Author: Gus Clemens

Tom Gore Vineyards Alexander Valley Field Blend 2012: Lush, robust, complex, fruit-forward; midnight black color with faintest hint of dark ruby edge; blackberry, leather, dark cherry, subdued blackcurrant tanginess; smooth, easy drinker with firm, pleasant tannin, acidity. Traditional “field blend” meant varieties were planted and harvested together and you got whatever you got. Since different grapes mature at different times, in most cases today “field blend” means the same as blend—the varieties came for distinct acres and were blended in the winery. Sometimes different varieties are fermented together (co-fermentation), but most often the blending occurs after fermentation. Tom Gore does not state how the 35% petit verdot, 33% malbec, 21% merlot, 6% cab, 5% tempranillo were brought together, but given the quality of this wine, it is likely wines were blended after fermentation to achieve this level of delicious richness. $40

Messina Hof Pinot Noir Barrel Reserve NV: Rich, jammy, sweet fruit-forward, load of ripe plum and cherry; Lodi value style rather than Washington State or Oregon; grapes come from Messina Hof’s vineyards near Bryan, Texas. Medium body, load of oak, smooth, built for supermarket sale rather than reaching for etherial delights pinot noir can attain with less oak and less over-ripe fruit. Messina Hof prides itself on having a very large portfolio of wines, and this checks off one of the categories. “Barrel Reserve” is an empty wine label term that has no official meaning, here it is fluff title for Messina Hof’s second-tier, value-priced pinot. If you are an Apothic Red, Yellow Tail fan, this will please you. $14

Vavasour Awatere Valley Pinot Noir 2009: Lovely cherry, plum nose; lively raspberry, cherry, strawberry, plum on the palate; some spice, tobacco, vanilla-oak; frisky, concentrated flavors with easy-going tannin and good acidity make for a balanced, fun drinker. The Awatere is a sub-region of New Zealand’s Marlborough wine country (northern part of the south island) noted for huge boulders randomly flung into its gravely, silty soil; it is rough-hewn country shielded by mountains looming to the northwest, cooled by the nearby Clifford Bay and Pacific to the east. Awatere wines reflect this wildness and are noted for their aromatics, ripeness, concentration, and edginess. This effort reflects the ascendence of New Zealand pinot noir on world stage. $20

Tom Gore Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2012: Fruit forward, classic entry-level Sonoma cab; plenty of oak, sweet vanilla, plum, cherry, restrained blackcurrant tang; smooth, very easy drinker with laid-back tannin, nice acidity, balance. No inspiring complexity or eternal finish, but very nice value-for-price play. Constellation Brands has given Sonoma farmer a chance to build his niche. Constellation owns more than 100 brands in wine, beer, and spirits. Wine brands include Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Franciscan Estates, Ravenswood, Manischewitz, Arbor Mist and many more. Beer brands include Corona, Modelo Especial and more. Spirit brands include Black Velvet Canadian Whiskey, Svedka Vodka and more. Now a respected Sonoma farmer gets his chance from one of the really big dogs in world-wide booze business. This is nice start. $15

HandCraft Artisan Collection Malbec 2012: Ripe blueberry, cherry, plum jam, bit of zin spice, soak of oak, soft tannin, good acidity; plush mouth, smooth drinker; mostly malbec with some zin thrown in to create the medium-heavy mouth, ripe fruit forward, Central Valley California style of value-priced reds (it is made in Mateca, just south of Stockton). Olive Garden apparently pours a bunch of this, so you may know it from there; it is natural pair with Italian food. This is a female-friendly play (winery owner and third generation vintner Cheryl Indelicato makes the claim herself) that will be enjoyed by folks who want their wine with some fruity sweetness; a red wine for those getting into red wine. $12

Xavier Vins Cuvée Anonyme X Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2009: Astonishingly delicious blackberries, refined black currant tang, cherry, licorice, spice; elegant tannin, modern style, voluptuous, multidimensional. Exotic blend of 25% grenache, 25% mourvèdre, 25% syrah, and remainder counoise, vaccarese, and a few other approved varietals. Robert Parker scored it 96. Châteauneuf-du-Pape and nearby Gigondas are among the pinnacle appellations in the world. Located in southern Rhône River of eastern France, the name means “new castle of the pope” and comes from the time the Roman Catholic pope lived in France at Avignon (about seven miles from the center of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region) during most of the 14th century. Grenache, syrah, and mourvèdre are core grapes of wine made in this region—internationally known as GSM wines. To savor such a delight is a privilege and vivid demonstration of difference between bargain pizza night fruity pop-and-pulls and the voluptuous, esoteric heights to which wine can soar. $57

E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rosé 2014: Friendly sipper with crisp watermelon, strawberry, some citrus; lovely bright color, dry, medium-light body, fruitiness mixes with good acidity to give this nice edge, particularly on the finish. More sophisticated than a plastic-cups-around-the-pool pour (although it would work there); blend of 60% grenache, 30% cinsault, 10% syrah. Côtes du Rhône (Sides of the Rhône) refers to wineries along the Rhône River in eastern France. Those wineries make about 90% of the wine produced in the Rhône valley; the remainder are world-famous efforts such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Hermitage, and Côte-Rôtie (which achieved its status through the efforts of this maker, Marcel Guigal—son of E. Guigal), making this is an affordable, accessible, maturely delicious rosé from Rhône legend. $15

Pedernales Cellars Texas GSM 2013: Unusual approach to GSM with this effort: 50% mourvedre, 32% syrah, 18% grenache (in a southern Rhône GSM pour, the percentages would be reversed). The mix brings mourvedre’s leathery, spicy, gamey elements to larger play with raspberry, plum, blackberry and cherry from syrah and grenache, touch chocolate comes on at the finish. Pedernales varies the blend percentages each year, probably responding to results from their vineyards in Stonewall, Texas, so vintage will significantly influence wine year-to-year. The winemakers, however, are skillful and committed to sustainability, so variations will likely be an adventure, not a crap shoot. As usual with better Texas wines, this is upper end of value-for-price, but you will enjoy. Decanting significantly helps smooth out this effort. $26

Giesen Marlborough Pinot Gris 2014: Pale straw color; delicate pear-peach, orange blossom nose; lemon, pear, lime, green apple, pinch of pineapple on the palate; off-dry with balancing acidity; smooth, fresh, crisp, clean, fruit-sweetness lingers on finish that includes a hint of honey. Not a complicated wine, but tasty and fairly priced to go with chicken dishes or fruits such as pear and peach. The three Giesen brothers came to New Zealand in 1981, and the evolution and rise of their operation tracks with New Zealand’s emergence as a significant player in the global wine market. Pinto gris is not the first white that leaps to mind from a Marlborough maker—sauv blanc has that honor locked down for as far as humans can imagine—but this effort shows versatility in the northern part of New Zealand’s southern island and is clearly worth a taste. Sip on a summer-day patio paired with a pear and light cheese before you go hard-core with red meat sizzling on summer-night grill; then reflect on how good life can be. $14

Penfolds Bin 8 Cabernet Shiraz 2012: Inky garnet-purple color; reticent nose with black olives, red fruits; red cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, rhubarb, dark cherry, olive, raspberry, spice, pinch of pepper, plum on the palate; medium body, medium tannin, some acidity; restrained oak, smooth, grainy tannins benefit from exposure to air/decanting. 57% cab, 43% shiraz. Penfolds is iconic Aussie maker, founded in Adelaide in 1844, just eight years after founding of South Australia. Penfolds Bin numbers originated in bin location in Penfolds cellars, but Bin 8 gets its name because it matures in older oak previously used for Bin 128, Bin 28, and Bin 389—some of Penfolds most stellar offerings. Resulting discreet oak is welcomed. Easy drinking pleasure from legendary Aussie source. $22