2008 Marschall Groom Cellars Barossa Valley Shiraz

Mission Codename: Very Well Groomed

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Secure a very limited allocation of a beautiful and bold Aussie Shiraz.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Marschall Groom Cellars

Wine Subject: 2008 Barossa Valley Shiraz

Backgrounder: South Australia’s Barossa Valley is the regions most important and oldest of wine-growing regions. Well known for its ‘pull not punches’ Shiraz, the region’s cool ocean breeze on an otherwise hot dry climate, dry limestone and clay soil and relatively flat aspect that ranges from about 800 to 2000 feet in elevation provides an ideal growing environment for Shiraz as well as Chardonnay, Semillon and Riesling.

While genetically the same as Syrah, this grape adopts its local character and Terroir to become distinctly Aussie in style. Incidentally, the name Shiraz comes from the capital of Fars (Persia) even though this grape traces its roots back to French breeding.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Extremely dark and dense, nearly black in color with garnet tints that show along the edges where the color pales just slightly. When swirled, this wine leaves clusters of fat chubby tears that hang on the glass before descending into thin legs.

Smell – Bold and redolent with aromas of ripe and sweet black and red fruit including blackberry, dark plum and raspberry are followed by notes of toasted and smokey oak, hot pepper, earthy undertones and black licorice.

Feel – Surprising smooth upon entry, this dry and full-bodied wine’s firm tannins grip at mid-palate and lasts into the first few moments of the finish. Well balanced minerality and a healthy dose of vibrant acidity keeps the fruit and feeling fresh and clean.

Taste – Abundant black and red fruit including plums, currants and red and black berries as found on the nose lead the way as the hot spice, earthy notes, toasted and smokey, almost graphite, oak flavors and black licorice all mingle. Adding complexity are a touch of cigar tobacco and savory meat and leather.

Finish – Medium long in length and clean in character with the hot spice and mineral texture lingering as the ripe and fresh fruit and tannins softly fades and invite another sip.

Conclusion – The 2008 Marschall Groom Cellars Barossa Valley Shiraz is a surprising well developed Shiraz considering its youth, Classic bold aromas and flavors coupled with a palate that is both sturdy and at the same time plush, smooth and approachable makes this wine easy to drink and enjoy. Its lively acidity and texture makes this wine nice for pairing, especially with just simple grilled cheese burgers.

Mission Report:

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WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Daryl Groom

WINE EDUCATION: Degree in Enology, Applied Science. Roseworthy Agricultural College, South Australia.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Winemaker owner of Groom Wines – Australia, DXG Wines – California and Colby Red Wine – California. Previous: Vice President of Winemaking Operations, Beam Wine Estates California. Senior Red Winemaker Penfolds, Australia.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: To make wines that taste great and that showcase the unique qualities and characteristics of the vineyards we own.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: Let the vineyards do the talking..

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: Groom Wines: 1998 Groom Barossa Valley Shiraz.

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Daryl. We are thrilled to be showing your 2008 Barossa Valley Shiraz today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

DARYL GROOM: Agent Red, this is my flagship wine and the 2008 vintage I absolutely love, one of the best Groom Shiraz’ I have ever made. I am really happy to be sharing it with your wine lovers.

WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

DARYL: You won’t believe it but at the age of 16 I was introduced Asti Spumante and became fascinated with wine ever since.

WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

DARYL: Being the Senior Red Winemaker for Penfold’s and being in charge of Australia’s greatest red wine, Penfold’s Grange, definitely influenced my winemaking style. It showed me 2 things. Firstly that great wine is made in the vineyard. When I tried to make many loads of grapes into Grange by waving my magic winemaker’s wand and doing all the tricks, only a few batches eventually made it. These were the grapes that had everything going for them before I even touched them. And secondly, I learned that even a big, rich powerful wine can be beautifully balanced.

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

DARYL: After 30 years of winemaking I am confident with my own abilities & definately know the wine styles I prefer. I make wines that I personally love; I have no other agenda. The key for me is again, in the vineyard. Only the best quality fruit will make the best quality wine. After that I work on making balanced, delicious, seductive wines that people love to drink.

WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

DARYL: I love this wine. The 2008 is our 10th anniversary Shiraz and 2008 was an awesome vintage. The wine is beautifully balanced with great tannin structure underlying the velvety texture. My wife’s favorite descriptor for this wine is “YUMMY!” The grapes come from our own vineyard in the Kalimna region of the Barossa Valley. We planted this vineyard in 1996. The land we purchased, surprisingly, is directly adjacent to Penfolds Kalimna Vineyard. During my era of making Grange, from 1984 to 1989, this vineyard was the mother source for this incredible, iconic wine. So the pedigree was there & it was a no-brainer for us to purchase land and plant our own vineyard. The soils in this area are unforgiving and produce low yielding vines with very small, intensely flavored grapes. We planted the vines on their own roots rather than commonly used rootstock to help maximize the quality.

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

DARYL: Being Australian, I love this wine with grilled rack of lamb, medium rare with a splash of cracked black pepper. And, by the way, it is also fabulous with a decadent chocolate dessert.

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Barossa Valley so special?

DARYL: It’s the people and the community 1st and foremost. Then it’s the great climate; ideal for growing Shiraz. The dry summers with plenty of sunshine and the ancient soils make for perfect for this grape variety.

WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

DARYL: Right now I am blending my 2010 Groom Shiraz and tasting through all the barrels of my 2011 reds. They are awesome. Black, rich and flavorful. I am also extensively walking my three vineyards and setting up the protocol for the 2012 growing season.

WHITE: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

DARYL: For my wines: With the biggest smile on their face they’ve ever had because they are going to love them! For wines in general: Always have fun and never feel intimidated because firstly, as winemakers, we make wines to be enjoyed in good times with friends and family, and secondly, because it’s your own palate and you know best what tastes good to you.

WHITE: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

DARYL: I am currently having one of the greatest times of my winemaking career with one of my Californian projects, making a new wine that was initiated and inspired by my 13-year-old son Colby. Colby had back-to-back open heart surgeries at the age of 8 and 9 and came up with the idea of Colby Red Wine that would raise money for charities that promote heart health. We have been quite humbled by the success and have raised an astonishing US$140,000 so far this year. For those interested our story, and our appearance on the Today Show, visit our website www.colbyred.com

WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Marschall Groom Cellars in South Australia’s Tanunda can be seen in this satellite photo.

2006 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cyrus Bordeaux Style Blend

Mission Codename: Held Back

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Send Agent Red back to Alexander Valley Vineyard to secure an allocation of their flagship Cyrus, a beautifully balanced Bordeaux-style blend.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Alexander Valley Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2006 Cyrus

Winemaker: Kevin Hall

Backgrounder: Alexander Valley in northeast Sonoma County is located on the western side of the Mayacamas range and extends westward to the edge of the Russian River Valley. This appellation was formerly considered a part of Dry Creek Valley but became its own appellation in November 1984. The region is best known for exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and, increasingly, Zinfandel.

Varietal Backgrounder: Bordeaux wines are usually a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet France, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere. In France, perfection is achieved with the perfect balance of these grapes. Today’s 2006 Cyrus is a masterful blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 4% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark burgundy hues, with even coloration, from core to edge. Wine coats the glass with color when swirled. After a moment, this coating coalesces into tall columns of skinny, wine-colored legs that run slowly down the glass.

Smell – Warm and sweet, with spiced blackberry, black cherry and brambly boysenberry. As the wine opens up, soft leather, chocolate and dried cranberry mingle with soft dried meats, black pepper and a hint of fennel.

Feel – Plush and softly grippy, at first, bright flavors, spice and medium tannins all come together to make your mouth water. After a moment, the palate dries slightly, leaving behind a softly flinty feel.

Taste – Bright red and black fruit mingle with spice, toasted oak, earthy dried leaves and black pepper. Fruits consist of wild strawberry, blackberry, black cherry and black raspberry.

Finish – Very long and bright, with sustained fruit and spice. Earthen flavors are revealed as fruit tails off. Dried leaves, minerals and black pepper appear at the very end.

Conclusion – We’ve had the great pleasure to featureAlexander Valley Vineyards several times over the last four years. Always, we have loved AVVs fantastic wines. For today’s wine, we were given free access to their wines – and we went right for the top. Today’s2006 Cyrus is AVVs flagship Bordeaaux-style blend and we are enamored with it. Bold, bright, spice and richly layered, today’s wine is delicious, complex and intriguing. With its bright and balanced flavors, this wine is an easy companion for a great meal. We paired ours with freshly grilled burgers with all the fixings. We give this wine a big Wine Spies recommendation.

Mission Report:

SUBJECT: Kevin Hall

WINE EDUCATION: I have a Master’s Degree in Enology from the University of California at Davis.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: 13 years at AVV, 3 years at Sebastiani

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Be passionate about wine and never take short cuts

WINEMAKER QUOTE: ”Don’t screw up the fruit.”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1998, Pinot noir

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Kevin Hall. We are thrilled to be showing your 2006 Cyrus today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

KEVIN HALL: I am always happy to be here, Red.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

KEVIN: My wife’s family was involved in the wine industry and it was a way to get closer to her.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

KEVIN: I worked for a winemaker in New Zealand named Rod McDonald. His passion for wine was contagious.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

KEVIN: For our wine-loving customers

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

KEVIN: 2006 Cyrus. A blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot The 2006 exhibits lush aromas of black cherry, plum, vanilla and a touch of mint. This big structured wine offers flavors of blackberry, cocoa and some rich mocha. The concentration makes this a wine that could easily
cellar for up to 20 years.

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

KEVIN: Red wine and mushroom risotto.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Alexander Valley so special?

KEVIN: The Alexander valley has extremely diverse soil types and the climate is a blend of coastal and inland influences. We can have temperature shifts of 50 degrees in the growing season which allows the grapes to ripen slowly.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

KEVIN: Barreling down the new vintage.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

KEVIN: Have fun and enjoy.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Alexander Valley Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

2005 RustRidge Winery Chile Valley Estate Zinfandel

Mission Codename: 2000 by 1000

Operative: Agent Red

Objective:Send Agent Red back to RustRidge Ranch and Winery, where he has been granted exclusive access to their private library. Sample their secret selections and choose the finest one for our deserving Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: RustRidge Winery

Wine Subject: 2005 Reserve Zinfandel – Napa Valley – Chiles Valley

Winemaker: Susan Meyer

Backgrounder:The Chiles Valley AVA is a very distinctive grape growing region the northeastern part of the Napa Valley. It is a small, narrow and very steep growing region that sits between St. Helena to the west and Lake Berryessa to the east. The region warm climate and well drained soils provide great growing conditions for Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes for today’s Gold Medal-winning wine was grown at 1000 feet above the valley floor.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep ruby hues, with a slightly darker core. Coloring is evenly concentrated, from core to edge. When swirled, the wine instantly leaves behind tight clusters of branching, wine-colored legs.

Smell – Vibrant red fruit, spice and bramble leap from the glass. Cherry, smoky blackberry jam, bramble bush, dried leaves, mocha and anise take the lead. These are underpinned by exotic spice, sweetwoods, cured meats and black pepper.

Feel – Instantly grippy on the attack and smooth across the mid-palate where it feels almost silky. Fine-grained tannins and a bright acidity give the wine a mouth-filling feel. As the wine settles onto the to palate, is takes on a chewy feel that is felt along the gums and lips.

Taste – Darkest cherry and smoky blackberry make a powerful initial appearance. These bold flavors merge with mocha, dried fall leaves, bramble, slate, spice and toasty oak. Black pepper shows off a piquant tang at the very end.

Finish – Very long and very flavorful, with black fruit yielding to red fruit and the wines earthen components of bramble, oak and spice. At the very end, these give way to slate and pepper notes.

Conclusion – This impressive Zinfandel is a dark, bold, mouth-filling wine that drives big fruit, spice and earthen components into a long, chewy finish. Once again, RustRidge impresses us their ability to craft great Chiles Valley Zinfandel. If you love big Zins, this one is sure to please. We loved how easily it paired with our exotic-spiced Shishkabobs, complimenting them, beautifully. Today’s 2005 Estate Reserve Zinfandel from our friends at RustRidge is a highly-recommended delight.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Susan Meyer

WINE EDUCATION: On the job while I took on RustRidge from Merry Edwards and Ken Rosemblum

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Always here at RustRidge

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Handle the grapes as little as possible and let the fruit shine through the wine.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: ”Wine with the spirit of a thoroughbred.”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1992

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Susan. We are thrilled to be showing your delicious 2005 Reserve Zinfandel today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

SUSAN MEYER: Thanks, Agent Red. It is good to be back with you, once again!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

SUSAN: Wine has always been a part of my life and RustRidge specifically since 1972

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

SUSAN: Kent Rosemblum

RED: Who do you make wine for?

SUSAN: The people – our fans

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

SUSAN: Our 2005 Reserve Zinfandel proves that a really BIG Zin can also be a well-balanced food wine. It has loads of delicious, juicy fruit, perfectly complemented by ripe tannins that give it backbone, which other big Zins just don’t have.

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

SUSAN: This is a Steak Zin. Drink it with a grilled Porterhouse and you’ll be amazed how perfect a food wine Zinfandel can be.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Napa Valley sub-appellation of Chiles Valley so special?

SUSAN: It’s the altitude and the soil. We’re about 1,000 feet above the Napa Valley floor, which gives us hotter days and colder nights. During the summer, we sometimes have a 40 degree difference from day to night! We get delicious, concentrated fruit flavors and ripe, grippy tannins from the heat and juiciness from the cold. The Chiles Valley soil is something really special. It gives a spice to our wines that nobody else has.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

SUSAN: I’m still very hands-on with the 2011 vintage. The grapes came in really late this year, so it’s going to be until January before I get a chance to rest at all.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

SUSAN: With good company, good food and a warm heart.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

SUSAN: The real passion here at RustRidge begins in our vineyards: by committing to both dry and organic farming, we’re allowing the most honest and true characteristics to shine through in each of our wines from the Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnays to varietal Cabernet Sauvignons and Zinfandels.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the RustRidge Ranch and Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2005 Cascina Bruciata Barbaresco Rio Sordo DOCG

Mission Codename: Wine Is A Devotion

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Secure an exceptional Barbaresco just in time for the holidays

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Cascina Bruciata

Wine Subject: 2005 Barbaresco Rio Sordo DOCG

Winemaker: Francesco Baravalle

Backgrounder:

The wines of the Barbaresco DOCG are made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes. Nebbiolo, native to the Piedmont in north-west Italy and cultivated in the region since the 13th century is generally a softer more elegant wine than its heavier brethren Barolo. The late ripening Nebbiolo is known to be highly influenced by various soil and vineyard conditions, with the wines from the best vineyard sites having sublime character.

The Nebbiolo grapes in this wine, considered the greatest of all Italian grapes, must be aged for a minimum of two years, of which one year must be oak or chestnut barrels. Barbaresco has exceptional aging qualities with the best wines having 40+ years of potential. Both Barbaresco and Barolo are considered to be among the finest wines in Italy.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dense and deep ruby red with a clear dark ruby core. Along the edges, the color shows a slightly paler deep ruby red patina. When swirled, slow fat tears hang before slowly descending into thin legs to the wine below.

Smell – Bold and masculine in intensity with classic aromas of spiced and earthy black cherry and other dark berries, toasted spiced oak, black licorice, a touch of complex herbal notes and a hint of rose and violet petals.

Feel – Bright and tangy on the initial attack with highly textured etched minerality, firm tannins and vibrant acidity. As with all Barbaresco, give this full-bodied wine time to open and you’ll be greeted with a smooth and sublime experience that is 100% pure Piedmont.

Taste – Bright tart and ripe black cherry and other dark fruit flavors are layered and well integrated with complex notes of spiced toasted oak, a touch of licorice, earthy undertones, soft green herbal and floral components and a touch of rich cigar tobacco.

Finish – Ultra long with this wines highly textured and sturdy tannins gripping onto the palate for seemingly minutes as the spiced and earthy black cherry and other complex flavors slowly fade and beg for another sip.

Conclusion – The 2005 Cascina Bruciata Barbaresco Rio Sordo DOCG, like the previous vintage we featured, is a truly exceptional example of the power and grace found in fine Barbaresco. This wine’s sublime aromatic complexity on the nose, depth on the palate is buttressed by its study but elegant structure. Certainly young to drink now (decant or let breathe for at least an hour), this wine will improve for at least a decade or more. Pair this wine with any classicPiedmonte cuisine, especially anything with truffles in it.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Francesco Baravalle

WINE EDUCATION: -Viticulture and Enology degree (2001 University of Turin)
-Sommelier degree (2008 Associazione Italiana Sommelier)

WINE JOB BRIEF: in addition to working in the Piedmont, I’ve spent three months in Margaret River (2003 Western Australia) and 4 years in Virginia making wine in the Monticello wine area (close to the city of Charlottesville).

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Apply the technologies to enhance and respect the personalities of each wine terroirs.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “wine is a devotion”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: Barolo Bricco Rocche Prapo’ 2003 (2007).

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

Below is our recent interview with Francesco when we featured the previous vintage of this exceptional wine.

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Francesco. We are thrilled to be showing your 2004 Barbaresco Rio Sordo DOCGtoday. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

FRANCESCO: Greetings to you!You are more then welcome, for me it is a great pleasure and honor to be part of this interview.

WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

FRANCESCO: My family in not into the wine business but I grew up going to vineyards during harvest time when my grandfather used to purchase grapes to make his own red wine. In addition, my dad is a great wine lover, so I’ve been educated to appreciate and respect wine.

WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

FRANCESCO: My stile is the Barolo and Barbaresco, I was born in Cuneo and I grew up surronded by this taste and flavors. I’m working now to understand more about this territory to get always the best expressions of it.

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

FRANCESCO: I make wine for Cascina Bruciata, a little family owned winery located in one of the most prestigious crus of the Barbaresco DOCG area, the Rio Sordo

WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

FRANCESCO: Barbaresco Rio Sordo Riserva 2004 is a wine that comes from a 45 years old vineyard located in the heart of the Rio Sordo. In 2004 the grapes where perfectly ripe and healty,the whole season was very balanced (sun vs rain) and the flavors we are aprreciating now are showing great elegance in a perfect balance with its mouthfull body. We realised this wine in 2009 after have been elevated for 24 months in french allier oak barriques, 1 year in stainless steel tank and 1 year in bottle. This wine can age in bottle for another 10 years easily.

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

FRANCESCO: A structured wine requests a structured dish, I think it pairs wery well with pre-braised piedmontese veal marinated and cooked in Nebbiolo based wine (Barolo or Barbaresco).

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Piedmont so special?

FRANCESCO: Each wine from this region shows a very distinctive personality due to the hilly landscape and the ancient origin of the soil. Even inside the same cru you can find different expressions of the same style. The Nebbiolo grape in this area shows the highest quality with its unique aromatic profile.

WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

FRANCESCO: We are a small winery, so I do pretty much everything the season requests. Recently I’m spending a lot of time travelling to promote and explain what our territory is about. Spending time with people allows me to learn a lot and to share this “devotion” that I have for wine.

WHITE: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

FRANCESCO: The beauty of wine is not only the sensorial experience of tasting it, it is about knowing the tradition and culture of people and territory behind it. We have infinite sources of info through the internet, so I think when we decide to discover a wine, it would be interesting and fun to get some info about where it is from.

WHITE: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

FRANCESCO: When we taste a wine we are exposed to traditions, lifestyle and taste; this is a great way to increase a lot our culture on people and territories. It is a lot of fun!

WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

FRANCESCO: You are very welcome, thank you for letting me introduce my wine and region.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Cascina Bruciata and its vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Farella-Park Vineyards ‘West Face’ Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Codename: New Heights

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Farella-Park Vineyards, who’s wines have so delighted and impressed our Operatives that they have been clamoring for more. Rendezvous with Tom Farellla and sample his wines. Retrieve his best, for our Elite Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Farella Vineyard

Wine Subject: 2007 West Face Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Tom Farella

Backgrounder:

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Darkest burgundy hues, with a darker, opaque heart. When spun, this wine appears heavy and rather solid. As it settles, pencil-point tears form high up on the glass, and then run very slowly downward.

Smell – Deeply aromatic, with fruit and spice that absolutely launch from the glass, delighting your sniffer with blackberry, blueberry, black tea, dry cured olive, Himalayan salt, licorice, dark chocolate and warm spice.

Feel – Plush and velvety, up front, then quickly grippy and mouth-filling with a crushed velvet feel at the mid-palate. Ripe tannins and a bright acidity add measures of complexity and elegance. After a few moments, a flavor-rich dryness spreads from the back of the palate to the lips.

Taste – Loaded with bold flavors, this delicious wine bursts forth on the palate with smoky blackberry preserve, black raspberry, cocoa dust, black cherry, toasted oak, exotic spice, subtle dried meats and a hint of black pepper.

Finish – Ultra long, with flavors that seem to sustain forever. Even as the wine begins to dry the palate, and black pepper is revealed, dark fruit flavors still remain.

Conclusion – This is another tremendous wine from our friend, Tom Farella. We are absolutly crazy about Tom’s wines, and this one is the best we have tasted, to date. 2007 was an exceptional year for California red wines, and Tom has wrought even more magic out of this impressive vintage. His 2007 West Face Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, bold wine that, despite its impressive dimensionality, does not overpower. Instead, we find this wine to have balance; It is both elegant and poweful. Drinking beautifully right now, we’ll be holding onto a few bottles for the next several years. It is sure to become even better!

Mission Report:
WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Tom Farella

WINE EDUCATION: UCDavis grad in Viticulture & Enology 1983

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Neyers, Flora Springs harvests 1980,1981, 1982. Winemaker Preston Vineyards 1983 – 1989. Harvest Domaine Carneros 1989, 1990, 1991. Harvest Farella-Park 1989, 1990. Harvest +, Domaine Jacques Prieur Meursault, France (Burgundy) 1989. Harvest Ponzi vineyards 1990. Vineyard work, Beaux Freres (Oregon) early 1991. Winemaker Farella-Park 1991 to Present.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Balanced wine with full, ripe flavors but just short of oaky, hot, tannic or syrupy qualities. Vibrancy. Age-worthiness.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: ”I like to make our wines so that they are mildly addictive, especially with food. That’s a testament to vibrancy and balance.”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: Farella-Park, 1985

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Tom. Welcome back! We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 Cabernet Sauvignontoday. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

TOM FARELLA: Sure! Happy to be back in the secret wine lair.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

TOM: It sounds corny but we took a family vacation to Burgundy when I was 12 and it really got my juices flowing – no pun intended. The concept of harvesting a farm product and transforming it into wine –- a finished product that you crafted, labeled and could later hand somebody – really intrigued me. The many disciplines required made it seem like a fascinating career. We were having a little wine for family occasions in the European tradition, at the time, so it wasn’t a foreign concept to aspire to a career in the industry. We also had a farming tradition on my mom’s side and I was a bit of a science nerd so the many facets were very compelling.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

TOM: I was exposed to French wines early on so the “balanced wine” world was the original template. Bruce Neyers, Lou Preston, Tom Dehlinger, Dick Ponzi and my dad kind of formed my attitudes.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

TOM: [poss answers: myself, consumers, wine reviewers, other?] We’re adamant to make wines that we drink and enjoy and not sell out by all the usual tricks – over-oaking, hot finishes, syrupy acid profiles, and the like. I can’t drink more than a glass of that style. Since we are in Napa Valley, many of the high scoring wines fit that profile but we are dedicated to balance and making wines that are invigorating and worthy of way more than a glass. Ours are not wimpy wines. Make no mistake about that, but they stay just shy of overblown.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

TOM: Our 2007 “West Face” Cabernet is from several blocks on our vineyard estate in the heart of the Coombsville area of Napa Valley. Our vineyard faces due west on a slope above the valley floor and gets bathed in afternoon sun right up to sunset. Over the years, we have noticed how the various blocks tie together to make the blend and the 2007 is a pure classic. All of my descriptors on this wine seem to have “black” in the name: blackberry, black olive, black licorice, dark chocolate. That’s just the vineyard talking.

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

TOM: Robust meals come to mind. I just barbecued some beef tenderloins the other day with salty bruschetta and grilled green beans. It was a match made in heaven. Robust pasta dishes are great, too. I have to admit I tend to break all the rules with wine and food pairing so I would drink this wine with almost anything. We had a 1997 version the other night at Oenotri in Napa and I had a delicate black cod dish with it. Yum!

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Napa Valley such a special place for Cabernet Sauvignon?

TOM: It blows my mind how delicate the balance is for growing any particular varietal. 2011 is a great case in point since we barely made it to full ripeness with the late Spring, and all. A few years ago, we were dealing with excessive heat. The bookends for a great wine region may not come for 20 years or more but we are seeing it a lot, recently. If you look at the Napa Valley on a relief map you can really see what a unique, special place it really is. Sonoma Valley shares many of the same attributes… but try to name 5 great Cabernets from there. There’s something about the daylight and nighttime hours of the day that is special. I have noticed that there is almost a “breathing” effect of the airflow in the Napa Valley that is quite unique. The hot air balloons ride these currents in the morning hours. Also, the soil profiles are quite special with the high degree of gravelly volcanic soils in the choice spots, especially closer to the east side of the Valley.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

TOM: Trying to stay current with all the changes in the industry over the years. The way wines are sold and consumed are so different than 20 years ago and the competition is fierce. As we wrap up the miniscule 2011 harvest, I have to shift into high gear on all the other fronts of the business since we are very small and I do most of the business, marketing and oversee the vineyard and our 56 acre property. It’s rare that I hire out to do that stuff, which is one of the reasons we can keep our prices in check. We also sell grapes to quite a few other artisanal wineries in Napa so I am also deep in that area. Lots of work in that area, too, to wrap up the vintage.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

TOM: I love when they just get into them and enjoy them with a meal, family, some friends. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion to enjoy a nice wine. Our wines hold up well after a couple of days of being open so it’s not a huge commitment, or anything The prices are pretty good, considering the quality and pedigree so I love it when we provide people’s “go-to” wine.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

TOM: We are in a special spot in the Napa Valley just a few miles from the ever-changing downtown Napa. We love to share what we’re doing (by appointment!) and it’s a breath of fresh air here, compared to the main arteries of the Valley. All smaller-lot wines are unique so we are just playing to our strengths and keeping it real. I know that sounds snobby but a visit will affirm what were doing and back it up. Wine can be a lifetime of study or as simple as “I like that” so don’t get overwhelmed. Just pull the cork and go for the ride!

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

TOM: Cheers!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Farella Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Random Ridge Cabernets – Cabernet Sauvignon / Cabernet Franc Blend

Mission Codename: Random Ratios

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Random Ridge and secure a sizeable cache of their 2007 Cabernets, a stellar Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc blend from Random Ridge

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Random Ridge

Wine Subject: 2007 Mount Veeder Cabernets – Cab Sauv / Cab Franc Blend

Winemaker: Bill Hawley

Backgrounder:

Mt. Veeder, located on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas range has a climate that is cooler than the valley floor below. This climate and the more difficult (less fertile) volcanic mountain soil influence the flavors of the wines from this region. Best known for Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder vineyards produce grapes of exceptional character and intensity.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark red cherry juice with deeply concentrated color, from edge to core. Spin the wine and it settles quickly. As it settles, it leaves behind tall, chubby wine-colored tears that march slowly down the glass.

Smell – Bold and sweet and gently spiced, this wine exudes tons of black cherry, blueberry, blackberry jam, bramble and plum, layered over brown spice, toasty oak and a hint of tomato stem. As the wine opens, fennel and red flowers appear.

Feel – Expansive, softly weighty and instantly mouth-coating, this wine has an energetic acidity, fine-grained tannins and a fine minerality that all add up to an elegant complexity.

Taste – Tangy and sweet, with layers of lush fruit, starting with spiced black cherry and red plum. Just beneath these sit black raspberry, black pepper, brown spice, dark dried fall leaves and flinty minerals.

Finish – Very long, with a spice component that carries the fruit a long way. As flavors gently tail off, black pepper and flint emerge, along with a mineral-rich dryness.

Overall – The 2007 Random Ridge Mount Veeder Cabernets is a fantastic update to the prior vintages that we have shown here. Built from Bill Hawley’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc (two of thisAgents favorite varietals), this 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc blend is an elegant, structured, food-fantastic wine. Rich aromatics provide the first clues as to what is to come, on the palate, but that first sip still knocks your socks off! Pair this wine with your favorite red meat dish, or enjoy it all on its own. We enjoyed ours with a nice rare prime rib, with plenty of horseradish. It was absolutely divine!

Mission Report: WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Bill Hawley, Random Ridge

WINE EDUCATION: Bill graduated with honors with a degree in poetry from Sonoma State College in 1974. His senior project focused on the influence of Zen Buddhism on the poetry of the San Francisco renaissance and the Beats. He met Phil Coturri studying poetry at college and was inspired by him and his brother Tony in the cult of winemaking and grapegrowing. He has taken courses in winemaking and viticulture at UC Davis extension, Napa College, and Santa Rosa Junior College. He has traveled to many wine regions to study winemaking and surfing, including France (Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Languedoc, Champagne), Spain (Rioja), Portugal, Madeira, Chile, Baja Mexico,
New Zealand, and Australia (Margaret River).

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Bill lived and worked at BR Cohn Vineyards in1975, spending a full season on the Cohn ranch in the heart of the Sonoma Valley. He worked at Kenwood Winery in 1977 and In 1978 helped build a winery in Sonoma for Walter Benson that later became Haywood and is now Ravenswood. He then worked as vineyard manager for Chalone at Carmenet Vineyards from 1982-1988, and at the same time planted the first vines at
Random Ridge.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Wine is made in the vineyard.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: ”Grow good grapes and get out of the way.”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1988

WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Bill. We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

BILL HAWLEY: It’s great to go on another mission with you, Agent Red!

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

BILL: In grapegrowing, Joe Miami, the longtime manager at Louis Martini’s Monte Rosso. In winemaking, I was very intrigued by Martin Ray at Mt. Eden and Andre Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu. Later, Dick Graff from Chalone opened my eyes wide to the pleasure of food and wine combinations.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

BILL: I make wines that suit my palate. I am not making wines for review, I am making wine for myself, my family, and my friends and that I hope reach out to kindred souls who appreciate a rich man’s wine at a poor man’s price.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

BILL: It is a true elixer from a great vintage. It is a wine that is honest and generous in flavor, that can be enjoyed now but will also reward further cellaring.

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

BILL: I like it paired with meats grilled over a wood fire of manzanita or seasoned oak barrel staves. Rack of lamb with potato risotto is also a perfect accompaniment. This wine also works well with rustic crusty bread—I love bread from Della Fattoria in Petaluma and the Downtown Bakery and Creamery in Healdsburg—and local goat cheese.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Mr. Veeder appellation so special?

BILL: It’s the elevation, inclination, climate, rocks, and volcanic soil. What’s not often talked about with grapegrowing in the mountains is that we are above the fog, and the intensity of the sunlight influences the flavors and colors of the grapes. Growing grapes up here takes a certain maverick spirit and tenacity—this is labor-intensive viticulture. We have a long growing season and the vines struggle to survive. All farming up here is a hand job.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

BILL: In the vineyard we are watching the cover crop grow and enjoying the fall colors on the vines. The wines are finishing fermentation and going to barrel.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

BILL: With a meal or without, in crystal or a mason jar, but definitely with friends and by candlelight.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

BILL: Thanks, Hombre. Here’s a little something that I’d like to share with your Operatives…

benevolent wines/terroir elegant

reaping another harvest here in
this fat land we have w/one
solitary buddha after another
some sitting solely breathing
in and out ancient as it may be in
terms of time
they say life is suffering.

Roots in search of flavor in the soil
touched occasionally by these hands
of ours live and awake
they find a pocket in the crack of
otherwise solid rock

- WR Hawley
from “across purpose”

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Mt. Veeder Appellation in Napa can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Bonneau Wines Napa Valley Syrah

Mission Codename: Something else to be thankful for

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Bonneau Wines, and secure their stellar 2007 Napa Valley Syrah, a wine that has been causing quite a stir among our Syrah faithful. Secure an ample allocation for our Syra-loving Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Bonneau Wines

Wine Subject: 2007 Napa Valley Syrah

Winemaker: John Bambury

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.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark magenta, with a clear and darker core. At the edge of the glass, the wine shows as pure ruby. After swirling, skinniest legs form high up on the glass wall, and then run slowly downward.

Smell – Dark and sweet, with bold aromas of blackberry jam, spiced black cherry, smoky blueberry and black raspberry preserve. Underneath these, hints of cigar box, brown spice, black licorice and hints of vanilla and oak make a subtle appearance.

Feel – Fast across the front of the palate, the wine immediately takes on some weight at the mid. There, it settles onto the palate, revealing a medium weight. After a moment, plush tannins and dark minerals combine, leading to a chewy feeling at the cheeks and a dry feeling at the lips.

Taste – Delicious and bold, with dark mixed berry preserves, black plum, red plum and grilled fennel root. As the wine opens up, additional flavors of bramble, brown spice, black pepper and toasty oak are revealed.

Finish – Very long and flavorful, with lingering black fruit flavors that gently yield to spice, pepper and oak as a dark mineral dryness spreads from the center of the palate, outward. As this drying effect reaches its peak, the wine takes on a distinctly chewy feel.

Conclusion – Today’s delicious 2007 Bonneau Napa Valley Syrah absolutely bursts with dark flavors. On the nose, the wine delivers the sort of deep aromatics that had us inhaling the wine, long before taking our first sips. The mouthfeel is tender, at first, then quickly full and a mouth-filling. The chewiness that follows is really quite pleasing, making the wine feel both like a drink and a snack! Our tasting panel really loved this wine, and we give it our heartiest recommendation.

Conclusion -

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: John Bambury, Vintner

WINE EDUCATION: OTJ! Learn as I grow, invest & produce.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: I’ve been a Salesman, Entrepreneur & Grower all my business career. Winemaking is a relatively new departure.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Make it easy to enjoy right now & worth having for any special occasion.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: Seek & you’ll discover.

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: (DATE) Our 2002 Catherine’s Vineyard Estate Grown Chardonnay was officially released January 2004.

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, John. We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 Napa Valley Syrah today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

JOHN BAMBURY: It’s always a pleasure to be here with you.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

JOHN: I’ve always been interested in cooking & making recipes better. I took that philosophy to my winemaking endeavors. I’m meticulous about growing grapes, optimizing harvest & sorting fruit for superior quality. The rest of the program involves doting over the soak, fermention & aging process to make sure the best qualities of the fruit is emphasized.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

JOHN: I’ve had tutelage from three wine masters Phillip Titus at Chappellet; Randle Johnson at Hess Collection & Rick Tracy Great Grand Wine Guru.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

JOHN: I make wine the way I like to drink it—as the best compliment to food.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

JOHN: This Syrah was a departure from our mainstay varietals. So this is going to be our first and only offering of Syrah for a while. We got a great opportunity to harvest some stellar fruit from a small vineyard off the Silverado Trail just north of the town of Napa in 2007. We dropped some fruit in order to encourage the fruit to ripen completely and evenly. This helped to intensify the flavors. We barrel aged the wine for 22 months in French oak of which 40% was new. This produced an elegant wine with a perfect balance of fruit & oak.

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

JOHN: I like a Cajun Rib eye Steak … marinated overnight in olive oil, garlic, onion & black pepper. Then simply barbequed; seasoned with a mixture of paprika, cayenne, white pepper, salt & black pepper.
The rich fruit with mocha coffee flavors and the smoothly integrated tannins in this Syrah compliment spicy meat and other spicy dishes very well.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Napa Valley so special for Syrah?

JOHN: It is said that the Napa Valley benefits from the “Mercedes Effect” because the warm, dry days of summer combine with cooling marine influences of the San Francisco bay making the fruit ripening process go as smoothly as a Mercedes changing gears. The “Mercedes Effect” certainly seemed work for us in getting the Syrah grapes for this wine to reach perfect maturity.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

JOHN: We’re wrapping up a crazy harvest this year. It was the coolest summer I can remember. But we were lucky to get all the varietals we harvested ripe and loaded with intense flavors. We are going to have some stellar wines from 2011 at Bonneau.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

JOHN: They’re ready drink. So try them & enjoy them now. If you really like your selection put 6-10 bottles away & try them every six months to see how it’s developing. Our wines are made as reward for a great discovery.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

JOHN: Fine wine is loaded with nuances. Look for interesting characteristics in our wines. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Bonneau winery can be seen in thissatellite photo.

2008 Scott Harvey Wines J&S Reserve Barbera

Mission Codename: Gold Rush Barbera

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Acquire the exquisite J&S Reserve Barbera from operative favorite Scott Harvey Wines.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Scott Harvey Wines

Wine Subject: 2008 Amador County J&S Reserve Barbera

Winemaker: Scott Harvey

Backgrounder: Nestled in California’s once gold-rich Sierra Foothills, the Amador County AVA (American Viticultural Area) has been called California’s last greatundiscovered wine growing region. With vineyards that date back to the 19th Century, this region is home to some of the oldest vines in the state. Today, Amador County produces some of the best Barbera in the state. Of course, Barbera was made famous as one of the primary wines of Italy’s Piedmont region.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dense and deep ruby red in color with intense color that extends to the very rim of the glass. Bright and clear in its core with streaks of ruby when held to the light and when swirled tightly spaced slaw fat legs hang for a moment before descending with fat heads and thin tails.

Smell – Bright and fresh red fruit including red cherry, raspberry and strawberry blend with a touch of exotic spice and pepper, earthy undertones, soft green and briary herbs, brown sugar and toasted oak with a touch of vanilla.

Feel – Soft and generous on the palate, this dry and full-bodied fruit forward wine has well developed tannins and balanced acidity that glides over the tongue. A touch of spice and mineral character makes its presence known at the back and sides of the tongue.

Taste – Abundant ripe and jammy red, black and even some blue fruit including red cherry, raspberry, plum and strawberry mingle with hints of brown sugar and hints of dusty earth. A touch of toasted oak, green herbs, and mocha coffee adds complexity.

Finish – Long and ripe with the fruit lasting and lasting as the other complex flavors and aromas fade underneath.

Conclusion – The 2008 Scott Harvey Wines Amador County J&S Reserve Barbera is a delicious, easy to drink and fruit forward wine that shows plenty of classic varietal character packaging in a distinctly new world California package. Ripe fruit seamlessly transitions from nose to palate and a mouthfeel that is soft and expansive. A lovely wine to pair with homemade red tomato and meat ragu on your next pasta night. Enjoy now or cellar for three to five years

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Scott Harvey

DATE OF BIRTH: 3-24-54

PLACE OF BIRTH: Bamberg, Germany

WINE EDUCATION: 1975, I apprenticed at K. Fitz-Ritter Winery while attending the Weinbau Schule in Neustadt, Germany. Returned to Amador County to apprentice from Cary Gott at Montevina winery.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Montevina, In 1978, at the age of twenty-three, Scott took over as Head Winemaker for Story Winery, worked at Santino Winery and then started Renwood winery with a partner. Later was recruited to Napa Valley to be winemaker and president of Folie a Deux.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Being European trained, I make wines to go with food—good acidity and low pH. This is considered old world style of winemaking.

SIGNATURE VARIETAL: Barbera

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Named 1 of the top 10 Winemakers in CA by Dan Berger

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: 2003 Scott Harvey Reserve Barbera being selected as 3rd best Barbera in the world outside of Italy.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Wine needs to tell two stories, one I’m Zinfandel, two I’m Napa Valley”

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

 

AGENT RED: Greetings, Scott. We are thrilled to be showing your Scott Harvey Wines 2008 J&S Reserve Barbera today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

SCOTT: It is always a pleasure to be on a mission with you spies!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

SCOTT: When I was sent to Germany as an AFSexchange student in high school, I was sent to a winemaking region of Germany. On my first day there, my “German family” handed me a glass of wine. I looked out the window at the vineyards below, got my German dictionary out and said, “does this wine come from those grapes?” They said “yes, do you want to see where it’s made?” ….and the rest is history.

RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?

SCOTT: I got my basic training in Germany but my recent winemaking style I attribute to my mentor , Dr. Richard Peterson.

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

SCOTT: Old world style. Wines that are drunk with food.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

SCOTT: Dr. Richard Peterson

RED: How long have you been making wine?

SCOTT: 37 years

RED: Who do you make wine for?

SCOTT: myself, my wife, and our consumers

RED: Tell me, what makes the Napa Valley so special?

SCOTT: Only 2% of the world has a Mediterranean climate like Napa Valley with the warm days and cool nights along with its unique soils and geography.

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

SCOTT: You need to be a very clean and neat person. 90% of winemaking is janitorial.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

SCOTT: We are putting this harvest to bed, by barreling down the new wines. Look forward wonderful Barbera’s to come from the 2011 vintage. They are showing great flavors and extraction.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today

SCOTT: The wine is our 2008 J&S Reserve Amador county Barbera. I planted this vineyard in 1986 with the help of my grandfather and father in law. In 1996 it was rated the best Barbera in America by the Wall Street Journal. The 2003 vintage was judged in an international Barbera competition in the Piedmonte of Italy and was rated third best in the world among the non- Italian Barbera’s. The completion judged all the Italian wines as one group and the rest of the world as another group.

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

SCOTT: The bright acidity of Barbera goes best with tomato based dishes.

RED: In your opinion, what makes Amador County such a special place for Barbera?

SCOTT: Barbera originally comes from the foothills of a fast young growing mountain range, being the Piedmonte of the Alps. Piedmont means foothills in Italian. When you think of it, Amador County is the same thing. The foothills of a fast young growing mountain range, the Sierra Nevada. Both the Alps and the Sierra Nevada are large granite monolithic uplifts due to continental drift with decomposed granite soils coming off their sloops. The main difference is that the Piedmonte has much more of a marine influence being closer to the Mediterranean than Amador is to the Pacific. Piedmonte has a lot more fog and the best variety of the region is named after the fog, being Nebbiolo. Nebbiolo is a fog loving variety producing the most expensive wines of the Piedmonte, Barolo and Barbaresco. Barbera is a sun loving variety and therefor much better suited to Amador County than the Nebbiolo. Amador County is rapidly becoming known as one of the best regions in the world for Barbera. It is the best varietal of Amador county.

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

SCOTT: I like to iron my own shirts.

RED:What is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?

SCOTT: Chianti

RED: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?

SCOTT: People drink experiences. Have fun with the wine.

RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?

SCOTT: Whatever my wife wants to drink.

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

SCOTT: Question: Do you have any new wines planned to make? Answer: I’d love to make a Gewürztraminer from a cold climate region.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we
are big fans!

SCOTT: Thank, Red! Back to harvest for me. See you soon!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the vineyards in Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Galante Vineyards Almond Flat Pinot Noir

Mission Codename: A Cowboy’s Burgundy

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Return to our friends at Galante Vineyards and secure an exclusive allocation of their fantastic Almond Flat Pinot Noir..

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Galante Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2007 Almond Flat Estate Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Greg Vita

Backgrounder: Our Operatives know that we arehuge fans of Galante wines. We have featured a handful of Galante wines in the past, and today marks the return of their delicious Almond Flat Carmel Valley Pinot Noir. Monterey County in general, and the Carmel Valley specifically is rapidly emerging as an ideal climate for exceptional Pinot Noir. The Wine Spies have featured several Monterey County Pinots and, every time, our Operatives have scooped them up enthusiastically.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark ruby red with a slight garnet tint. Brilliantly clear in its heart with bright streaks when held to the light and when swirled, tightly spaced thin legs hang on the side of the glass before slowly descending to the wine below.

Smell – Remarkably complex on the nose with the spiced red fruit including red and Bing cherry hitting first but lingering just underneath are earthy undertones, hints of black tea and cola, wild anise and other green herbs and toasted oak that reveals a touch of vanilla creme and caramel.

Feel – Smooth and supple on the initial attack with this wine’s fine tannins and balanced acidity hitting mid-palate along with a soft textured mineral character.

Taste – Tart and spiced red cherry lead the way and are followed by notes of hot and exotic spice. Complex earthiness, wild anise and black tea emerge and are followed by hints of toasted oak.

Finish – Ultra clean and medium-long in length with hints of tart and spiced red fruit lingering on the palate as the textured minerals and finely grained tannins dry the palate and invite another sip. As this wine fades, the other complex flavors and aromas linger.

Conclusion – Once again, The Wine Spies are greatly impressed with this Cowboy Pinot! The2007 Galante Vineyards Almond Flat Estate Pinot Noir is a classic at a very affordable price. Great aromas and flavors, soft on the attack but still well structured with enough acidity to hold up as a great wine to pair with food. And clean on the finish to boot. Enjoy this wine today with your appetizer course or cellar for a few years and see how it continues to evolve.

Mission Report:

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Galante Vineyards in Carmel Valley can be seen in this satellite photo.

Mission Codename: Grapes of the Stars

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Predicting a hit, two years ago, The Wine Spies secured an allocation of Canard Vineyard’s 2007 superb 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery has sold out of this wine. Release our cache to our Napa Valley Cabernet-loving Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Canard Vineyard

Wine Subject: 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Brian Graham

Backgrounder: Napa Valley is revered worldwide as the ultimate area in which to produce fine Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2006 vintage has produced some remarkable examples and we were lucky to get our spy-hands on today’s fine offering from friends at Canard Vineyard. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and winemaker interview, below.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Beautiful dark fuchsia hues. Color is evenly concentrated, from center to edge. After swirling, wine-stained tears appear quickly, starting high on the glass.

Smell – Lush and bursting with berries, this wine presents sweet blackberry, black raspberry, blueberry and cassis. After some swirling, the wine reveals additional aromas of spiced cherry candy, bramble, dried leaves and sort soapstone.

Feel – Round and soft at first. Then, the wine settles onto the mid-palate where plush tannins add structure and a mouth-coating quality.

Taste – Generous berry fruit of blackberry, blueberry, raspberry and dark strawberry provide the initial burst of flavors. These are soon followed by bramble, earthy brown spice, dried black flower petals, soft cedar and slate.

Finish – ultra-long and packed with sustained berry flavors. These transition to spice, cedar and minerals. At the very end, a soft, piquant hit of black pepper punctuates the conclusion and reminds you to take another fruit-laden sip.

Conclusion – Today’s 2007 Canard Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is stupendous! When we first tasted this wine, back in 2010, we knew that it would become a hit. Indeed it did, and the winery sold out of the wine in mid-2011. Our foresight paid off, though, and today we are pleased to share our special allocation with you. This wine is _classic Napa Valley Cabernet, with dark, rich flavors, bold aromatics and an opulent feel. If you love great Napa Cabernet, you are certain to love this fantastic wine. We’re drinking some of ours now, but we’ll also be careful to lay a few bottles down – as this wine will only continue to progress for the next several years.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Brian Graham

WINE EDUCATION: University of Bordeaux; Wine & Spirits Educational Trust: London; Napa Valley College

WINE JOB BRIEF: Winemaker

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: “Allow the vineyard and the grapes that come off the vineyard to shine with minimal intervention in the winery. Use classic winemaking techniques and the best barrels to compliment the wines”

WINEMAKER QUOTE: ”Its really all about the vineyards”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1999

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Brian. We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 Canard Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

BRIAN GRAHAM: Thank you for this opportunity we are excited to share our wines with you.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

BRIAN: Yes, a 1963 Dow port. It was monumental, the light came on that night.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

BRIAN: Really my first love has always been classic Bordeaux. Always remaining true to tradition it sure is refreshing to see in this day and age.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

BRIAN: I make my wines for wine enthusiasts that enjoy big, classic, elegant and age worthy reds.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

BRIAN: Our 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, the Cab that we grow is a dream to work with. Dry farmed with an organic approach this vineyard has amazing history and really does show through in the bottle.

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

BRIAN: Smoked and grilled red meats. Its really versatile.

RED: In your opinion, what makes Coombsville such a special place for Cabernet Sauvignon?

BRIAN: Coombsville, has the heat to really ripen the grapes but also has a constant breeze that keeps them from burning. The soil is sandy loam and river bottom this keeps the soil cool with good drainage.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

BRIAN: Well the grapes are all picked about 3 weeks now but the long hours and winemaking continues with pressing and barrel work. Our goal each year is have all the wines put to bed by Christmas so we can have a relaxing holiday season.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

WINEMAKER:With a corkscrew and a glass. No seriously, wine should be enjoyed. I hope your with family and friends having a good time when your pulling the cork out.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

WINEMAKER: Come visit us or send us and email. We are always here and looking forward to sharing our passion with you.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Canard Vineyard* winery can be seen in this satellite photo.