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2017 Petite Sirah by Paza Estate Winery, Sierra Foothills, California

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 Petite Sirah by Paza Estate Winery, Sierra Foothills, CA.

Dark opaque color. Ripe dark plum, ripe dark cherries and a touch of sweet oak vanilla. A damp wood and old leather essence lingers in the background. Swirling unlocks hints of licorice, spice and unmistakable granite dust.

Body is on the softer side of balanced. Dark plum, cherry skins, greet the palate immediately. Wet wood, granite leather and oak provide a great plush mouth feel while accentuating the fruit. Blackberries, and black currants provide great structure underlayment. As it opens up, seemingly restrained tannins roar to life, completely dominating the entire experience with a firm dry grip. Spice gives way to more black currant. Finish leaves the palate dry, lips parched shut with a mild spice tingle.

This is my favorite of the Paza lineup. It’s a nice Petite Sirah. It shows good creativity while maintaining its sense of place. The other wine that stood out was their sparkling wine. It is pretty good. We will be taking a look at it here soon. If you’re looking for nice, little, quaint winery off the beaten path, this is a great, fun little, chill experience with great views. There’s also a good chance you will be hosted by the owner/winemaker. Nicely done Paza!

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Bumbly (Carbonated Wine) by Bumgarner Winery

Tonight’s Occasion: Bumbly (Carbonated Wine) by Bumgarner Winery, Fair Play, CA

Clear light ruby color if not slightly dark. Not surprising as I believe this is primarily Merlot after all. Think part Rosé of Merlot, part Black Bubbles. Crisp bright albeit shy nose with subtle berries, slight sweet cherry cola. With a little strain you’ll pick up a wet woody granite.

Body goes straight to a weighty, slightly viscous mouth feel. A touch of bubbles makes light of an otherwise fairly serious expression featuring restrained tart dark cherries, blackberries and crisp caramel reminiscent of neutral oak. As it opens up a slightly leathery granite emerges. Finish is defined by crisp tannins, caramel and a palate moistening minerality. Every note is but a suggestion.

This is a playful side of a winemaker whose wines otherwise take a more serious expression. I have been following his wines for well over a decade and love his versatility, creativity and pursuit of the craft. Be sure to save your Bumgarner pop tops for a credit on your next purchase.

Nicely done Brian and Jennifer Bumgarner! Love you guys!

Read more about Bumgarner Wines on WineSnob

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2017 Malbec (Reserve – Tallent Vineyard) by Becker Vineyards

Tonight’s Occasion:  2017 Malbec (Reserve – Tallent Vineyard) by Becker Vineyards, Texas Hill Country.

Deep red semi opaque color. Bright nose with bright almost crisp berries, cherries and a touch of damp wood. Swirling vigorously unlocks a burst of sweet cherry cola, subtle red vines licorice, and more damp woody leather. As it breathes the damp wood turns dusty. Interesting. I’m used to Malbec being dark, opaque and having more of a plum expression. This nose reminds me of big Pinot from the Sonoma Coast. It’s actually fairly subtle for a Malbec.

Body greets with a slightly acidic attack. Tart cherries carry over, adding a crisp, fairly restrained tannic structure. Midway through a tropical note appears. The only thing that comes to mind is banana peel. It’s very subtle but unmistakable. It adds a buttery, softening characteristic to an otherwise fairly dry body. This slowly dissipates leaving behind an almost minty/herbal cola and a slightly moist palate as it all quickly fades away. A faint spice tingle lingers long after.

I don’t think I’ve seen Malbec this restrained before. It certainly is an interesting wine. It is well made and feels representative. I’m curious to know how much of this expression is due to location and how much is the Winemaker’s influence. I will have to explore their other wines to glean more insights.

TWO HOURS LATER: this Malbec comes to life with a firm dry massive tannic grip on the finish along with more pronounced minty bitter cola, star anise, and creamy tropical notes in the body. This Malbec definitely gets my recommendation. This is a must try!

Nicely done Becker!

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2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Thracian Valley) by Bulgariana

2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Thracian Valley) by Bulgariana, Bulgaria

Good firm nose with dark plums, and dark cherries. This is very much a Cab. Swirl vigorously to release a damp grassy forest floor as cherries turn slightly sweet.

Body is nicely balanced front to back. There’s a hint of acidity. Plums are fairly dry and tart, providing good firm structure. As it breathes, a touch caramel softens the body ever so slightly. This is likely due to oxidation of those tannins since this wine is unoaked. A hint of leather carries over, as do slightly ripened dark cherries. This eventually subsides, giving way to a firm and ever tightening tannic grip. After a brief moment, a crisp caramel emerges before giving way to a gentle but firm spice heat over parched lips.

This is my second wine from the Thracian Valley. It is a classic, well built Cab. Great personality and value especially for the price. This Cab punches well above its weight. It’s always interesting to see this kind of execution from a region you seldom hear about.

Thank you Bulgariana Wine, G&B Importers

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2014 Zinfandel (Salvador Vineyard) by Turley

Tonight’s Occasion:  2014 Zinfandel (Salvador Vineyard – Contra Costa County) by Turley Wine Cellars, Plymouth CA

Dark opaque color. For a Zin this big, nose is a bit shy out of the bottle. Up front, lots of red berry, touch of sweet cherry cola, hints of red vines licorice over a backdrop of damp sandy soil. As it breathes, the wet sand develops a leathery quality. I like it!

Body is fairly restrained, balanced, very well integrated for a Zin, monolithic in expression. You are greeted with soft tannins. Hints of berry tell you this is Zinfandel without overpowering the experience. A light vanilla cherry cola follows. Shortly after all fruit vanishes leaving behind as it takes a more serious note leaving the palate bone dry with a bitter cola and firm dusty tannic grip. At this point we are well into the finish. The third act begins as an intensifying spice heat slowly consumes the palate from back to front, reminding you, this is in fact a California Zinfandel.

I think of Turley as a Zin House. If you like Zinfandel, I think you should pay them a visit. They were gracious enough to make this Library wine available on my last visit. It is a masterful representation of the quintessential California Zin without completely altering its expression.

Nicely done Turley!

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2017 Tempranillo by Polynesian Girl

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 Tempranillo by Polynesian Girl, Sierra Foothills, CA

Big, bold, beautiful nose out of the bottle. Ripe plums and dark cherries. A slight vanilla cola intermingled with anise, an all too familiar characteristic of this region. As it settles, a layer of dusty granite forms and lingers just above the surface of the wine. Very nice! Very nice! Swirling vigorously sharpens the anise into more of an absinthe-like expression. Okay I like what you did there Tatiana!

Body greets immediately with an infusion of tart plum skins, a weighty, slightly viscous mouth feel. It is drier than the nose leads you to believe. Oak is almost unnoticeable and highly complementary. Dark cherries carry through. It has bold, prominent tannic structure that permeates the entire fabric of the body with very little separation. I would venture to say this wine can and probably should be aged at least a decade, probably more. The whole melange dissipates leaving a firm dry tannic grip, black currants and anise amid a sharp but moderate spice.

I love how this varietal expresses itself in this region and this Winemaker’s execution is one I think you should look at. It’s different. Interesting.

Explore more Polynesian Girl wines on WineSnob.

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2013 Aglianico del Vulture by Tenuta Del Portale, Italy

Tonight’s Occasion: 2013 Aglianico del Vulture by Tenuta Del Portale, Italy.

A little over two years ago I looked at the 2012 Vintage – one of my first forays into the world of Aglianico. This vintage comes with equal intensity albeit just a touch restrained but still a big wine no less.

Joining us for this review is Laura, a globetrotting Sacramento Food Blogger and Charcuterie Artista Extraordinaire. Check out her work on Instagram at @oneluckycat_77

Rustic nose with mushroom, tobacco, wet forest floor and an intense sharp leather. A slightly sharp acidic attack takes the palate time to adapt. Dry tart dark tart cherries accompany a thick dusty mouth feel. As it opens up the mushrooms intensify. A little later a very subtle raw honeycomb lingers in the back. It is so faint you’d likely miss it. Cherries turn ripe and a buttery vanilla emerges. Finish slowly pulls back but remains dusty, gritty, earthy and still massive.

I love everything about this wine. It is unapologetic. Big, Bold, Beautiful.

Molto Bene! 🍷😁👌🏽

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2019 D’Oro (Riserva di Vermentino) by Via Romano

Tonight’s Occasion: 2019 D’Oro (Riserva di Vermentino) by Via Romano, Sierra Foothills, CA

Rich aromatic nose. A bouquet of tropical fruit. I pick up notes of passion fruit, pomegranate, citrus, mild honeysuckle and an underlying mineral leather that greets the palate initially but quickly falls back as soon as you swirl vigorously. The nose is this wine’s hallmark. Massive, colorful, intense, beautiful.

The body is light. In complete juxtaposition with the nose. Smooth. Balanced from start to finish. A viscosity in the mouth feel. A light sweet citrus carries over, like Meyer Lemon as well as faint pomegranate. Subtle minerality has a slight palate wetting effect. White pepper emerges midway and gently frames a graceful, slightly dry finish that slowly fades off the palate.

This winemaker’s reds, particularly his Primitivo and Fiasco, have been my biggest distractions from exploring his whites. They are just as fun, dry, light, almost playful, light hearted and full of expression. If you’re ever in the El Dorado area, plan on spending some time at their tasting room. Take a few hours to go through both flights of red and white. You won’t be disappointed.

Molto bene Jon! 🍷😁👌🏽

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Cellar Update #2 – Stocking up

Hey WineSnobs! Did you miss my cellar update #2 from a couple weeks ago? Here’s an overview of some wines I added to my cellar this week. These are wines I have previously reviewed on here.
Here is a list of the wines and their reviews (will update with more info):
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2014 Pinot Noir (Sanford & Benedict Vineyard) by Sanford

Tonight’s occasion: 2014 Pinot Noir (Sanford & Benedict Vineyard) by Sanford of the legendary Sanford and Benedict Vineyard, Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara California. Subtle aromatic nose characterized by rich fine leather of slightly damp loamy terroir intertwined with faint sweet berries, touch of dark cherries and vanilla. This wine commands a clean palate and clear mind. Body is balanced right down the middle, front to back. An attack with suggestion of acidity is quickly counterbalanced by subtle tannin in the form of dark cherries. This creates just the right amount of background structure and foundation for a silky, whispy mouth feel. Oak vanilla and berries continue their gentle interplay as they carry over from the nose, introducing yet more whispers of musical harmony. Body and finish appear as one through a seamless transition culminating with gentle whispers of dry tannic grip and faint spice. This is a terroir driven wine. An exercise in restraint and balance. A strict adherence to core principles. It reads like a thesis in Pinot Noir excellence. You cannot explore wines from the California central coast without indulging in this specific Pinot Noir by this storied founders’ vineyard. I keep this particular Pinot Noir on hand in my cellar as a benchmark and reference. This wine is currently in stock and available for order. To support our work off the beaten path, you can use the link below. Thank you for your support and for stopping by. Explore more Sanford and Benedict Vinyard on WineSnob.
Wine.com affiliate links are provided for your convenience. WineSnob.blog may receive a commission when you use the affiliate link below. See Affiliate Disclosure page for more info. Shop Sanford wines on Wine.com