Tag: Sonoma

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2012 Petite Syrah by Loxton Cellars

Tonight’s occasion: 2012 Petite Syrah by Loxton Cellars, Sonoma, California

Dark opaque color. Nose is a little shy out of the bottle but quickly comes alive with ripe plum, blackberry, caramel and that all too familiar Sonoma Dirt. A wet mushroom leathery essence. It’s a bit subdued here but still very present. Swirl vigorously to release a burst of dark cherry, anise and hints of green peppers.

A viscous, spicy, slightly acidic attack greets the palate. This rapidly subsides as crisp, clean tannins move in front and center. Hints of oak vanilla soften the blow, temporarily wetting the palate. By the halfway point, the fun and games are over as a dry crisp tannic grip, black currant and cola completely dominate the experience. This marks the transition to a finish, turning even dryer. The palate experiences a brief sweet relief as black currant and cola give way to a long spicy dry finish.

My goodness this is a massive wine yet surprisingly nuanced. It feels very natural, terroir driven and unaltered. I thought it might be a good time to open 2012 vintage but dare I say, it’s still early. Chris Loxton has been quietly and meticulously crafting his life’s work from the vines to the wines. One of my favorite Sonoma winemakers, I’ve been enjoying his wines for at least a decade. Every time I open a bottle, I wonder if I bought enough…

Nicely done Chris Loxton! Cheers Mate!

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2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (Handal-Denier Vineyard) by Wellington

Tonight’s occasion: 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (Handal-Denier Vineyard) by Wellington, Sonoma, California.

This vintage fades into the memories of a few. Part of his final act. A winemaker’s joke upon us all who never rose to the occasion as often as we now wish we did. Every bottle bittersweet. A good wine, like life is not forever…

Dark inky color. Nose is restrained, with lots of big bold dry dark plum, an equally intense dry (sawdust) woody leather takes on a cedarwood essence. Dried herbs linger in the back. As it opens up, an unmistakable black licorice emerges.

Body has a smooth balanced attack that quickly grows intense with massive dry tannins providing a very solid monolithic structure. Cedarwood and a touch of oak move forward to and dress the set. Plum turns to black berries which conspire with a touch of minerality to create black currant and hints of cola.

Body morphs into massive dry finish as tannins, black berries, currant and cola turn to a dark dusty cocoa, leaving lips parched shut.

I believe Pete Wellington’s last vintage was 2013. His legacy lives on at Wellington Cellars

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2006 Anagram (Bordeaux Blend) by Moran Manor

Tonight’s occasion: 2006 Anagram (Bordeaux Blend) by Moran Manor (@moran_manor), Sonoma County, California.

I love an understated wine. This unsuspecting wine isn’t immediately obvious until you take a closer look at the vintage, then take a sip and double-back, realizing this wine is just now showing nicely at 14+ years of age.

Nose is initially shy, revealing an intense but subdued plum, a touch of leather, wet wood and faint spices in the back.

Body is dry, balanced. Bold crisp tannins provide lots of firm structure. Wood notes move forward while plum steps back. Leather fades away and plum takes over the transition to finish characterized by a big bold dry tannic grip on the palate. Subtle hints or black currant, licorice and spices linger on the palate.

This is a Bordeaux style blend made in the traditional style. It is aging very gracefully and showing beautifully right now. A great indicator of the life of this Winemaker’s Anagram signature line. Snag a few bottles of this wine each year and forget about them.

Nicely done!

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2009 Pinot Noir (Santa Rita Hills) by Roger Roessler Wines

Tonight’s occasion: 2009 Pinot Noir (Clos Pepe – Santa Rita Hills) by Roger Roessler Wines, Sonoma, CA.

Deep clear ruby color out of the bottle. Nose is a little shy with subtle notes of sweet cherry and a touch of berry. Swirling unlocks an unmistakable mushroom leather reminiscent of wet/damp forrest floor on a cold foggy morning. The Santa Rita Hills holds a special place in the heart and I must credit Roger Roessler Wines for introducing this region to me many years ago. This wine has that signature berry expression typical of this region but adds significant terroir characteristics in the form of a rich leather. Clos Pepe is a coveted vineyard and the quality of the fruit shows here.

Body is crisp, clean, perfectly balanced right off the bat. You are greeted by that signature berry typical of the Santa Rita Hills. Medium bodied tannins provide just the right amount of structure. Leather takes more of a back seat. Minerality is more noticeable albeit very subtle and towards the back as it conspires to turn the berries black. This marks the transition to a very gentle, graceful finish, which fades to leave the palate clean, crisp, slightly moist with a distant spice.

This is my last bottle. This wine is absolutely gorgeous. It has had time to integrate and aged gracefully. I cannot think of a more fitting way to end the year – featuring a vintage from the 2020 Winemaker of the Year, Roger Roessler Wines. Thank you for introducing me to so many Pinot from so many different regions.

To the entire crew at Roger Roessler Wines, I wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Explore more Roger Roessler Wines on WineSnob.

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2014 Petite Sirah by Peterson

Tonight’s occasion: 2014 Petite Sirah by Peterson, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County. Courtesy of Casemates who invited me to review tonight’s offering. I am writing this as I begin my review.

Dark opaque color. Warm intense nose full of big plum and dark cherry. I pick up secondary notes of berries tertiary notes of cedarwood and wet sand sedimentary earth.

Body is mild mannered with just a touch of acidity accompanied by big buttery plummy tannins creates a very nice full mouthfeel. Body has good fruit but remains dry (not sweet). The sandy terroir makes an appearance towards the back with a hint of minerality. Finish is smooth, crisp and brisk ending with a dry tannic grip that leaves the palate parched.

This is a surprisingly mature wine that is showing really well right now but should further develop nicely over the next few years. At $159.99/case from Casemates (as of this writing), I would buy a case, enjoy half now and lay the rest down. This winemaker is onto something. I have been consistently impressed with the quality of their wines and the head scratching value. This is without doubt a good deal on a great well made wine!

Also by this winemaker: Wine Review: 2013 La Stupenda, Barbera by Peterson

Explore more Peterson Winery on WineSnob.

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2017 Pinot Noir (Black Pine) by Roger Roessler Wines

Tonight’s occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (Black Pine) by Roger Roessler Wines, Sonoma, California.

Ahhhh. Just right. Beautiful aromatic nose with berries (my little boy says cranberries), a leather reminiscent of wet sandy forrest floor, black licorice and cedarwood notes.

Body shows a tight balance. Buttery tannins go hand-in-hand with mild acid. Subtle oak, dry fruit accompanies a fairly neutral terroir expression creating a lush mouth feel. A transition to finish with minimal fanfare capped with mild spice and subtle tannic grip reminds you that this typical Roessler Pinot, while beautiful right now, has a bit more in store for you if you are willing to be patient.

Spoil your palate. Stop by the tasting room or order any one of their monthly case deals. Explore artisan crafted Pinot from up and down the pacific coast. He’s done all the homework for you to enjoy. Well done Roger and Company!

Explore more Roger Roessler Wines on WineSnob.

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2017 Sonoma Pinot Noir by Pali Wine Co

Tonight’s occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (Riviera – Sonoma County) by Pali Wine Company. Shy nose. A little plum and dark berries. There’s a hint of that Sonoma dirt in the back. Body is fruit forward but shows good balance overall with mild acid and moderate tannins. A good overall mouth feel with notes of cocoa and cherries. Smooth finish which quickly dries out with a touch of spice. The wine paired excellent with smoked BBQ ribs. This is a great EDC (Every Day Consumption) wine. It presents good value at an approachable price point. It’s definitely what I call a pleaser. Wine is all about mood and if you’re in the mood for a good well made wine without necessarily over analyzing the experience or breaking the bank, you should consider this wine. It is still a little on the young side. I think it just might surprise you 2-3 years from now. Explore more Pali Wine Company on WineSnob.
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2016 Pinot Noir by Roger Roessler

 

Tonight’s occasion: 2016 Pinot Noir (Lennox) by Roger Roessler Wines .

Clear, bright ruby red color. Bright nose with lots of cherry, leather undertone which upon closer inspection is definitely more silt like mix of dirt, sediment and sandstone. Definitely reminiscent of that signature Sonoma dirt.
Bright balanced body carries most of the characteristics in the nose forward. In addition a hint plum and black currant on the back provide good structure, composition and contrast to the cherry notes. Once opened up, subtle tannins turn creamy as they transition to a smooth clean finish capped with a hint of spice.

This wine is still young and should only get more nuanced over the next four or more years. As with most Pinot by this vintner, it will be a real gem around the 10 year mark. I just realized I have a case of this particular vintage in my cellar so it definitely didn’t hurt to explore it. My vertical goes back to its inception a few years before. His Pinot Noirs have forever changed the palates of many over the years.

Cheers Roger. Thank you for sharing your passion with us all. 🍷☺️🙏🏽

Explore more Roger Roessler Wines on WineSnob.

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2017 Pinot Noir (Los Carneros, Limited Release) by Artesa

Tonight’s occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (Los Carneros, Limited Release) by Artesa.

Restrained, delicate, subtle are its hallmarks. The nose greets you with that all too familiar Carneros dirt. It’s very subtle but unmistakable. If you’ve had quite a few wines from this region, then you know what I’m talking about… LOL. I love it! There’s an even fainter hint of manure. It’s a very pleasant leather overall. The terroir is very nicely expressed through the vine and into this wine. Aside from that there are subtle sweet berry, cherry and floral notes.

Body is crisp. Clean. Balanced. This is a Pinot in the traditional sense. Light buttery tannins create a very easy laid back mouth feel. A hint of oak and cherry pull through into the body. A seamless transition to an otherwise dry, smooth finish, followed moments later by gentle spice.

This is a very clean, well made Pinot Noir. A textbook Carneros Pinot Noir. If you’re looking for a good starting/reference point, you can’t go wrong with Artesa. Treat yourself to the view from the estate at the top of the ridge. Take some time to go over their mouth watering assortment of representative wines. Well done Artesa!

Thanks to wine.com and their extensive library, you can now get most of the wines I review on here. You can use the link below to have Artesa Pinot delivered to your doorstep.

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2014 Estate GSP by Loxton

Tonight’s occasion: 2014 Estate GSP (Grenache, Syrah, Petite Syrah) by Loxton, Sonoma County, California.

Dark rich color. Thick, warm, full nose, full of caramel, sweet cherry and plum and hint of slightly mineral terroir. Body has good structure and even greater balance. Not as fruit forward as the nose would suggest. Terroir is carried through into the body. A little berry, and plum. A very full, weighted mouthfeel from start to finish. Slightly creamy tannins take over the transition to a slightly tart plum finish. A slightly dry tannin lingers on the palate. Moments later a hint spice warms deep further down inside the chest. This is an interesting trick I haven’t seen before. Usually spice is expressed in the body or finish. This one seems to have a delayed effect.

This is a well built wine. I think it is showing really well right now and should be enjoyed over the next 3-5yrs. The benifits of the blending process really show here. I will surely be adding newer vintages to my cellar and following them.

I highly recommend visiting this Aussie for an authentic taste of what Sonoma has to offer. -Nicely done Mr Loxton! 🍷😁👌🏽