known as “Napoleon of the Vineyards”, purchased the Chateau in 1833. At the time of the sale, the estate was called Chateau Gorce-Guy. To get the funds needed to purchase the Margaux vineyard, the Baron sold what is now called Mouton Rothschild, which was at the time of the sale, known as Chateau Brane-Mouton. Not such a good move with hundreds of years in hindsight! In 1838, the Baron renamed property taking his name and the name of the sector where the vineyards were located and called it Chateau Brane Cantenac. The Chateau later passed to the Roy family, who were well-known in the Margaux appellation in those days, as they owned Chateau d’issan. Moving ahead to 1920, the Societe des Grands Crus de France, a group of merchants and growers that owned several chateaux located in the Medoc including; Chateau Margaux, Chateau Giscours, and Chateau Lagrange in St. Julien, purchased Chateau Brane Cantenac. Five years later, M. Recapet and his son-in-law, François Lurton, took over Brane Cantenac along with Chateau Margaux. Lucien Lurton (the son of François Lurton) inherited Brane Cantenac in 1956. Today, the estate is still in the hands of the Lurton family. Brane Cantenac is owned and run by Henri Lurton. After being given the responsibility of managing Brane Cantenac, it was under the direction of Henri Lurton that large portions of the vineyard were replanted. Vine densities were increased, the drainage systems were improved and the plantings were also, slowly changed. The vineyard of Brane Cantenac is planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and .5% Carmenere. Carmenere was used for the first time in the 2011 vintage. The only other Chateau I know that still uses Carmenere is Clerc Milon. The 75 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Brane Cantenac is essentially unchanged since it earned Second Growth status in the 1855 Classification. At least that is the case with the 45 hectares used to produce the Grand Vin of Brane Cantenac. Those 45 hectares are planted surrounding the Chateau. Those vines are located just in front of the Cantenac plateau and are the best terroir that Brane Cantenac owns. They have other parcels, which are further inland and much of those grapes are placed into their second wine, Le Baron de Brane. Those additional hectares can be divided into 3 main sections. Behind the Chateau, they have 15 hectares of vines on gravel and sand, 10 hectares across the road with sand, gravel and iron and a 13 hectare parcel with gravel called Notton, which is used for their second wine. The vineyard is planted to a vine density that ranges from 6,666 vines per hectare on the plateau and up to 8,000 vines per hectare for the vines located behind chateau, in their sandier soils. The higher levels of vine density are always found in the newer plantings. The terroir of Brane Cantenac consists of deep gravel, sand and clay soil. Experiments in the vineyards are currently looking at becoming more organic in their vineyard management. Today, more than 25% of Brane Cantenac is farmed using organic farming techniques. It is expected that over time, the amount of hectares farmed with organic methods will be increased. Brane Cantenac has gone through 2 relatively recent modernization’s in 1999, when they added began adding the first of their smaller vats to allow for parcel by parcel vinification and then again in 2015 when they completed a much more complete renovation of their cellars and vat rooms. While Brane Cantenac is a traditional producer, they are no stranger to technology as they were one of the first estates to embrace optical grape sorting machines. In very wet vintages, they can also use reverse osmosis. To produce the wine of Chateau Brane Cantenac, the wine is vinified in a combination of temperature controlled, traditional, 22 oak vats, 18 concrete tanks and 20 stainless steel vats that vary in size from 40 hectoliters all the way up to 200 hectoliters, which allows for parcel by parcel vinification. 40% of the fermentation takes place in the oak vats. The oldest vines are vinified in vats that are selected to allow for separate parcel by parcel vinification. The younger vines are vinified more often together in the same vats. However, the Carmenere is entirely micro-vinified, meaning that those grapes were completely vinified in barrel, using micro-vinification techniques. This can also happen because the amount of grapes produced is so small. Some vats can be co-inoculated, meaning they go through alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation simultaneously. At Chateau Brane Cantenac, malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of French oak tanks and barrels. The wine of Brane Cantenac is aged in an average of 60% new, French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. The initial 2 months of aging is done with the wine on its lees, which adds more depth to the wine. There second wine is Le Baron de Brane. Le Baron de Brane is not new. In fact, previously, the second wine went under the name of Chateau Notton, which took its name from one of the main parcels where the grapes were planted. During the late 1950’s and into the 1960’s, having a second wine was important as the estate declassified 3 vintages, due to extremely poor, weather conditions in 1956, 1960 and 1963. Production of Chateau Brane Cantenac is about 11,000 cases per year. — 6 years ago
James Forsyth
All Green Everything from Other Half is a terrific hazy IPA. It was streets ahead of others when it first came out. Now it probably lacks a bit of the finesse of some of its peers but still has tons of depth a nuance. A reference point and always a pleasure. — 5 years ago