Best of 2011 Value Wines

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White Wine

Woodcrest 2010 Chard Sonoma – $15 per bottle

A very limited bottling from Mill Creek Vineyards, a Dry Creek landmark whose vineyards were first planted over 45 years ago! The Woodcrest is a rich, buttery Chardonnay with plenty of that classic Sonoma fruit: fresh apples, ripe pear and luscious citrus flavors.  Only 140 cases were produced.

Sawtooth Ridge 2009 Chard Bacigalupi Vyd – $16.50
Russian River Valley

Bartlett pears, walnut butter with a slight lemon rind in the nose, followed by ripe pear, tangerine, and tropical notes on the mid pallet. The finish is expansive yet refreshing with good acidity and length.

Limerick Lane 2010 Cuvee Blanc – $18
Sonoma County

A wonderful blend of Roussane Sauvignon Blanc that lights up the palate with it’s lemon zest, citrus , lychee nut, and green apple flavors. Crisp, clean and refreshing with great minerality. Jake Bilbro of Marietta fame hit the mark with this white wine. Delicious.

Sonoma Coast Vineyards 2010 Sauvignon Blanc – $18
Sonoma County

The two distinct clones deliver a dramatic and complex flavor profile. Clone 1 provides the traditional profile of citrus and lends to the high acidity. The Sauvignon Musque provides depth and shows in the range of pear, fig, and pineapple while adding a rich tropical profile. The sur lees treatment is very evident and felt on the palate as a creamy trait with a presence of minerality. This wine is an ideal aperitif wine as well as a delicious companion to food including fresh or grilled fish and seafood, particularly oysters, crab, and lobster.

Stonewood 2010 Chardonnay – $22
Russian River Valley

Aromas of citrus, orange peel, Golden Delicious apple, hazelnut, nutmeg and white flowers. Flavors of lemon butter, apple, lychee, honeyed tropical pineapple and spice. Broad palate with excellent integration of acid, wood, and alcohol with a stony, mineral finish and medium-full body. Clean, rich, mouth coating with a lingering, intriguing finish. 205 cases made. 100% Barrel fermented in 50% new French Oak. Full malolactic fermentation. Super Value!

Atrea 2010 The Choir – $22.50

With winemaker Alex McGregor and consulting winemaker David Ramey, Atrea is a project worth following. The Choir is a thoroughly unique white blend of all hand-harvested and organically-certified Roussanne and Viognier that offers up vibrant flavors of richly fragrant stone fruits, orange blossoms, white peach, honeysuckle, ginger and jasmine. Wonderfully aromatic, rich, clean and reallllly tasty.

Red Wine

Marietta Old Vine Red (OVR) Lot 56 – $12 per bottle

Commonly known in wine circles as “the best red wine value in the country“. Chris Bilbro’s dedication to consistency and high quality has made this wine into one of the heralded red wine values in the country. You simply have to try this wine to appreciate how good it is, and for only $12, it’s a “no brainer”!

Woodcrest 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon – $15
Sonoma County

The Woodcrest Cabernet Sauvignon was aged a full 30 months in custom imported French oak, it’s smooth and full-bodied, with plenty of fresh dark cherry, plumskin, cassis, violets and a nice round finish.  Yummy!  Only 120 cases were produced.

Volante 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon McCoy Vineyard – $18
Sonoma County

The Volante is all dry-farmed and hand-harvested, blended with 15% Petite Verdot and Cabernet Franc and aged two full years in custom French oak barrels plus another 11 months in bottle before release.  The result is a deep dark Cab that is hitting a beautiful stride at 8 years old.  It’s still got plenty of structure and backbone and features dark plums, black cherry, blackberry and a nice touch of spicy cedary oak on a long finish.

Bluenose 2008 Zinfandel – $20

Dry Creek Valley

It’s a mouth-watering wine in a concentrated fruit-forward style showing off plenty of rich, jammy black raspberry, black cherry, blackberry, black pepper, mocha and cedar with a nice touch of sweet oak in the finish.

Copeland Creek 2005 Pinot Noir – $20
Sonoma Coast

“… sweet oak, silky texture; good structure & balance; long finish. A truly interesting & complete Pinot. It’s not over the top in any way other than in verall flavor. It’s a delicious example of the colder climate Pinots from the Petaluma Gap & of Don Baumhefner’s gift in putting terrific Pinot in the bottle.”  (Pinot Report)

Marietta 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon – $20
Alexander Valley

This 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon is full bodied with a touch of elegance. The nose is classic Cabernet with rich black currant, cassis, and dark cherry fruit aromas. In the background mild oak and spice mix with a hint of sweet menthol-like herbs. Prominent, bright black currant flavors are balanced by lively acidity and firm, lasting tannins to create a textured, mouth coating finish. This is a big wine that will last for at least 10 years yet is supple enough to enjoy now.

Resolution 2009 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon – $21

This is a delicious, substantial wine comprised of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petite Verdot and 4% Petite Sirah. Ripe black cherry, cassis, cedar box, coffee and chocolate on the palate; chewy tannins; clean earth on a prolonged finish.

Limerick Lane 2008 OV Zin – $24 (Reg. $42)
Russian River Valley

Some of these vines date back to 1910 and exhibit the deep, dark, lush characteristics of Old Vine Russian River Zin. Dark ruby in color with aromas of black cherries, strawberries, slight oak and clean earth.  Intriguing and complex flavors of bing cherries, raspberries, chocolate, white pepper, spices, and vanilla. Full-bodied and lush in the mouth with bright and brooding flavors leading to a long, satisfying finish.

Napoma 2009 Pinot Noir Sunny View Vineyard – $26
Russian River Valley

Beautiful aromas of Bing cherry, strawberry, flowers, spices, earth, and cedar. Med-full bodied, and pretty well structured for a Pinot. Gorgeous red and black berry flavors, forest floor, cinnamon, clove, root beer, vanilla oak, nice acidity, and very nicely balanced. Hard to beat the price for this kind of quality. ~150 cases produced

Taylor Nelson 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon – $28
Sonoma County

With almost four years in barrel and another year in the bottle, this is a truly delicious wine.  The color is a saturated dark purple/black.  The aromas are enticing with smoked dried cherries, espresso, licorice and ripe plum.  Flavors of toasted raisin bread, licorice, vanilla, dried chilies and cherry cola.  The texture is warm, rich and inviting – melted chocolate and anise liqueur.  Elegant, mouth coating, soft tannins promise years of further development. Only 104 cases produced.

Avenue 2009 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon – $28

A client favorite and Best Seller for the past 5 years. The 2009 Avenue is even more special with the main source of fruit coming from the renowned Jericho Canyon Vineyard in northeast Napa Valley, with the remaining juice from a “mailing-list-only” winery in Knights Valley. The flavors are luxurious, captivating and sensual: Ripe Bing Cherry, blackberry, chocolate covered coffee beans, fresh earth, graphite, cassis, with a gorgeous balance of fruit, tannin, acid, alcohol, and oak. Aging 20 months in select French oak is a real bonus for those who enjoy those lush, structured Napa Cabs.

To place an order send an email to admin@WineRiff.com.

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