2004 Az. Agr. Mario Giribaldi Barbera d’Alba ‘Vigne Gerbole’

Mission Codename: Tre Generazioni di Tradizione

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Acquire a traditional Italian Barbera from the Piedmont

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Azienda Agricola Mario Giribaldi

Wine Subject: 2004 Barbera d’Alba ‘Vigne Gerbole’ DOC

Winemaker: Mario Giribaldi

Backgrounder:

Barbera, the third most planted varietal (after Sangiovese and Montepulciano) in Italy finds its most classic expression in the Piedmont and specifically in Asti and Alba. The finest Barbera is grown in specific single vineyard crus surrounding those communes. Italian Barbera comes in two basic forms, the tradizione, a more rustic old-world style and newer more fruit forward styles similar to the Barbera that is grown in California. Sadly, Barbera is often passed up as a lesser varietal but when done well, these wines show their classic Italian heritage and character.

Today’s selection from Azienda Agricola Mario Giribaldi is a single vineyard cru from Alba and is made in the traditional method.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep purple (almost magenta) with garnet and violet hues that glisten through its dark clear core. Along the edges, this wine fades from ruby to pick with a slight brickish tint. Slow thin legs appear discretely along the edge of the glass when this wine is swirled.

Smell – Medium in intensity, well developed and slight rustic in character with aromas of almost candied, but not too sweet, Italian black cherry layered over black licorice. Toasted oak with vanilla and other sweet woods and a touch of floral violet add to the fragrant nose of this wine.

Feel – The initial attack of this medium-bodied wine is dry with firm finely-etched tannins and bright acidity. A spicy kick hits mid palate and lingers through to the finish. As this wine opens, the tannins, acid and spice mellow dramatically.

Taste – Bold and complex with Italian black cherry as well as tart raspberry, black licorice and cayenne pepper, who’s presence is felt more than its tasted until it softens. A touch of vanilla toasted oak, bramble brush and berries and a hint of tobacco also emerge as you explore this wine.

Finish – Medium long in length with lingering spice and cherry that fades cleanly with notes of toasted oak, dark berries, and tobacco.

Conclusion – What we love most about Barbera, even the traditional-styled ones, is that there is a certain purity of fruit that is present in the wine. Straightforwardly delicious, rich and bold, juicy but not overly sweet; perhaps commonplace at local Italian restaurants, but hey when in Italy… Today’s selection from Mario Giribaldi is a welcome addition to your forays into Italian cooking or simply if you need a mental vacation to the Piedmont.

Mission Report:

The last time I saw Baco, she handed me a parcel at the Foligno train station parking lot as she speed off on her Vespa. I thought I heard her laughing, but couldn’t confirm my suspicions.

Only until I had opened the parcel she gave me and read her note, did I catch a glimpse of her passion for wine. Baco was a deep cover operative and was skating on the thin ice with a few of the wineries we had under surveillance.

HQ was deeply concerned that she had been compromised and after redacting the contents of her note, sent me back to check on her. It was a previously scheduled sojourn, but still, tension was high. We couldn’t figure out how Baco was finding such great wine values. Was she on the take? It didn’t matter to me, for the ends justified the means. As long as she kept producing great wines, I was happy. HQ on the other hand…

Arriving in Torino at spring time is a treat in itself, having Baco meet me at the station with some Torrone, my favorite nougat candy, is heaven. Still short on conversation and this time in a dumpy Fiat he headed south to the village Alba where we met Mario Giribaldo, the third generation of family winemaker and proprietor of the Azienda Agricola Mario Giribaldi. Tasting flights of their wine was, dare I say, sinful. The wines were all delicious. The tradizione styled single vineyard cru Dolcetto d’Alba and this Barbera d’Alba stood out. (look for the Dolcetto to be featured inthe future.)

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the approximate location of Alba in Italy’s Piedmont can be seen in this satellite photo.

2006 Fess Parker Winery Ashley’s Vineyard Chardonnay

Mission Codename: Western Influence

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Acquire a superb Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Fess Parker Winery

Wine Subject: 2006 Ashley’s Vineyard Chardonnay

Winemaker: Blair Fox

Backgrounder:

The Sta. Rita Hills AVA, located within Santa Barbara County and almost entirely in the Santa Ynez Valley was established in 2001 and is considered one of California’s best regions for growing the Burgundian varietals of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay due to its cooler climate. The AVA’s weather is heavily influenced by cool coastal breezes and persistent Pacific fog. Just less than 200 acres in the AVA are under vine. Interestingly, the name of the appellation was changed from Santa Rita Hills to Sta. Rita Hills so as to not conflict with Chilean powerhouse winery Vina Santa Rita.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Light straw-yellow with gold and slight orange-honey hues through the clear core. Slow thin legs cluster and fall gracefully along the edge of the glass when swirled.

Smell – Fragrant aromas of lemony citrus, pineapple and other tropical fruit balanced over a sweet hint of baking spice and vanilla. A toast of toasted oak and sweet kettle corn round out the fresh redolent nose of this wine.

Feel – Medium bodied and dry, the initial attack is cool with bright acidity and a touch of spice that is balanced over a rich, slightly weighty creaminess that hits mid palate and lingers through to the finish.

Taste – Classic flavors of rich, sweet and tart citrusy lemon meringue; tropical pineapple and tart Anjou pear are well integrated with a touch of vanilla and sweet baking spice and hints of toasted oak.

Finish – Clean, balanced and lingering tropical fruit, sweet vanilla and spice and a touch of oak that fades effortlessly and invites another sip.

Conclusion – The 2006 Fess Parker Winery Ashley’s Vineyard Chardonnay is a lovely and extremely well balanced Chardonnay. Not overly oaked – nor a butterball – This wine has the slight aroma of sweet kettle corn that contrasts with with the bright tropical fruit and the sweet vanilla and baking spice over the hints of oak makes this wine both complex and elegant. Perfect for food pairing or enjoying all by itself. An excellent example of a California Chard that can rival its Burgundian brethren.

Mission Report:

When I was a little Agent, my father took me on a journey through my family history. It was rife with intrigue, unsavory characters, artists, criminals, tales of fortunes won and lost – and even actual spies, and even an honest-to-god (only) horse thief.

My fathers father, a gentleman professor of romance languages and a student of history, had traced our roots back many generations. The generations which fascinated me the most were those that occupied early American history. The distant relative that held the most fascination was Daniel Boone.

American Folk Hero, explorer, businessman, military man and woodsman, it was Boones role in extending American civilization and his moniker, ”the Columbus of the woods”, that interested me most about the man. Or at least the popularized versions of the man. I became an avid student of the Disney series, Daniel Boone, and even took to wearing a coonskin cap. Granted, I was 6 years old.

Many years hence I became a Wine Spy, blazing trails of my own with Wine Spies co-founder, Agent Red. Red suggested that we were pioneers and that comment triggered memories of long-ago relative, Daniel Boone. A few days later, I rented the Disney series and, as I was watching the credits, spotted a name familiar to me from the wine industry, Fess Parker! Fess played played Daniel Boone in the Disney series of the same name.

This revelation led me to call on the winery immediately, declaring to them excitedly that I was ‘related’ to them. When I explained myself, I was met with a somewhat quizzical chuckle. Apparently, they felt that my claim was a bit of a stretch. Imagine that!

Long story short, I made an appointment with the winery, to taste their wines – and I fell in love. Their 2006 Ashley’s Vineyard Chardonnay was particularly wonderful and, right then and there, I secured a cache for our Operatives. With fruit from the Sta. Rita Hills appellation, this wine strikes a great balance of serious, fun and sincere – just like Fess Parker himself.

As for Daniel Boone, while he was not perfect by any means, he did blaze trails and he did make important discoveries – just as I try to do with the wines that I spy for you every day, dear Operative…

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Fess Parker Winery in Santa Barbara’s famous Foxen Canyon can be seen in this satellite photo.

2005 Etude Wines Carneros Estate Pinot Noir

Mission Codename: Att-Etude!

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Infiltrate the Etude Winery and recover an ample quantity of their fabled 2005 Carneros Pinot Noir

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery:Etude Winery

Wine Subject: 2005 Pinot Noir Carneros Estate

Winemaker: John Priest

Backgrounder: The Carneros region, which straddles Napa and Sonoma Counties, is famous for producing incredible wines. Particularly Pinot Noir. Today’s Etude Carneros Pinot is the best we have tried from them! Agent Red was dispatched to investigate today’s wine and you can read his tasting profile and mission report to learn what makes today’s wine so special

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – This pretty wine has the appearance of dark pomegranate juice, changing color from ruby red to slightly pinkish only at the edges of the wine. When swirled, the surface of the wine appears tight and springy but settles quickly, leaving behind a unique staircase of evenly-spaced, skinny legs that emerge slowly and then streak down the glass

Smell – An opulent and lush rush of layered raspberry, strawberry, and cherry, with earthen oak, soft spice and soft minerals

Feel – Plush and soft with a velvety roundness, across the entire palate. After a moment, the wine grips in at the tip of the tongue as medium tannins emerge, also drying the inside the cheeks and lips with a soft minerality

Taste – Complex and delicious, presenting a Burgindian character with, dark cherry, black tea, smoky raspberry, earth, soft spice and softer oak

Finish – Ultra long, starting slightly tart and dry – then, sweet dark-flavors and a gentle minerality emerges as flavors tail off slowly

Conclusion – Etude declares that this wine is styled Burgundy, but with California roots. This is an apt description, but its not the complete story. This wine is lush and delicious, with a ton of character that is a great wine for those in search of a serious french-stlye Pinot Noir – without sacrificing the delicious fruit of a Cali. This wine show a beautiful balance between the two, with lush flavors that are complimented by the bright Carneros fruit of Etude’s estate vineyards. With enough character to drink on its own, this wine also possesses a bright acidity that makes it a great compliment to most fine meals.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Etude Estate vineyards and winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2006 Stags’ Leap Winery Gypsy Camp GSM Blend

Mission Codename: Dancing with History

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Find a unique GSM Blend that Rivals the best of the Southern Rhone

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Stags’ Leap Winery

Wine Subject: 2006 Napa Valley Gypsy Camp

Winemaker: Kevin Morrisey

Backgrounder:

For those that visit us often you know how mush we love the wines from France’s southern Rhone region, and specifically those from Chateauneuf-du-Pape (CDP). These wines, always unique blends of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre (GSM) as well as up to ten additional varietals (and in a few cases purely varietal Grenache) not only highlight the distinctive characteristics of each grape but also have distinctive ties to each’s farm’s Terroir. This tie tot he land and tradition is, sadly, was is often missing in domestic GSMs.

About a year ago we had the opportunity to taste the previous vintage of this unique wine and we begged to feature it for our operatives. Sadly, the winery was unable to provide an allocation so when this vintage was made available we jumped at the opportunity. Its important to not that the 2006 vintage is totally unique and a completely different encepagement from the 2005 vintage.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep and dark purple with deep garnet hues that fade ever so slightly along the edges to a slightly lighter shade. When swirled, this wine leaves medium thick legs of varying, but generally slow speed along the side of the glass.

Smell – Highly redolent ripe dusty spiced red and black cherry along with other dark fruits that are laid over aromas of exotic spice, toasted oak with vanilla hints and a floral violet component.

Feel – Rich, smooth and dry, this full-bodied wine has fine grained, medium-firm tannins with a light zesty acidity that doesn’t overpower the generally well balanced and plush mouth feel of this wine.

Taste -Jam packed and almost meaty black-fruit (black cherry and blackberry) and plum backed by toasty oak with a touch of smokey tobacco and mocha. A touch of baking spice and a tiny hint of earth and fennel emerge under further exploration.

Finish – Long vibrant spiced dark fruit with a touch of oak that fades into plum, dark chocolate and cigar tobacco as this wine lingers and invites another sip.

Conclusion – If you are a fan of Rhone style wines then the 2006 Napa Valley Gypsy Camp is ideal. This wine is truly unique and brings a modern new-world approach to the more traditional Chateauneuf-du-Pape styles with each component varietal showing its character but the blend itself uniquely wraps up those components into a rich, fruit-forward style with plenty of spice and complexity.

Mission Report:

Below is our original mission report when we first discovered Stags’ Leap Viognier:

I have become a real fan of blind tasting. Tasting a wine, without knowing who makes it, is a great practice. It evens the playing field and makes the judging of the wine far more fair.

When considering today’s wine, I was faced with my own preconceived notion of the wine – especially of the brand. Stags’ Leap Winery is one of those almost mythic brands that just scream quality. Want to buy the good Stags’ wine? You don’t have to research your options overly; Just pick your favorite varietal and be virtually assured that you will enjoy the wine.

Because of this bias, I decided to taste blind. I pulled two other Viognier bottles from my secret stash and placed all three bottles into paper bags. Then I grabbed Agent Sparkle and we headed down to our favorite local wine bar to enlist the help of the owner and whatever customers we could wrangle.

Once there, we had one of the servers open the bottles and mix them up, and the bottles were marked ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’. Another server poured. In all, there were 8 of us tasting the wines. The other Viognier in the tasting were all respectable in their own right, so the judging would be as fair as possible.

After we had tasted all three wines, a clear and immediate winner seemed to emerge. One of the wines brought the most smiles and positive comments, but we had to be sure. We assigned a point value to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and each of us awarded points to our ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ wines. We enlisted the help of a non-drinking customer in tallying the points.

The ‘C’ wine was the overwhelming winner. When I grabbed the bag that contained our ‘C’ selection, I knew immediately what was inside. The distinctive voluptuous shape of the bottle told me that our winner was the 2007 Stags’ Leap Viognier! I slowly pulled the bottle out and then gently set the bottle on the table. There was a moment of contemplative silence – and then actual applause broke out. What a great moment and what a great wine!

We hope you enjoy this beauty as much as we have. Cheers!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Stags’ Leap Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2006 Hans Fahden Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Cuvee

Mission Codename: Shout it from the mountain top

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Respond immediately to reports that Wine Spies Operative favorite, Hans Fahden, has relased its next vintage of its delicious Mountain Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon!

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Hans Fahden Winery

Wine Subject: 2006 Mountain Cuvée 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Israel Montanez

Backgrounder: The 2003 Hans Fahden Cabernet Sauvignon was one of the most popular Cabs we featured in 2007. Today, we are honored to be the only source for their superior 2006 which is, for the first time, made from 100 % Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep dark garnet with dark purple hues and deep garnet edges showing the wines concentration out to the edges with the glass. The wine has a slightly inky core and super-skinny legs that ring the glass after the wine is swirled

Smell – Bold and lush, with juicy black cherry, dark chocolate, ripe blackberry and cassis, layered atop cedar shavings, plum, herbal pepper and anise, with wisps of spice, earth and eucalyptus

Feel – Soft and light-weight on entry, then slightly dry, fine and firm tannins show this wine’s solid structure, and hints of slate round out the wine with a soft minerality that is felt at the edges and back of the palate

Taste – Bold and rich, intense and delicious, this wine begins with flavors of black plum, black cherry, smoky blackberry and other red fruits. These classic Cabernet flavors are well integrated with additional flavors of softest cedar, dark chocolate, salt licorice and eucalyptus

Finish – Long and mouth coating, clean with lingering black fruit, minerality, structure and soft spice

Conclusion – The 2006 Hans Fahden Mountain Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon is a truly exceptional wine. We went crazy for the 2003 and 2004, and this vintage shows that Hans Fahden has learned from their experience and has perfected their winemaking prowess. More lush and integrated than previous vintages, this wine is more delicious and has a more opulent feel. We still feel that the wine is under-priced, making it an exceptional value, and we give the wine our heartiest recommendation

Mission Report:

What follows is our original mission report, in which Agent Red first discovers Hans Fahden’s exquisite wine:

: : San Francisco, California : : Fort Mason : : Family Winemakers of California Tasting event : :

With more than 400 wineries and only two days to taste, I needed to employ my best strategic planning skills. There was simply no way I would be able to taste everything available to me.

Central Command had compiled a list of High Priority Target wineries, and I was tasting wines of all varietals and in all price ranges. Most of them good to great, and only a few real stinkers.

During the latter half of my second day, I initiated the final phase of my tasting which had me tasting only the highest end wines available. This was a phase I was looking forward to and after giving my palate a much needed rest, I reentered the pavilion like a man on a mission. Oh, yeah, I really was on a mission!

After tasting 2 or 3 really superb wines (you’ll enjoy learning of these in a future report), I spotted on of my newest assets, Codename ”Shank”, chatting at one of the winery tasting tables.

Shank, so named for his passion for golf, is a wine industry insider. He works for a leading wine industry technology provider and hails from a winemaking family.

I walked over to the table and Shank introduced me to Karen Fahden of Hans Fahden Vineyards. Karen immediately poured me a glass and I took it for a swirl. I was instantly wowed and I explained that I had been seeking out $50+ wines. I thought that this one would fit right in and I asked Karen if the was $50 – or more. I was shocked by her answer. Karen explained that she gets that reaction a lot.

Right there at the table, I negotiated a nice quantity of bottles for our Agents. Any wine that drinks like a $50 bottle but costs less than half that deserves our best attention.

Winery Backgrounder:

The Fahden vineyards and winery consists of 100 acres. It is located at 1200 feet, in a range of the Mayacamus Mountains, on a ridge above Calistoga, California. The property features panoramic views of Mt. St. Helena.

Hans and Marie Fahden, natives of Hamburg, Germany, purchased the property in 1912. They farmed the land growing grapes until the Prohibition was enacted in 1920. After destroying the vines that they had worked so hard to plant and tender, the family planted prunes.

Sixty years and two generations later, Antone and Lyall Fahden decided they liked Cabernet Sauvignon better than prunes and a new journey began to restore the land and make it productive. From 1982 to 1984, the family went to work, planting three vineyard areas. Separated by volcanic outcroppings and forests of Douglas Fir, these vineyards are now interspersed by picturesque ponds and a beautiful wine cave, which was tunneled into a formation of four million year old volcanic ash.

The Hans Fahden Winery became bonded in 1986. The first bottle of wine, which was produced from the 1987 vintage, was sold in 1992. The Hans Fahden Winery became licensed to conduct public tastings in 1996. Today, the Winery produces incredible award-winning wines that please the pallet and the pocketbook.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Dry Creek Valley can be seen in this satellite photo

2006 Mounts Family Winery Dry Creek Valley Syrah

Mission Codename: The Great One

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Infiltrate the Mounts Family winery, and procure their most popular wine, their delicious estate Syrah

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Mounts Family Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2006 Petite Sirah

Winemaker: David Mounts

Backgrounder:

The popularity of Syrah is undeniable. Big and bold in flavor and texture, it packs a concentrated punch of flavor that many people love. This Rhone varietal, although many believe that the grape originated in the Persia region, is 100% French in lineage. The Syrah grape is directly descendant from the Monduese Blanche and Dureza varietals and is grown worldwide with great success. Today’s delightful Syrah is a bold delight with original flavors, deep aromatics and a ultra-fine mouth feel.

Today’s Syrah hails from the Mounts Vineyard is Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley. The Dry Creek Valley across the Russian River from Alexander Valley has a generally cooler and wetter climate which makes the growing season longer and more flexible than neighboring appellations.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep dark purple with a darker inky core. Deep purple concentration of color to the edges with a fast-moving surface that, when swirled, leaving behind slow-moving, tightly-packed chubby legs

Smell – Bold intensity with flavors of ripe and jammy blackberry and smoky blueberry tart with raspberry layered over hints of toasty and vanilla oak, dark mocha and a touch of savory spices.

Feel – The full-bodied wine is deep, rich and well-balanced. Easy acidity and fine grained medium tannins make this wine easy to drink and compliments its plush flavors.

Taste – Luscious ripe and concentrated black and red fruit including blackberry, bright red cherry, raspberry and plum, nicely integrated with earthy components, spice, black olive, mushroom and dark chocolate

Finish – Long and rich with lush, lingering flavors of earthy fruit and spice that are well supported by the wines fine grained tannic structure

Conclusion – A brilliant and delicious offering from our good friends, the Mounts. David shows off generations of family farming and winemaking experience with this solid and uncompromising Syrah from his family estate vineyards. With deep fruit that is balanced against earthy spiciness, this wine has great structure, making it a fun and easy wine to drink – without losing its big character. Pair this wine with anything you might throw on the BBQ. We enjoyed ours with blackened blue cheese and bacon burgers. Delicious!!

Mission Report:

What follows is a recap of our initial mission to Mounts Family Winery, wherein we refer to the Mounts Zinfandel which we featured last month. While that was an excellent wine, we like today’s Syrah even better

It was a warm and beautiful morning. The temperature was close to 70 degrees and the sky was a perfect clear blue. It was a typical spring morning in the Dry Creek Valley. If only it was Spring! It was, in fact, the beginning of January where, even here in California, we should be experiencing cooler temps – and our share of vine-sustaining rains!

Agent Syrah was with me on another training mission. For this one, he led the mission to Mounts Family Winery. I had given Agent Syrah the directive of locating a superb California Zinfandel. I gave him free reign, allowing him to choose the region and winery.

Almost immediately, he came up with a winery.

“What do you have,” I asked.

“Mounts. 06. Estate Zin. DCV. Intel suggests a classic DCV, ripe, lush, balanced. 400 cases.”

“Very good. Next steps?”

“I would suggest a direct infiltration. No extended surveillance. Proceed immediately.”

With that, we made our way to mounts.

After a drive through the beautiful Dry Creek Valley, we found ourselves at the bottom of a long uphill driveway. the drive led through pristine hillside vineyards, eventually leading us to the winery at the crest of the hill.

As we parked, a woman approached. Agent Syrah said, “Lana Mounts. General Manager and wife of David Mounts, the winemaker.”

If I was not already impressed, I was now. Agent Syrah was shaping up to be a fine Wine Spy.

Agent Syrah took command, introducing Lana to me as though he already knew her, and I was someone she needed to know. He cut right to the chase, explaining that we had been investigating her winery – and that we were here to evaluate and – if we loved their wines – appropriate Mounts Family wines for our Operatives.

Lana took us to here wine cave and we were soon joined by her husband, David Mounts. We tasted through their wines and we were very impressed. I gave Agent Syrah the signal and he quickly negotiated for a quantity of today’s excellent Mounts Family Estate Zinfandel.

If you ever find yourself in the Dry Creek Valley, stop in to Mounts for a tasting. The vineyards are beautiful, the people a pleasure to hang out with – and the wines are really wonderful.

Finally, be sure to keep an eye out for Agent Syrah’s future missions. I have a feeling that this young spy is destined for greatness.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Mounts Vineyard in Dry Creek Valley can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset No. 69 – Pinot Noir Rose

Mission Codename: The French Connection

Operative: Agent Blush

Objective: Locate a Rosé that is great enough to satisfy the exacting tastes of our very choosy Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: LCB - by Jean-Charles Boisset

Wine Subject: No. 69 Pinot Noir Rosé

Winemaker: Jean-Charles Boisset

Backgrounder: Named ‘One of the Top 50 Powerbroker’s in the global wine business’, Jean-Charles Boisset grew up in wine. The family business, spanning multiple winemaking generations, was both playground and training ground for Jean-Charles. Today, he directs a thriving multi-continent wine busines that includes some of the finest wines from France and California. Today’s wine is a special project by Jean-Charles. His aim, to craft wines that are ”uncompromising personality – audacious, unique, mysterious, passionate [and] subtle”, has been stunningly achieved with today’s fine offering

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Brilliant dark pink, almost salmon in full sunlight. At the edges, this wine glints bright pink. When swirled, the wine looks soft and somewhat dense. When it settles, it leaves behind fast ropes of chubby legs that appear instantly and then streak down the glass

Smell – Deep and lush, complex, with layers of strawberry, soft rose petal, subtle rhubarb, pink grapefruit, and even a soft hint of California fruit forward Pinot Noir

Feel – Soft, round and satin-smooth with a gentle dryness that shows up slowly as the complexity of the wine is revealed

Taste – Tart strawberry leads off, followed by softest smoky cherry, bright cranberry, mellow pink grapefruit and, finally, tender rhubarb

Finish – Long and lingering with flavors that start sweet and then go slightly tart and dry as flavors gently tail off

Conclusion – This is an incredible rosé ! Served only in fine restaurants in the United States, I am thrilled to be able to bring it to you today. If you are a fan of delicious, complex and beautiful rosé , please do not miss out on this wine. I enjoyed a bottle with Agent Sparkle, who went absolutely crazy for it as well. Agent Red and White also flipped over the wine and that is really saying something; They are both notoriously picky (snobby?) about rosé wines. So, by unanimous decision, we declare this complex and brilliantly executed rosé a complete knockout! If you are looking for the perfect, non-boring, Summertime refresher, you’ve found it right here. Just be sure to stock up, because you can’t buy this wine anywhere else but right here – right now!

Mission Report:

Today’s mission was so Top Secret that the entire mission report has been redacted. Suffice to say, I, Agent Blush, was able to procure today’s wine when no other retailer on the planet could!

Happy Memorial Day from all of us at Wine Spies headquarters!

2004 Château Le Bouïs Cuvèe K (Corbieres AOC Syrah)

Mission Codename: Secret Formula ‘K’

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Revisit Château le Bouïs and acquire their elusive Cuvèe K

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Château le Bouïs

Wine Subject: 2004 Cuvèe K

Winemaker: Pierre Vialard

Backgrounder:

Corbières AOC, located near the town of Narbonne in the Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the most diverse appellations in all of France. The Languedoc-Roussilon is France’s largest wine producing region geographically and has over 100,000 acres under vine making it the fifth in total acreage. The variation in varietal which includes Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan among many more and the diverse Terroir and mild coastal climate leads to some of France’s finest yet mostly unknown wines.

Today’s selection is predominantly Syrah and was barrel aged for 12 months before bottling.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark and dense, and almost inky in quality and deep purple and almost black in color with garnet and violet hued edges and medium-thick legs that move evenly down the side of the glass.

Smell – Ripe and sweet black fruit with spiced black currant and touches of jammy bilberry and strawberry are layered over toasted and smokey oak with sweet exotic spice, a touch of toasty vanilla and mild cracked pepper notes.

Feel – Smooth and rich, this full-bodied wine has an almost creamy initial attack supported by medium firm ripe tannins and balanced acidity.

Taste – Plush and rich flavors of savory smokey and jammy dark fruit with plum and currants that are well integrated with complex sweet exotic spice, herbal anise toasted oak and a hint floral violet notes.

Finish – This wine finishes long with lingering ripe jammy and spicy fruit.

Conclusion – The 2004 Château le Bouïs Cuvèe K is a classic old-world Syrah with a most unique savory-spice jammy fruit with deep elegant complexity. Rich and plush on the palate and a lingering finish that shows this wine’s finesse. We recommend allowing this wine to open up for at least 30 minutes prior to enjoyment to let this wine’s complex flavors fully evolve. An excellent example of the region’s wine-making style.

Mission Report:

After our recent visit to France we were happy to have met several French families. This of course gives the double benefit of being able to visit great off the beaten path places while we traveled but also the joy of having our French friends visit us here in the United States.

Just recently we had a great visit by one of our new friends. Originally from northeastern France, these covert operatives now lived in the southwest, along the Mediterranean coast. While here we had the joy of take a short flight up and over the vineyards of Santa Ynez just after bud-break. It was one of those perfect Southern California days that perhaps is only topped by a perfect day in the south of France.

Not to be outdone, (and after the flight), we exchanged our impressions of the flight and a couple bottles. I had brought a bottle of a California’s classic, a delicious Reserve Syrah (recently featured), and they had brought today’s featured selection from Château Le Bouïs as representative of Syrah from the Languedoc-Roussillon.

While the wines were completely different in style, tradition, varietals and just about everything else, the one thing they had in common was the fact that there is no better way to toast good friends and share the good life than with a lovely bottle of wine.

A votre santé!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the seaside Château le Bouïs can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Three Clicks Wines Napa Valley Petite Sirah

Mission Codename: It just clicks

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Continuing our celebration of Women Winemakers, respond to intelligence reports that Three Clicks Wines’ winemaker, Danielle Devlin, has crafted an astonishingly great Petite Sirah. If true, secure the wine and an interview with Danielle

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Three Clicks Wines

Wine Subject: 2007 Petite Sirah

Winemaker: Danielle Devlin

Backgrounder:

Petite Sirah’s California roots dates back to when it was believed to be a close relative of the Syrah grape. Later it would be found to be genetically identical to the Durif, named for its after French discoverer François Durif who found that the varietal was a Syrah grape pollinated with Peloursin flowers. Its smaller berries with higher skin to pulp ratio leads to more intense flavors. Another benefit of the smaller berries are tighter clusters that are more resistant to mildew. Currently Petite Sirah is less popular in France and increasingly popular in the United States.

For today’s wine, Agent Red infiltrates Three Clicks Wine to procure their 2007 Petite Sirah, a wine that is much sought after by the winery’s most ardent fans. Read Red’s mission notes and tasting notes below, for the full story on today’s wine – and then read Agent Sparkle’s interview with Danielle!

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep garnet with an inky Burgundy heart, a solid and tight looking surface, darkly concentrated purple edges and tightly-spaced legs that take a while to emerge – before they streak down the glass in thin columns

Smell – A big rush of jammy blackberry leads the charge, followed by blueberry, cassis, soft oak and clove, followed by tones of brown sugar, vanilla and black cherry

Feel – Soft and round on initial entry, light-weight at the very tip of the tongue – then a mid-palate grippy dryness makes a bold appearance, coating the mouth with chewy medium to big but still velvety tannins

Taste – Richly layered and highly concentrated flavors of dark stonefruit, jammy mixed dark berries, plum, black cherry, cassis, subtle licorice, soft cedar and oak, capped off with sweet forest floor

Finish – Dry and lush with big dark flavors that begins with slightly tart, and then go sweet as flavors tail off over a long time

Conclusion – Want to know how great this Petite Sirah is? I had to wrestle the bottle away from Agent Sparkle, just so I could pour a few ounces to finish this review! Why? Well, when she’s not enjoying a great glass of bubbly, Agent Sparkle is on the prowl for a great PS. Today’s Petite Sirah from our new friends at Three Clicks is so good that when our Agent Tasting Panel was convened, Sparkle snatched up the bottle after just one sip. At that moment, we knew that we had a winner on our hands. This particular Petite is quite special. Most Petite Sirah that we try are giants that coat the mouth, taking it over. This can make for difficulty in pairing with most foods. Today’s wine doesn’t exactly show restraint, its big and delicious, but it does have a feel and acidity that makes it easier to pair with. In summary, this is a wine of deep character and bold flavors, but it also has enough balance to make it food-friendly.

Special Note – This wine is made by a Double Agent Winemaker! In the course of our infiltration, we uncovered Daniell’s true identity. The Three Clicks label is a covert winery. She also makes wine for Napa Valley mainstay legend, [REDACTED]. At that winery, her name is actually Daniell [REDACTED]. We love the intrigue – and we love Daniell’s wines!

Mission Report:

To conclude our special Women Winemaker Week on The Wine Spies, we are proud to present Agent Sparkle’s interview with Danielle Devlin:

AGENT SPARKLE: What inspired you to become a winemaker?

DANIELLE: I fell in love with Winemaking after taking a class at the University of California at Davis my freshman year called “Introduction to Wine.” After one semester I was hooked and declared my major to Viticulture and Oenology. Since then I have never doubted what I was meant to do in life. Make great wine.

SPARKLE: How long have you been making wine?

DANIELLE: My first Harvest was in 1996 at what is now Artesa (back then called Codorniu). I was working in the lab performing analysis on all the juice and wine samples. It was fantastic.

SPARKLE: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

DANIELLE: I believe wine is made in the vineyard. If you don’t have good grapes, then you will not make good wine out of it. I am not a magician. I also believe that the vineyard, its location, and its microclimate determine the type of wine it will be. You can’t force a particular style out of a vineyard. My job as a winemaker is to bring out the best of the vineyard. Not try to force something out of it that it will never achieve.

SPARKLE: Who do you make wine for?

DANIELLE: For myself! I drink more of it than anyone else so I better like it. I just hope someone else does too!

SPARKLE: Do you think that women winemakers have an advantage over their male counterparts?

DANIELLE: Well… women do have more taste buds. That is a proven fact. Beyond that, the proof is in the bottle.

SPARKLE: What is the biggest obstacle you have encountered in your career, and how have you overcome it?

DANIELLE: The biggest obstacle is overcoming the stereotype that women are dainty and not strong enough to drag hoses, lift barrels, or move cases of wine. All things that I do every day in my job. Sure, I love it when someone offers to help me with a task. But I am perfectly capable of doing it myself. Thank you very much!

SPARKLE: Who is your favorite woman winemaker and why?

DANIELLE: Domenica Totty, Winemaker with Beaulieu Vineyards. She is young, successful, and making some Awesome wines for Beaulieu. An inspiration to anyone that wants to be a Winemaker. She can do it all. Red or white wine. She can make any varietal taste spectacular. That is a true talent and why she has gotten to where she is today.

SPARKLE: What is the one question that you would ask another woman winemaker – and what is your answer to that question?

DANIELLE: What is your favorite drink besides wine? I like beer… IPA’s, Belgium, or Dark beers like Guinness. Or a good Bloody Mary. The spicier the better.

SPARKLE: What is one piece of advice that you would give to a woman that is considering a career as a winemaker?

DANIELLE: If you don’t like being covered in grape juice, wine, or dirt everyday…then don’t be a winemaker. This job is not just about drinking wine on the patio, overlooking the Napa Valley, with a beautiful meal in front of you. It is hard work, physically demanding, and very intense. You have one shot to make the wine every year. That requires 12+ hours a day, 7 days a week, for over 3 months during Harvest. You will not see your friends, you will barely have time to go grocery shopping. But the end result is a fabulous glass of wine that you made. If you are willing to put up with all that, then you will be a great winemaker.

SPARKLE: In the eyes of consumers and the eyes of those in the wine business, is there gender equality among winemakers?

DANIELLE: Yes. There are more women winemakers out there than you think. You just need to look a little harder to find them.

SPARKLE: What is your current favorite wine?

DANIELLE: Anything Sauvignon Blanc. On a hot summer day a nice cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc with a crisp, clean, finish is just what I need.

SPARKLE: What was the last wine you drank and did you enjoy it?

DANIELLE: I drank a glass of an Old Vine Zinfandel Port. It was juicy, rich, jammy, and delicious.

SPARKLE: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

DANIELLE: The Three Clicks Petite Sirah goes with just about anything. But I would pair it with some nicely grilled vegetables. Eggplant or asparagus would work. Then throw your favorite meat on the grill. Anything will do. But get some good grill marks on it. Then drizzle a honey/soy sauce over the top. Finish the meal with a bit of chocolate covered strawberries. Delicious!

SPARKLE: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know. I secretly want to go back to school to become a painter. I love drawing and wish that I could create pieces of art with my own two hands.

SPARKLE: What is the one question that I should have asked you, and what is your answer to that question?

DANIELLE: What is the one thing I don’t like to buy at the super market that might surprise you? Grapes. I never buy grapes in the super market. I eat so many grapes during Harvest that I just can’t bring myself to buy them. It doesn’t matter what type they are, I just don’t like them!

2006 Wilson Winery Estate Reserve Zinfandel

Mission Codename: Backside of the Barn

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Find a delicious Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Wilson Winery

Wine Subject: 2006 Estate Reserve Zinfandel

Winemaker: Diane Wilson

Backgrounder:

Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley is a treasure trove of great wines, but it is Zinfandel that is king in this region. Zinfandel is one of our operatives favorite grape varietals, and for good reason, so many wonderful California wines are made from this varietal. Related to the Italian Primitivo grape and tracing its origin to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kastelanski, Zinfandel is one of the most versatile varietals with the ability to make wines, both rich to fruity, dark to light, and dry to sweet.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep and dark purple with garnet highlights that barely shine through this wines inky dark core. Slightly lighter along the edges and when swirled the color hands and then drops with alternating slow fat and fast thin legs.

Smell – Medium in intensity and aromatic in quality with dark bramble berries, mild cracked black pepper and hints of smokey tobacco, floral violets, herbal wild anise and mocha coffee.

Feel – An initially smooth and dry attack, this full-bodied wine’s ripe and plush tannins are supported on the back of the the palate with medium acidity and spice that balances its richness through its tanginess.

Taste – Dense and ripe dark red and black fruit including plum, briary blackberry and red cherry. The plush fruit is well integrated and layered over mild smokey oak, mocha coffee, herbal anise, a hint of earthiness and mildly spicy black pepper.

Finish – Long and smooth and rich with great fruit, spice and a touch of minerality and the lingering tanginess from the initial attack.

Conclusion – There is a reason that Dry Creek Valley is so well known for exceptional Zinfandel and today’s 2006 Estate Reserve Zinfandel from Wilson Winery demonstrates that reason. A lovely aromatic nose, smooth and rich but still with great structure, balanced deep fruit with complex layers of spice, earth and herbal notes and a finish that invites ever larger gulps. This wine is perfect for your next barbecue and will certainly cellar well for several years to come.

Mission Report:

In continuing with our special Women Winemaker Week on The Wine Spies, we are proud to present Agent Sparkle’s interview with Diane Wilson:

AGENT SPARKLE: Hi Diane. We are big fans of your wines and it is a pleasure to talk with you! Here’s my first question: What inspired you to become a winemaker?

DIANE WILSON: Ken and I had been growing grapes for several years and one of our contracts ran out, so we thought it was a good time to venture into making our own wines… and there is something very tempting about growing the grapes, picking them, and keeping them to make the wine and have a finished product; all the fruits of our own labor.

SPARKLE: How long have you been making wine?

DIANE: My first commercial vintage was in 1994 with a Reserve Cabernet. It won a Best of Class and a Gold Medal in the 2000 Sonoma County Harvest Fair, which was very exciting!

SPARKLE: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

DIANE: I make very big, bold, rich-mouth-feel style wines, making the most of what the grapes have to offer. I mostly use natural yeast, and let the wines come into themselves without fussing with them too much.

 

SPARKLE: Who do you make wine for?

DIANE: Myself! Wilson Winery is our family’s flagship winery, so the wines I make here are establishing our family heritage…

SPARKLE: Do you think that women winemakers have an advantage over their male counterparts?

DIANE: I don’t know…I think that many people have a good sense of smell and taste, and you finesse the wines you have made by using those senses. You also want a basic understanding of the chemistry what you are producing, and my science background definitely has helped…

SPARKLE: What is the biggest obstacle you have encountered in your career, and how have you overcome it?

DIANE: Marketing, making great wine is only one part of the wine business, you also need to sell the wine. When you are new and unknown, it is a lot of work to get your name out there and create a following of your wine.

SPARKLE: Who is your favorite woman winemaker and why? DIANE: That’s a tough question, there are so many out there, but who first comes to mind is Carol Shelton. She works incredibly hard both making her wine and putting herself out there in marketing world. She has an amazing palate and creativity to her.

SPARKLE: What is the one question that you would ask another woman winemaker – and what is your answer to that question?

DIANE: What is your favorite aspect of winemaking? For me it is harvest. Harvest is like a new year with all that unknown potential and anticipation of what the new grapes will bring – will this year be the best yet?

SPARKLE: What is one piece of advice that you would give to a woman that is considering a career as a winemaker?

DIANE: Take the opportunities afforded to you and learn all you can from everyone! Ask ten winemakers a question and you will get ten different answers, so you need that basic experience to figure out what path will work for you and your personal philosophy of winemaking.

SPARKLE: In the eyes of consumers and the eyes of those in the wine business, is there gender equality among winemakers?

DIANE: For me, I have to say I have only found only equality, I can even say I think being a women in this business has been a positive.

SPARKLE: What is your current favorite wine?

DIANE: My favorite wine can change from week, but right now I think my favorite wine is the 06 Reserve Zin, in fact it has been my “flavor of the month”, and this is not because you are featuring this wine.

SPARKLE: What was the last wine you drank and did you enjoy it?

DIANE: The last wine I drank was a wine I bottled just over a week ago called Wilson Family Red which is a blend from our different family named estate vineyards. It is comprised Zinfandel, Cabernet, Petite Sirah, and Syrah. I am very happy with how it turned out. This is a new wine for us, I think people are going to like it.

SPARKLE: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

DIANE: With the 2006 Reserve Zinfandel, I love to pair a portabella mushroom soup! The flavor pairings are really delicious…

SPARKLE: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know

DIANE: I was planning on going to medical school before I got caught up in the wine culture!

SPARKLE: What is the one question that I should have asked you, and what is your answer to that question?

DIANE: What is my favorite wine to make: It’s like children; I don’t really have a favorite, but every year a different one needs a little extra attention. I do have fun tinkering with each year’s Petite Sirah — we have such a small amount planted and it is so terroir-driven that we get something unique and different every year!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Wilson Winery in Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley can be seen in this satellite photo.