Joel Gott is a California legend and Gott’s Dillian Ranch Zinfandel is his most iconic offering. This month’s feature and first Top Pick is Joel Gott’s 2009 Dillian Ranch Zinfandel. Why? It has everything great Zinfandel needs to possess: plenty of deep down berry fruit, bramble, spice, and a beautiful patina of oak. It’s rich and satisfying, without being sweet or over the top. Gott deserves kudos for another outstanding offering from Amador County’s most renowned Zinfandel vineyard. The dry farmed Dillian Ranch Vineyard was planted between 1920 and 1948 and it offers considerably less than one ton of fruit per acre of superb fruit. So, come taste a bit of yesteryear and the best of today! This month’s second Top Pick belongs to Artesa’s stunning 2009 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir. Artesa has fashioned superb Pinot Noirs for nearly a decade, but winemaker Mark Beringer has hit a homerun with the 2009 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir. The 2009 Estate Reserve is big, balanced, and beautiful and most importantly richly endowed with savory scents and flavors. How could I resist? A votre santé!
A Dream Come True
For years I’ve heard colleagues and friends speak of the beauty of South Africa’s Winelands. Comments such as “the Western Cape is the world’s most beautiful wine country” and “you can’t imagine how beautiful Stellenbosch and the surrounding Winelands are”, have made me want to see for myself.
I have always dreamed of coming to South Africa. However, if truth be known, I had often wondered if some of the talk about the Cape’s beauty might be a bit of hyperbole. After all, I have been fortunate to have visited most of the world’s wine regions, and I have found each to exude a distinctive charm and give me pause to wonder. Burgundy, Germany’s Rheingau, Napa Valley, Provence, Tuscany, and Chile’s Colchagua Valley whose vineyards soar skyward on the majestic slopes of the towering Cordillera of the Andes, to name just a few special wine regions are all quite special and offer excellent photo ops. However, after visiting South Africa’s Western Cape to sample the wines of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, and Swartland, I must confess there is no more dramatic and stunningly beautiful wine region on earth than South Africa’s Western Cape.
A Votre Santé!
Don
What to Look for in 2012
South Africa is the world’s ninth largest producer of wine and in recent years, South African wine has become the fastest growing imported wine into the United States. Although hardly a match yet in sheer volume for Argentina, Australia, France, Italy, or Spain, there is no denying that South Africa is making an array of exciting wines that appeal to Americans. The South African wine industry has transformed itself since the end of Apartheid and continues to evolve in new and exciting ways. Not only is there now no shortage of world class red wines being made in South Africa, there is also a bevy of delectable white wines to choose from.
On my recent trip to the Western Cape, I was particularly impressed by the delicious Sauvignon Blancs, Chenin Blancs, Viognier blends, and even by a number of outstanding Chardonnays. Yet, red wine still reigns supreme in South Africa. Stellenbosch and the surrounding regions have long been known for distinctive, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz based wines as well as South Africa’s unique grape variety, Pinotage, and these wines are all better than ever. I also found a number of South African Merlot wines to be especially tasty. Consequently, in 2012 you should look for a number of South African beauties, both red and white, to show up at your doorstep.
A Votre Santé!
Don
Another Seasonal Thought
Conventional thinking tends to relegate Champagne and other fine sparkling wines to special occasions, late night parties, and New Year’s Eve. To that I say “humbug.” Champagne is a wine for all seasons, and since every day ought to be a celebration, why not pour yourself a glass of Champagne on a cold, rainy day as well as a warm, sunny day? Why limit the pleasure of good bubbly to a few occasions or just one time of the year? Furthermore, good sparkling wine, and Champagne in particular, cheers the heart as well as the palate.
Personally, I like Champagne at all times of the year, and I especially enjoy it as an aperitif and a prelude to a fun evening. It cleanses the palate and enlivens the soul. I believe it was Winston Churchill who once remarked, “In the time left to us between the disaster and the catastrophe, there is time for a glass of Champagne.” To that, I add Amen!
A Votre Santé!
Don
And The Winners are …
So today is the big day ladies and gentlemen – we’ve had a sweepstakes giveaway going on for the past month and today we unveil the grand prize winner! So without further ado, the grand prize winner of our Aromaster Wine Tasting Kit is … (intense drum-roll) … Barbara Newell! Barbara’s new kit includes 80 of the most common wine scents designed by wine professionals, an educational board game, and wine aroma wheels to help identify wine scents! Enjoy your new kit Barbara and Congratulations!
In addition to our grand prize, we’ve also randomly selected 50 of our other entries to receive a handy Wine-Aerating Pour Spout!
Here are the lucky winners:
Greg O.
Jessica N.
Tobi R.
Blake L.
Jack W.
Joanne L.
Nicole F.
Garrett B.
Terry H.
Mark D.
Mark A.
F. Pantoja
Kathryn V.
Kelley S.
Carla F.
Valerie S.
Tim H.
David E.
Ed W.
Lee S.
Debra F.
Derrick B.
Karen R.
Bob Y.
Jerry B.
Sue S.
Sue F.
Kurt F.
Michael S.
J. Ross
Cheri P.
Bruce T.
Rebecca H.
Bob W.
Andy H.
Claude K.
James H.
Chris C.
Amanda B.
Debbie L.
Maria W.
Susan M.
Al M.
Grace T.
Ally A.
Debby N.
Dan M.
Laurie A.
Tim K.
Jennifer L.
We just want to thank everyone for supporting our Facebook launch and for participating in our giveaway! Stay connected with our page to find out all kinds of good stuff like what’s going on with our club, and the wine world in general.
Cheers!
Tis the Season . . .
Annually, more than 40% of retail wine sales occur in the months of November and December. When one factors in holiday gift giving, parties, and general merry making, this robust figure begins to make sense … or does it? I sometimes wonder what people, and especially ardent wine drinkers, consume the rest of the year. Unfortunately, the answer is all too clear.
Most wine drinkers are on a budget and are understandably afraid to take a chance on an unfamiliar label. Consequently, they resort to purchasing inexpensive commercial brands of wine on sale. On rare special occasions they’ll splurge and buy an expensive bottle of wine with some degree of name recognition. Sadly, that expensive bottle of wine will likely be too young for present consumption, yet it will be consumed within a week of purchase. In essence, most people drink a label and a price tag and end up paying too much or too little for wine that fails to impress. Moreover, they deprive themselves of the many fine, affordable wines on the market that lay next to a label that everyone knows and can pronounce. In truth, fine wine can occasionally be had for as little as $10.00/bottle, and there is no shortage of outstanding offerings that sell for $15.00-$50.00 per bottle. These undiscovered treasures come from all over the world, and yes, indeed, their names will likely not be on the tip of everyone’s tongue. That’s a good sign. So this New Year, my sincere wish is that every wine drinker branch out to discover that hidden treasure.
A Votre Santé!
Don
78 year anniversary, and boy does it feel good!
Can you believe that the sale of alcohol was actually banned at one point? Glad it’s just a remembrance of what once was, but no longer is. We think this merits a toast ladies and gentlemen. Cheers to the good stuff!
