Tonight’s Occasion: 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (Enclave, Maipo Andes Valley, Pirque) by Ventisquero, Chile
Dark, opaque, plum color. Out of the bottle, nose is a little shy for a Cabernet Sauvignon, with characteristic notes of plum and blackberries. Neither over ripe nor too tart, just right. A dusty, woody leather lingers on the background along with hints of licorice and pomegranate and a touch of cherry cola. Swirling vigorously intensifies and ripens the plum, cherry cola pulls forward as nose fades to a fine dust.
Body is precisely balanced right down the middle, from front to back. A dry, slightly restrained, dark plum greets the palate immediately followed by oak vanilla so subtle you’d likely miss it. This conspires to create a slightly creamy, buttery mouth feel. Faint licorice carries over as well as a touch of cola. Fine grained, dusty tannins precipitate, eventually forming a gentle gradient of well integrated structure. This is a big wine on all accounts but I barely noticed this finely tuned structure. Midway through, a subtle nudge of spice ushers in the transition to finish. As the body slowly fades away like desert rain on a hot summer day, subtle hints of cola, cocoa, warm spice, and dusty tannic grit linger on the palate. After hours of decanting the grip on the palate becomes a dominating force. Body thickens and develops a subtle viscousity. Licorice intensifies and turns from more red to black licorice, holding short of pure star anise.
This Cab exhibits and obsessive attention to detail. It feels like there was a clear vision of what it was destined to be – a thesis, a textbook example of what Cab was meant to look like. Not just from Chile, but on a world stage. No rock and roll here, no over-the-top off-balance notes. Just a quiet focused reflection on the world’s most popular varietal. Chief Winemaker Felipe Tosso and his team have not only created a great wine in the Enclave but a unique opportunity for enlightenment and development of the enthusiast’s palate. The Enclave is one of the best Cabernet Sauvignon I have had yet. Bien hecho amigos!
Read more Ventisquero on WineSnob.
You can access Ventisquero wines directly from the Ventiquero Wine Club website as well as on wine.com, both linked below.
https://ventisquerowineclub.com
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Tonight’s Occasion: 2011 Pinot Noir (Red Birds) by Roger Roessler Wines, Sonoma CA.
Clear, ruby red color. Bright aromatic nose out of the bottle with lost of raspberry, red cherry and pomegranate. Drooling. Cola and damp earth leather lingers in the background. This my friends, is Sonoma. Swirling vigorously intensifies ripeness, berries, leather and adds a touch of caramel. Just beautiful.
Beautifully balanced body from front to back, greets with a soft symphony of berries and silky mouth feel. A fresh crisp overlay hovers above the palate. I’m not sure what it is but it’s very nice, maybe herbal in nature? Soft, gentle and fluid tannins add structure hardly distinguishable from the body. As it fades, that minty almost eucalyptus freshness emerges marking the transition to finish. Along with cola, this gentle crisp freshness follows through a lingering finish capped by a gentle tannic grip, wet wood and subtle spice tingle.
My goodness. This Pinot Noir is absolutely gorgeous right now! I have perhaps one or two bottles left. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. The 2011 vintage is beautifully embodied here. I have come to appreciate so much about Pinot Noir and its expression of different regions and their terroir, thanks in no small part to our 2020 Winemaker of the year. A visit to their understated tasting room is a must for the enlightened palate. Carefully curated wines from far and wide to help baseline your palate and provide you with a solid reference point. This is why I believe this winemaker is worth following. Their wines easily occupy a quarter of my cellar going back to 2006 vintages.
I am pleased to present you with the 2021 Winemaker of The Year – Bumgarner Winery, Fair Play, El Dorado, CA. There’s a WineSnob TV segment coming but for now we look at one of their current releases.
2018 Tempranillo by Bumgarner Winery, El Dorado, CA.
Dark semi-opaque color. Big black plum and blackberries on the nose. A touch of buttery vanilla and anise lingers in the back. Great sense of place. Swirling vigorously intensifies the star anise, old wet wood and dusty granite leather. As it breathes a subtle ripeness develops in the background likely due to oxidation/caramelizing of those big tannins.
Body greets with a slightly acidic attack, introducing good firm tension to the palate. This is quickly countered by tart dry black plums, blackberries and a crisp caramel, immediately lending firm structure and full mouth feel. A slow burning spice heat works its way through all corners of the palate and down to the chest. Dusty, fine grained tannins precipitate, further anchoring the palate and asserting this wine’s character. Subtle, crisp caramel re-emerges momentarily signaling curtain call. Transition to finish is swift, leaving the palate bone dry, lips parched shut, tingling.
This a massive wine that shows some restraint. Good balance and execution renders it approachable to a broad spectrum of palate. However the finish give its youth away. This wine, while beautiful now, is just barely getting started. Another decade should reveal the true gem within. Get yours now but don’t drink it all. Lay the rest down and forget about it. You’ll thank me later. Nicely done Brian, Jennifer and the entire Bumgarner family!
Tonight’s Occasion: 2014 Syrah (Jay Wilderotter) by Terre Rouge * Easton Wines, Plymouth CA
Dark inky opaque color. Out of the bottle, nose is a bit shy. Dry, tart plum skins, blackberry and a touch of ripe dark cherries take center stage. A woody leather permeates the background. Swirling vigorously unlocks ripeness, licorice, a hint of crisp eucalyptus wood, herbal notes and granite mineral essence (a subtle bitterness that usually accompanies anise/licorice).
Body is firm, greeting with a touch of acidity and spice. This is almost immediately balanced by heavy dusty fine grained tannins dropping deep down and creating a solid monolithic base structure. Midway through, dry dark plum, and blackberry, conspire with crisp oak to create a slightly softer mouth feel. This quickly gets absorbed by the monolithic structure beneath, leaving black currants and a bitter mineral essence on the palate. At this point the entire palate is under a warm spice heat. Massive tannins and granite minerality sway the palate momentarily from slightly moist to dry and grippy and back again. This act continues until there is little left but parched lips and a spice tingle.
Also affectionately referred to as The Wildebeast, this wine is stands as yet another fine example from our 2019 Winemaker Of The Year. With great sense of place, and crisp execution, this wine is a faithful representation, a world class wine from this highly understated region. No journey into California wines is complete without venturing into Amador and the Sierra Foothills. This Winemaker’s wines stand as solid reference point for what this region and California at large has to offer.
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Tonight’s Occasion: 2011 Pinot Noir (Black Pine) by Roger Roessler Wines, Sonoma CA.
Nose is very shy out of the bottle with hints of dark cherry skins. Swirling vigorously releases a bold leather of damp fine sedimentary soil and wet wood. Hints of sweet cherry and cola linger in the back. A citrus so faint you’d likely miss it.
Body is balanced right down the middle, front to back. Wet wood leather carries forward almost immediately. Dark tart skins also emerge, bringing firm structure. Bitter cola, black berries and black currants paint a dark, dim lit stage. It is dry, somewhat serious in its expression. Earth notes wander about the palate throughout the experience. The body softens slightly as it transitions to finish as dark berries and hints of oak elevate slightly before falling back into the darkness and leaving the palate slightly moist and under the spell of a gentle but crisp tannic grip and spice tingle. As it opens up over an hour or two, subtle caramelization of those tannins lend a subtle pleasing sweetness to the body and suppleness to the mouth feel.
This is a flagship wine by our 2020 Winemaker of the year. Intended to introduce the world to their more limited signature wines. Roessler Pinot tends to be on the medium to full bodied side of the spectrum. This means, unlike traditional Pinot Noir, they actually benefit from cellar time. They tend to age gracefully. I opened the 2010 Vintage a year or so ago and this 2011 vintage is definitely more robust with more years ahead of it. It has had time to integrate very nicely. Both should be a real treat. The newer vintages are even more vibrant and should be very interesting to follow over time. Nicely done guys!
Tonight we paired the Black Pine with a pear, prosciutto, arugula pizza and truffle fries. Delicious!
Today Off The Beaten Path we are looking back in retrospect. We pay a visit to one of my all-time-favorite winemakers. I have been following Brian Bumgarner’s work for well over a decade now. His wines are some of the longest lived, oldest vintages in my cellar.
I spent the day chatting with Brian at their Estate, getting caught up and filling in the blanks on his story and journey up to that point. It was an honor, distinct pleasure and I am thrilled to take you with me.
This is a long form, free-flowing conversation. I recommend opening a bottle (I recommend, Bumgarner wine), kicking back and following along. I have added time-stamps below to help you navigate or skip ahead:
00:15 – Intro and background
03:58 – The beginning, chat with Brian Bumgarner
13:40 – Bumgarner Estate
17:08 – Winery dog Figgy
17:20 – A family business
19:09 – Greece and the journey through Europe
21:46 – What I love about Bumgarner Wines
22:26 – A look at 2018 Alicante Bouschet
23:56 – The story of Alicante
25:50 – Tasting notes
27:14 – Bumgarner Apple Cider
28:55 – Bumgarner Bumbly
30:28 – Always relishing the New
31:50 – 2020 Harvest
33:05 – The Pandemic and aftermath
34:49 – Reinventing and adapting to adversity
37:54 – Artisanal production
39:49 – Winemaking is challenging
40:46 – Exploring older vintages
46:54 – Walking the Semilion
51:00 – Walking the Sauvignon Blanc
51:30 – New graftings
52:50 – Aerial views of the Estate
53:25 – Sunset views with Brian Bumgarner
53:35 – My thoughts in closing
55:03 – A look at the 2016 Tempranillo
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!
This past week I had the distinct pleasure of joining bottling efforts at Bumgarner Winery in Fair Play, CA.
I have been following winemaker’s work for well over a decade and have been collecting some of his oldest vintages. Brian Bumgarner’s style is more traditional. His are best described as dry, terroir-driven and age-worthy.
On this day we bottled the Many Hands Cuvee, his award winning Bordeaux style blend. You can read my review of the Many Hands Cuvee here. A a reward for helping out, the Winemaker grilled sausages and prepared a delicious charcuterie board for us.
Winemaking is not a glamorous affair. It is real. It is raw. It takes lots of hard work, patience, tenacity and diligence. It also takes family and community, both of which Brian has in relative abundance around him. This shows through his work. Brian’s wines have been the perfect punctuation to many moments over the years. Thank you for sharing your amazing wines with us all these years. I very much look forward to all your future vintages. This was definitely a moment to cherish.
Clear ruby color. Gentle, plush, aromatic nose. Earthy notes take center stage with wet wood, damp forest floor, a touch of that all too familiar Sonoma Dirt and Mushroom. As it breathes, slightly ripened cherries creep forward. Swirling vigorously intensifies, fruit and floral notes. A sweet cola makes an appearance. Beautiful!
Body is nicely balanced, greeting with a gentle touch of acidity which is quickly replaced with a smooth, silky, slightly viscous body. Paper thin layers of crisp tannin are laid down beneath layers of thin wisps of cherry cola, faint crisp caramel and viscous leathery essence. Transition to finish is characterized by the emergence of a gentle but firm spice towards the back. Body vanishes, leaving behind slightly bitter cola as crisp, clean tannins assert themselves amidst a gentle warmth.
This 3BBL is a blend of this vintner’s top Pinot from that vintage. Each vintage unique in its own expression. This vintage is a beautiful representation of the greater Sonoma region. It preserves this identity very well in an all around classy expression. If you haven’t explored Roger Roessler wines, I highly recommend them. They make for a great study, a compendium of Pinot Noir from up and down the Pacific Coast. I have been following their wines for well over a decade now.
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Tonight’s Occasion: 2011 Syrah (Monarch Mine Vineyard, Sierra Foothills) by Terre Rouge * Easton Wines, Plymouth CA
Dark semi opaque color. Looks unfiltered. Out of the bottle nose is warm and weighted. This wine is all terroir up front. Reminds me of Beaujolais Gamay or Loire Cab Franc in its expression. Big leather up front with unmistakable wet wood and dusty granite. This wine asserts its origins with a keen sense of place. Within minutes it’s full identity reveals itself in the form of a rich, creamy anise. An unmistakable hallmark expression of the Sierra Foothills. Just beautiful. As it settles, ripe dark cherries, sweet berries and plum reveal themselves with hints of herbs I can’t pinpoint, a sort of eucalyptus.
There is no attack. You are greeted by a long, wide and fairly deep body from start to finish. Dry dusty tannins provide a thick chassis upon which a well integrated melange of leathery notes, dark plum, blackberries and hints of mushroom slowly play. As it finally transitions to finish, the stage clears, leaving black currants and anise and warm gentle spice. The palate is rendered slightly dry and tingling with spice and the chest warms.
There are many reasons why Terre Rouge * Easton was our first inaugural Winemaker of the Year for 2019. This bottle reminds me of all of them. A fine example of what is possible in this region, California and the world at large with a relentless commitment to the art form and excellence. I am just tickled every time I open one of these wines.
Nicely done Bill, Jane and the entire crew at Terre Rouge Easton Wines!
Explore more Terre Rouge Easton wines 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.
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Tonight’s Occasion: 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (Enclave, Maipo Andes Valley, Pirque) by Ventisquero, Chile
Dark, opaque, plum color. Out of the bottle, nose is a little shy for a Cabernet Sauvignon, with characteristic notes of plum and blackberries. Neither over ripe nor too tart, just right. A dusty, woody leather lingers on the background along with hints of licorice and pomegranate and a touch of cherry cola. Swirling vigorously intensifies and ripens the plum, cherry cola pulls forward as nose fades to a fine dust.
Body is precisely balanced right down the middle, from front to back. A dry, slightly restrained, dark plum greets the palate immediately followed by oak vanilla so subtle you’d likely miss it. This conspires to create a slightly creamy, buttery mouth feel. Faint licorice carries over as well as a touch of cola. Fine grained, dusty tannins precipitate, eventually forming a gentle gradient of well integrated structure. This is a big wine on all accounts but I barely noticed this finely tuned structure. Midway through, a subtle nudge of spice ushers in the transition to finish. As the body slowly fades away like desert rain on a hot summer day, subtle hints of cola, cocoa, warm spice, and dusty tannic grit linger on the palate. After hours of decanting the grip on the palate becomes a dominating force. Body thickens and develops a subtle viscousity. Licorice intensifies and turns from more red to black licorice, holding short of pure star anise.
This Cab exhibits and obsessive attention to detail. It feels like there was a clear vision of what it was destined to be – a thesis, a textbook example of what Cab was meant to look like. Not just from Chile, but on a world stage. No rock and roll here, no over-the-top off-balance notes. Just a quiet focused reflection on the world’s most popular varietal. Chief Winemaker Felipe Tosso and his team have not only created a great wine in the Enclave but a unique opportunity for enlightenment and development of the enthusiast’s palate. The Enclave is one of the best Cabernet Sauvignon I have had yet. Bien hecho amigos!
Read more Ventisquero on WineSnob.
You can access Ventisquero wines directly from the Ventiquero Wine Club website as well as on wine.com, both linked below.
https://ventisquerowineclub.com
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 Ventiquero wines on Wine.com
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