Tag: Auburn

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2021 Viognier by Naggiar Vineyards, Sierra Foothills CA

Tonight’s Occasion: 2021 Viognier by Naggiar Vineyards, Sierra Foothills, CA

White gold color. Out of the bottle, slightly restrained notes of ripe cantaloupe and fresh mellon. Hints stone fruit as it settles. An underlying rocky, slate leather lingers in the background, barely noticeable but unmistakable for this vineyard and region at large. As it breathes, the mellon develop a subtle honeysuckle. This is Viognier.

Body is light with a touch of viscosity. Fruit carries over nicely with more stone fruit. Apricot and ripe peach pull forward. There’s almost a mango-like essence. A gentle spice warmth slowly emerges midway. As it opens up, notes of sweet citrus and cedarwood linger. The whole show slowly fades, leaving the palate warm.

This is Viognier done right. Not too overpowering on the aromas. A little restraint goes a long way. It’s what you get when you take good fruit, put it through a clean standard program and stay out of the way. Wine should be this simple. Unfortunately that’s rarely the case.

Explore more Naggiar Vineyards on WineSnob.

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Don Giovanni by Naggiar Vineyards, Sierra Foothills, CA

Tonight’s Occasion: Don Giovanni by Naggiar Vineyards, Sierra Foothills, CA

29% Cab Sauv, 29% Syrah, 14% Malbec, 14% Maurvedre, 14% Cab Franc

Slightly ripe plum, licorice, touch of butterscotch. A damp rocky essence emanates from the background reminiscent of damp slate after a warm summer rain. Subtle tertiary notes of sweet blueberries and a hint of pinewood.

A touch acid greets the palate lending a bit of good tension. This quickly relaxes over the palate giving way to a subtle wet wood leather which slowly morphs into a subtle oak caramel. The fruit expression is slightly muted and quickly thins out across the palate consisting of plums, blueberries and blackberries. Tannic structure is fairly restrained, dissolved, and fully integrated. It never quite precipitates until after the finish where it slowly coats the entire palate and lips in a fines grained dusty grit. As it opens up I’m picking up more of that rocky dirt.

This is a terroir driven wine. Fairly dry. The Don Giovanni was the result of a collaboration with Naggiar Vineyards. A cross vintage blend of various estate wines. I was given Carte Blanche to create the latest edition of this wine. Working with a lineup of faithful wines in the cellar, and some inspiration from owners Shawn and Mary Naggiar, my goal here was to create a blend where each varietal was expressed, did not dominate, compensated for if not complemented the others. The best part of this project, was that the individual wines were solid if not amazing and could stand alone by themselves. The Malbec is also available as a stand-alone. We will be looking at it later. Naggiar Vineyards has always been a grower first, producing good fruit and this shows in their wines.

Explore more Naggiar Vineyards on WineSnob.

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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!