If the wine in this week's Featured Wines column tickle your fancy, you can order them directly from Jordan by email (JCarrier@everythingwine.ca) or find him in the Vintage Room of Everything Wine's newest location River District in South Vancouver (8570 River District Crossing).
Hi Everyone!
I was having lunch with some Wine Friends (like normal
friends except you can open a 15-year-old Brunello for them without crying on
the inside), one of whom is a prominent Napa winemaker, when the topic turned
to the disastrous 2020 vintage. The normally gregarious winemaker became
diminutive and hushed, so much that I could barely make out his answer when I
asked what kind of harvest he could produce, given the thick smoke that
blanketed the region for months. “Did you say Fifty percent?” I asked, unsure
of what he said. “Fifteen percent”, he replied. “If we’re lucky, we’ll
be able to make 15% of what we usually produce”.
Fifteen percent. The chronic fires aren’t the only threat:
the same forces that gave Napa a golden run of stunning vintages (2012-2016,
then 2018-2019) are now making it nearly impossible for them to make the wines
that the world expects. While grape farming is way less water intensive than
most other forms of agriculture (especially almonds, omg those thirsty
cretins) you can’t really dry farm in Napa, and they are nearly out of water.
The reservoirs are dry. Conditions are getting so bad that many wineries can’t
even get insured anymore. In every way, the Californian climate has changed,
the only constant that remains is demand.
This winter could still see lots of badly needed,
aquifer-filling rain to the region (unlikely, though, due to the expected La Niña), and the few wineries that do plan on releasing
their 2020 vintages could be sitting on something amazing. I sincerely hope so.
No one wants their Wine Guy to turn bummer – this is not what they teach you in
Wine Guy School - but speaking frankly there is a reasonable chance that the
2018 and 2019 Napa/Sonoma vintages – both amazing years – will be the last ones
that reflect the region as we now know it. Equally as likely is the prospect of
greatly reduced quantities (of incredible quality, that’s the trade off) and
prices soaring well past their current levels. If we look at the
near-exponential price increases that inclement weather and its ensuing
insurance pressures caused in Burgundy over the last decade, we glimpse at a
scenario that could unfold in the coming decade; as high as the current Napa
prices are, they could be adorable compared to a projected 2027 vintage.
Oregon’s Willamette Valley, much more northern and
temperate in a Maritime climate, won’t soon suffer the same climatic pressures
as California – this year’s La Niña
should actually bring more precipitation to that area (and to us) – but
they felt the full effect of wildfire smoke in 2020. At one point surrounded by
fires, the Willamette spent many weeks steeping in smoke, which was
particularly harmful to the thin-skinned Pinot Noir grape. Many wineries I’ve
talked to won’t be releasing their prestigious single-vineyard Pinots, they’ll
opt instead to produce sparkling wines (no skin contact, thus no smoke taint)
or declassify the fruit that’s untainted into their entry-level reds.
And now, the awkward pivot.
I’ve spent the last couple of months gathering some
incredible wines from the American west coast (with a surprise bonus region at
the end – no peeking!), and I’m proud to offer some houses that have
never been here before. Join me on this very American adventure:
CALIFORNIA
Nickel & Nickel.
First time in BC, and topping the list of
wines-people-always-ask-for-that-I-can’t-get, at least until now. Far Niente’s
venture exploring the different characters of Napa’s best vineyards has now
been copied by so many wineries, we forget how radical of an idea it was when
they started Nickel & Nickel in the ‘90s. I brought in my two faves:
Nickel & Nickel John C. Sullenger Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Oakville, Napa
This wine
is proof that Cab loves us and wants us to be happy. Plums, chocolate and
blackberry knew it was your birthday and they baked a cake for you and there’s
money in the cake. The Sullenger vineyard, full of sandy clay, is Nickel’s home
vineyard, adjacent to the winery in the middle of Oakville, maximizing sun
exposure but retaining the typical Oakville tannins, which would integrate
better in a few years. Lovely baking spices on the finish with menthol hues
hanging on for a minute. Everything you love about Oakville loves you back,
turns out. 95 points Wine Enthusiast, 4 6-packs available, $206.98 +tax
Nickel & Nickel Bear Track Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Napa
The first vintage from
Nickel’s recently acquired Bear Track vineyard, just outside the Howell
Mountain AVA, is singing its own song right out of the gate, distinguishing
itself as clearly the most refined, elegant Cab in the stable. Quite a floral
nose with rosewater lifting the soft blueberry notes and rosemary out of the
glass, before a sleek palate pulls up in a limousine to take you to the
Prince’s Ball. A far more refined structure suggests an easy 20 years cellaring
time, but I wouldn’t want to lose the fruit, everything going on here is
capital “P” Pretty. Not yet rated. 2 6-packs available, $206.98 +tax
Hourglass Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Calistoga, Napa
Someone seems to have been
drinking a lot of Bordeaux, and that someone is Robert Foley. Bob’s winemaking
at Hourglass, a project he runs with its owner Jeff Smith, has always
emphasized concentration overall, but this single-vineyard Cab from the
recently acquired Blueline Estate blends that thickness with a bright streak of
gorgeous acidity and a very French restraint. Cassis, graphite, cedar and
tomato leaf on the nose, with a good deal of earth and tension stretching a
ross the palate to the finish. Pure class. 96 points Vinous, 94 points
Robert Parker, 1 6-pack available, $202.98 +tax
Joseph Phelps Insignia 2018, Napa
The top cuvée
of Phelps’ best sites from all over the valley, Insignia has always been an
honest broker, presenting the vintage from all sides with full disclosure:
possible rainy harvests, warm summers or drought-inflected heft will show up somewhere
in the wine, depending on the year. Since the mild, drama-free 2018 was the
viticultural equivalent of listening to Enya for several months – especially in
the long, warm autumn - an honest cross section of the vintage is music to our
mouths: Crème de Cassis lifts the chocolate blackberries and pencil shavings
over the deep pools of mocha, caramel and pepper, leaving a mineral, cocoa-nibs
spell in its wake. An excellent, definitive Insignia. 99 points James
Suckling, 97+ points Robert Parker, 2 6-packs available, $505.98 +tax
Macauley Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Oakville, Napa
Although the
Macauley name is now synonymous with elite Cabernet Sauvignon, the first wine
that Ann Macauley made when she bought the winery straight out of college in
1984 was a Sauternes-style Sauvignon Blanc. Tragically, Ann never got to try
the finished wines as she died in a 1986 car accident, but years later her son
Mac returned to Napa to revive his mom’s label, this time with a focus on reds.
With access to what could reasonably considered America’s First Growth, the
contemporary Macauley winery uses their wee allocation of To Kalon fruit to
make a Cab that matches otherworldly fruit intensity and power with the sleek
structure and gravel frame of more French-inflected wines like Opus One (which
is itself largely built out of To Kalon fruit). Currant and blackberry notes
over crushed rocks and tilled earth. Stunning. 98-100 points Jeb Dunnuck, 6
bottles available, $364.98 +tax
Cakebread Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Howell Mountain, Napa
Perched high above
Napa Valley with nearly 360 degrees of exposure, there isn’t a lot of sun that
Dancing Bear doesn’t get (maybe the bear is dancing because he’s way sunburned
and it hurts to sit down), but the altitude is what spared this site from the
smoke and heat spikes of 2017 (history will treat 2017 way better than
the wine press did). The big diurnal shift keeps a measure of balance, building
a svelte medium-full body underneath a decadent fruit pie of boysenberry, plum
and cherry on the nose. Front of house is for pleasure but the back of house is
all business. 97 points Jeb Dunnuck, 95+ points Robert Parker, 1 6-pack
available, $231.98 +tax
Diamond Creek Mixed Pack 2017, Diamond Mountain, Napa
Al and Boots Brounstein’s unassuming, unlikely cult wine
became so sought after that when they wanted to retire, Champagne house Louis
Roederer snapped up the house immediately. Sold only by the 6-pack (I can’t
break it up, sorry), the wines focus on 3 adjacent terroirs on Diamond Mountain
with different soils and temperatures: Gravelly Meadow (95 Suckling) is
coolest, Red Rock Terrace (97 Suckling) is warmer, and Volcanic Hill (96
Suckling) is hotter than, well, a Volcano. The 3 Cabs are quite wildly
different from each other but these is a smoky, sleek through line of
minerality and Pauillac-like frame. Precious little is made and even less comes
to Vancouver. 1 6-pack available, Case Price (again, can’t split it but I’m
still a good person) $2,500.00 +tax
Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Mt Veeder, Napa
As old as them there hills, Mayacamas was part of the US
team that beat the French in the 1976 Paris Tasting, besting Mouton Rothschild
and Leoville las Cases, among others. Other Napa wineries from the contest have
since changed their style along with the times, but Mayacamas stays up in the
hills, never botherin’ nobody, doin’ the same thing they done for years. A
reserved, mountain Cab made with almost zero new oak, this 2014 reveals layers
of dark fruit and earthy notes, with currants, cigar box and graphite
underpinning the whole show. #1 – Vine Pair’s Top 50 of 2018, 97 points
James Suckling, 96+ points Vinous, 2 6-packs available, $242.98 +tax
Collina Dalla Valle 2018, Oakville, Napa
Although Dalla Valle makes stratospherically high-end
wines at the top end, I’ve always been drawn to this complex, multi-faceted,
ultimately drinkable blend of Cab Sauv and Cab Franc from their eastern
Oakville property. Equal parts rich and racy, the fresh blackberries balance
the dark chocolate, just like the pencil shavings balance the fragrant sage
vibes on the long finish. Deep dark and delicious with a round body that flows
over the fine-grained tannins. First time I’ve been able to offer this! 94+
points Jeb Dunnuck, 2 6-packs available, $208.98 +tax
Matthiasson Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Napa
There are two ways to make a full-throated Napa Cab with
13% abv: 1) find a time machine, or 2) get Steve and Jill Matthiasson to do it.
Pulling from 6 vineyards across the valley, they practice a nearly month-long
ferment followed by 2 years in (mostly) old barrels, and this finished 2017
reminds me more of those rare, unblended Tuscan cabs from around Chianti and
the coast: dusty currants (likely from the Rutherford component in the mix) and
bright red fruit like cherry and cranberry, with a cedary mineral component
closing off after a full, brisk palate. It has the bones to go 20 years, but
the charismatic approachability that we’ve come to expect from a founding
member of the Ashes + Diamonds group project. Not submitted for review. 24
bottles available, $114.98 +tax
Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Howell Mountain, Napa
I’m not sure what
happened behind the scenes during the decades where Randy Dunn helped put
Caymus on the map, all I know is that in 1978 he headed for the hills, bought
some vines on a mountain and vowed never to make a wine above 14% abv ever
again. If this whole project was some sort of atonement then atonement is
delicious. Sourced from his Howell Mountain vineyards, Dunn’s Cabs are neither
fat nor lean, they’re athletic: power houses of energy and concentration, aged
for almost 3 years in all new French oak, but medium-bodied at best.
Mediterranean vibes play around the savoury herbs, but the intense blueberry
and lavender notes bleed into a dream of spice and graphite. Statuesque. 97
points Decanter, 95 points Wine Spectator, 12 bottles available, $289.98 +tax
Bevan Cellars “Ontogeny” 2018, Napa
Waves of deep fruit tumble endlessly from this
Cab-dominated blend of 2 of Bevan’s best sites, the Sugarloaf Mountain vineyard
and Tench, Screaming Eagle’s neighbour. Fine tannins try to restrain the finish
but they never had a chance: it’s all fruit, all the way down, always and
forever. Neither a bruiser nor a blanket, Ontogeny’s raison d’être is Luxury and its tools are cassis, lavender and
garrigue. Blue fruits rule the finish. Will age by sheer concentration but is
singing now. 99 points Jeb Dunnuck, 95+ points Robert Parker, 18 bottles
arriving next week, $166.98 +tax
Eisele Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Calistoga, Napa
Chateau Latour always did want to make a white
wine. The Eisele vineyard has been a home to grape vines since 1880, and even
kept growing through Prohibition (but only for juice, wink, wink). Through
Napa’s renaissance in the 60s and 70s, Cabernet Sauvignon from Eisele showed up
in Ridge Vineyards wines, Conn Creek, and several early vintages of Phelps’
Insignia. Now owned by Chateau Latour, their love affair with Bordelais-style
Cab continues, but the eastern sliver of the vineyard is planted to a
particularly aromatic clone of Sauvignon Blanc called “Musqué”. Kim Crawford this is not. Crafted like a timeless White
Bordeaux, the Musqué is blended with a
small portion of regular Sauv Blanc and then aged in concrete and oak, making a
viscous, layered brew of citrus and sunshine, with peach, pear, yuzu lime,
beeswax and hazelnut surrounding the nose. Commanding and potent on the front
but luscious and disarming on the finish. Wow. 97 points James Suckling, 96
points Vinous, 9 bottles available, $180.98 +tax
Littorai Block E Wendling Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019, Anderson Valley
Littorai’s Ted Lemon was
the first American winemaker to ever be trusted with the reins of a Burgundy
house when he took over operations at Domaine Roulot in the early ‘80s, after
stints at Dujac and Villaine. After returning home to make wine with Stag’s
Leap Wine Cellars, he and his equally talented partner Heidi started Littorai,
an immediately cult-ish Pinot and Chard house that nabbed Ted a Winemaker of
the Year award (SF Cronicle) in 2010. The most northern and most coastal
vineyard of the Anderson Valley AVA, the Wendling vineyard was planted with Ted
and Heidi’s help so they got firsties in plot selection, and chose the steepest
Block E for this amazing Pinot. Mineral chalk and white pepper notes undergird
the classic candied blackberry and blueberry notes, with rose petals and mint
riding a fountain of strawberry juice to a fresh, vibrant finish. 96+ points
Vinous, 12 bottles available, $137.98 +tax
Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs 2017, Dry Creek, Sonoma
The party wine for the well-informed, this blend of ¾
Zinfandel and ¼ Petit Sirah/Carignan harkens back to the freewheeling early
days of California’s Wine Renaissance, when balance and poise was favoured over
raw power. Cinnamon, violets and eucalypt surround the gorgeous red fruits and
velvet delivery, medium-full bodied with a gently rustic vibe on mid-palate,
finishing fresh and spicy with an elegant lift that Zin can’t always pull off.
Tastes like more. 95 points The Tasting Panel, 24 bottles available, $80.98 +tax
OREGON
We talk a lot about Oregon Pinot Noir and rightly so:
decades ago a bunch of hippies placed all of their chips on a fussy, invalid,
thin-skinned grape that mutates if you look at it wrong and is susceptible to
all kinds of environmental pressures, up to and including coarse language. It
was a crazy, uninformed bet – and it worked. Oregon is Pinot and Pinot is
Oregon, but the revelation that I’ve experienced this year is just how far the Chardonnay
has come, even in just the last few years. Certain houses in the Willamette are
making stunning, world class Chards with depth, power and tension, they are
fresh and energetic completely on their own terms, nobody on the west coast is
making Chards quite like these. Look, I’ll show you:
Brittan Vineyards Chardonnay 2017, McMinnville
When I got the invitation to attend the Oregon/Washington
Trade Tasting last week, I had an anxiety attack: do I remember how to go to
these? There hasn’t been a tasting in almost 2 years, would I remember how to
properly dress myself and open my eyes and speak English? Turns out yes, and
despite getting lost in the Vancouver Club (I swear that place is Hogwarts –
all the halls scramble every night) I had a delightful time and tried many
great wines, but this Chardonnay from the esteemed Robert Brittan (originally
from Stag’s Leap) stole the whole show. The whole 300+ wines show.
Generous and mineral with lemon oil and pear strudel on the nose, leading
towards the reactor core where its unexplained power and presence lights up the
sky. Gorgeous 1-second bursts of mint, pear, jasmine and white pepper compete
for attention; this complexity and depth is usually seen in modern Meursault or
Chablis, often for at least twice the price. 95 points Wine Enthusiast, 24
bottles available, $61.98 +tax
Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Chardonnay 2016, Dundee Hills
If I told you how I got this, we
would both have to go into hiding. Despite making their reputation on Pinot (I
can’t get any, sorry) many years ago, Ken and Grace Evenstad have contemporarily
become just as lauded for this iconic, striking Chardonnay, even though it
accounts for a tiny sliver of their total production. A smoky, nutty vibe
permeates the melon and peach notes on the nose, and the citrus elements
continue through the palate, which is a perfect balance of both heft and zing.
Slight tertiary notes of ginger and honey persist on the finish – we are in the
optimal drinking window now, and will be for the next 6 years. Unless a local
agency decides to import Serene again (no one does, currently), I don’t expect
to see this again. Exclusive to Everything Wine River District. 96 points
Decanter, 95 points Wine Enthusiast, 5 6-packs arriving next week,
$107.98 +tax
Bethel Heights Casteel Estate Chardonnay 2017, Eola-Amity Hills.
A regal, timeless Chardonnay,
liquid evidence that oak and elegance are not enemies. Always a cuvee of the
top barrels from their estate in Eola-Amity (one of a handful of Oregon’s
pioneering vineyards), this full-malolactic rich feast still displays
remarkable tension and lift, a result of being just east of the Van Duzer
Corridor, which brings cooling Pacific breeze to this hotter, southern AVA.
Baked apples and quince notes with whizz-bang menthol and apricot notes, a full
body and a crisp finish that pops like a much lighter wine. 95 points Robert
Parker, 94 points Wine Enthusiast, 94 points Jeb Dunnuck, 6 bottles available,
$127.98 +tax
Kelley Fox “Tir” Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016, McMinnville
One of the many apprentices
of Eyrie Vineyards’ David Lett (the winery and wizard that put Oregon on the
world’s Wine Map), Kelley Fox went and got a doctorate in biochemistry before
returning to the Willamette to start this tiny winery with her dad Gus. From
vineyard to bottling, Kelley does everything herself, but she won’t be
doing it with fruit from Momtazi going forward as her lease ran out, making
this 2016 the second last vintage of this outstanding, ethereal Pinot (only two
cases came in, I took ‘em both). McMinnville can be a somber, dominating AVA
(it often takes over any blend it’s in) but Kelley’s use of neutral barrels (4
of them) and 100% whole cluster pressing softens the attack, leaving bare the
raw intensities of black raspberry, violet, tilled earth, rust and cocoa.
Velvety layers of fine, integrated tannins deploy on palate and after, super
seductive and complex. A rare find, mysterious and sexy. Not submitted for
review 10 bottles available,
$107.98 +tax
Elk Cove La Bohème Pinot Noir 2018, Yamhill-Carlton
Arguably the highest vineyard in the Willamette and one of
my very favourite Oregon wines, which made things awkward at that
Oregon/Washington tasting when everyone tried it and fell in love with it but
nobody could buy it because (pointing at me) that guy bought everything
that came into BC. The Bohème
Pinot is always a capital “P” Pretty wine, one of the most floral
bouquets in the state, showing roses and violets over cherry cola and nutty
vibes. The finish – surprisingly structured – acts more like Nebbiolo than
Oregon Pinot, but altitude can increase the skin-to-juice ratio, and since this
vineyard is higher than Snoop Dogg in the late afternoon, it makes sense.
Fabulously delicious. Exclusive to Everything Wine River District. 18
bottles available, $76.98 +tax
WASHINGTON
Force Majeure. With Red Mountain fruit and Bryant’s winemaker on board,
there was little doubt as to what kind of stuff this micro-winery in Walla
Walla would make. With a production so small that it’s only gettable by way of
mailing list down south, Todd Alexander was the first to plant in the rocky,
steep upper slopes of Red Mountain and his wines are accordingly born
battle-hardened. These are deep and timeless wines of purpose, with Napa
intensity and French structure. During the first months of the pandemic their
BC importer trimmed off this winery from their portfolio to be cautious, but at
my insistence the following wines were brought in again just for me:
Force Majeure Estate Syrah 2018, Red Mountain
A feast for the nose, tongue and, almost, teeth. The
small Viognier co-ferment brings out the blue hues and blue fruits that become
black fruits as you swirl. A tryst of flowers, blackberries and meat, this
glorious 2018 makes its peppery way from nose to palate almost begging you to
chew on it but the rich, generous delivery sheds both bite and bark and gives
way to layers of lavender and gravel, with present but restrained tannins.
Exclusive to Everything Wine River District. 100 points Jeb Dunnuck, 95
points Wine Spectator, 12 bottles available, $162.98 +tax
Force Majeure Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Red Mountain
The emblematic, dusty signature of Red Mountain Cab opens
the door to a tight, Saint-Julien-ish minerality (“Liquid Rock” was how one
reviewer put it) with plum and cassis stepping into baking spice and cedar
notes over a man-camp-drum-circle of brawn and bravado. Wondrous but young,
needs time. Exclusive to Everything Wine River District. 97 points Jeb
Dunnuck, 95 points Wine Spectator, 6 bottles available, $215.98 +tax
Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Columbia Valley
Washington’s most iconic Cabernet celebrated it’s 40th
anniversary like I celebrate my birthdays now – by not telling anyone.
Seriously, Quilceda, you put Washington on the map for premium Cab, drove
credibility and investment into the state and cranked out the most stunning
wine every year for 40 years… and you didn’t put any of that on the bottle?
Were you worried about tarnishing your really-needs-an-update Chateau de
Strip-Mall label? Well, packaging aside, this 2018 carries the torch admirably:
always a bit more expressive than most WA Cabs, boasting a cigar box full of
both black and red fruits, with incense, gravel and lilac. The wine’s signature
layers start at the front of the palate and continue back to forever.
Impressive now, unstoppable in 10 years. Of of the Great American Wines. 100
points Decanter, 98 points Robert Parker, 98 points Jeb Dunnuck, 98 points Wine
Enthusiast, 98 points James Suckling, 9 bottles available, $337.98 +tax
And now for our surprise state:
ARIZONA
Caduceus Cellars / Merkin Vineyards. Returning to BC for
the first time in 8 years (and perhaps the last - the winery’s pre-Covid policy
was to not export). The fact that there is indeed a vibrant, if nascent,
premium wine industry in Arizona is due in no small part to the continuing efforts of Maynard James Keenan, whose work
in the cellar and vineyards (documented in the film Blood Into Wine),
not to mention his celebrity (he is the Grammy-winning singer of Tool and A
Perfect Circle) brought attention and interest to the desert state, although
grape vines had already been there for over a hundred years, in a certain form.
Spanish Missionaries, needing wine for Sacrament, planted
vines wherever they went and Arizona was no exception, but they planted
vineyards in the hot, dry south near Tucson, where the wines could have a
cooked quality. Keenan sought and planted vineyards in the higher-altitude
northern area, just south of Sedona, where the diurnal shift was much more
pronounced and vital acidity could be retained. He had moved to nearby
Cornville so that his kids wouldn’t grow up in L.A. and was drawn to winemaking
by the discovery of his own ancestry, descended as he was from a long line of
northern Italian winemakers. He started out cautiously by blending Californian
juice with Arizona grapes when he found the local supply wanting, but over 15+
years he made the requisite changes in the vineyards to allow him to present
100% Arizonian terroir.
Look, I’m like you, and the idea of celebrity gimmick wines
(Wayne Gretzky/Dan Aykroyd/Some Golfer Guy) or athlete tax write-offs (Yao
Ming’s Napa venture, although those wines were actually not bad) sends me
running away in disgust. Caduceus Cellars is not one of those. It’s not
a brand. M.J. Keenan is the winemaker and devotes his life to it – Tool went 13
years between 10,000 Days and Fear Innoculum, winemaking is
pretty much all this guy does now, and his restless creativity – using
grapes and methods largely unseen in Cali, Oregon or Washington – is consumed
by viticulture and vinification. Caduceus/Merkin gives us another legit square
in the American Wine Quilt, which is why I’m excited to finally offer the
following:
Caduceus Cellars “Sancha” Tempranillo 2017, Yavapai County
The Sancha Tempranillo, modelled after wines from the
Rioja Alta, is sourced from the Buhl Memorial vineyard, a south-facing bed of
clay and limestone that sits at 4300ft, with a diurnal swing that can reach up
to 50 degrees. The harsh conditions manage to wrest elegance out of
Tempranillo, and the structured finish lifts everything up, like the red
cherry, licorice, cinnamon and vanilla notes that float above the stones and
tilled earth. Robustly bodied with a long, bracing coda, this Spanish grape is
right at home in the desert. Wicked stuff. Not submitted for review, 3 cases
available, $82.98 +tax
Caduceus Cellars “Nagual de la Naga” Sangiovese 2017, Yavapai County
Unlike more restrained
Tuscan wines, the Sangiovese from Keenan’s Eliphante block is a giant shining
beam of red fruit with a body to match. Oaky cherry notes, tobacco and dried
tomato pour forth with abandon, as the generous, plummy frame deploys new coats
every few steps on the palate. Good acidity with green herbs on the finish. Not
submitted for review, 12 bottles available, $82.98
Caduceus Cellars “Primer Paso” 2017, Yavapai County
One of Keenan’s earliest bottlings (he used to add Cali
Juice to this), Primer Paso has evolved to show the terroir of the Eliphante
block and the 2017 is the first vintage entirely sourced from there. 80% Syrah
with Garnacha and Petit Sirah rounding off, co-fermented with a smidge of
Malvasia for colour stability and fresh vibes. Desert climes give the Syrah
some smoky notes with orange peel and blackberry holding firm. This is the
biggest beast in Keenan’s stable, corpulent and smooth with a dusty, herbal
ending. Not submitted for review, 12 bottles available, $82.98 +tax
Merkin Vineyards “Shinola” 2020, Yavapai County
Treating the Merkin label as his entry tier, Keenan does a
rustic Italian blend of Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Dolcetto and Barbera with a
smidge of Primitivo, all from the Buhl site. Aged in minimal neutral oak, this
reminds me of the Tuscan table wines in every restaurant there, where you didn’t
ask what it was because it was just good. Medium bodied with a fresh,
citrusy acidity and mineral elements, with bright cherry, black pepper and a
lot more complexity on palate than the nose suggests. Not submitted for review,
3 cases available, $44.98 +tax
Merkin Vineyards “Shinola Orancia” 2020, Yavapai County
The Italian white grape Malvasia Bianca done with a
measure of skin contact, but despite the name it’s not really all that orange,
more of a deep gold. From the Buhl Memorial
vineyard, the grapes are fermented on skins for 10 days in stainless
steel, and that process adds a complex, layered shape with a bit of astringency
on the finish. Honeyed melon, honeysuckle and orange peel with citrus oil and
lilac. Gorgeous and substantial. Not submitted for review, 3 cases
available, $41.98 +tax
That’s it! Thanks kindly for your time and attention. Rhône and Piedmont collections in the near future!
Until next time, Happy Drinking!