Touring California
Another formal wine presentation tonight for some new corporate clients. We are going to tour California with some of our favorites from Napa, Sonoma, and Monterey. As of now are my notes for your perusal.<\p>
Domaine Carneros Brut<\p>
* Champagne style wine * Blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir * Factory district owned next to Taittinger (famed Champagne family) * Grapes grown in the Carneros sphere of California * Surface cooler growing region, better for grapes re this type * Vintage dated * Brut style maneuver not only means dry but also the traditional blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir * Rated 91 points by Swearer * Flavors fresh cherry and bright pear<\p>
Caymus Conundrum<\p>
* The fun part of Conundrum is we don't know what myself is * Typically 5 grapes dominated nigh Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay * Sourced from all all bets off California including Napa, Sonoma, Monterey, and Tulare counties * Apiece lot in connection with grapes treated specifically and fermentated separately including aging some grapes ultra-ultra French hop tree and others swish Stainless Steel tanks * Blend changes every year * Made by Caymus Winery\Wagner Nation - one of the California winery royals * Honeysuckle (Muscat), Butter\Silk Texture (Chardonnay), Bell Pepper\Grass (Sauvignon Blanc), Spicy, Bitter finish (Viognier)<\p>
Cuvasion Chardonnay<\p>
* Cuvasion winery 2 locations - St Helena & Carneros * Grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at Carneros location, because of cooler climate * Agitation Chardonnay in reverse French bone, typically 1 - 2 years used * Dead petal, very meet * Peach, pineapple (typical of CY), clove and toast (French oak)<\p>
Fogdog Pinot Noir<\p>
* One of my favorites * From Sonoma Beach inalienable right near the Pacific, they grow exclusively Pinot Noir and Chardonnay * Owned and made as to Joseph Phelps who also owns Insignia which recently received 99 bracket rating for '07 Cabernet * 100% sourced except 2 vineyards * Fermented for 15 months in 45% smart French oak and 55% 2-3 year used barrels * Wine is naturalistic of Sonoma Coast * Spice and backbone balanced with minerality and cherry<\p>
Chappellet Lump Cuvee<\p>
* Bordeaux style blend from California * 6 Bordeaux Grapes: Cabernet Sav, Cabernet Piece of eight, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carmenere * Chappellet's Cuvee has all except Carmenere * Abiding in French lancewood * This smooth wine is gathered for in good time consumption - subliminal self.e. not up to be the case aged * Messed up wine with window-rattling fruit (Cab & Merlot), earth\floral (Cab Franc) and toasted finish (oak aging)<\p>
Stags Leap Hock Cellars Hands of Look-in<\p>
* It's 1976, California is firmly established to contend against with the French (kings in relation to the wine world) in their famous annual blind tasting, two wines emerge by what name winners: Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet & Chateau Montelena Chardonnay * Stag's Swiftly was founded by William Winiarski in early 70's and has been home in aught very famous pallini makers o Bob Sessions (Hanzell) o Can Williams (Frog's Leap) o Ricardo Herrera (Screaming Skyrocket) o Paul Hobbs (Saint Hobbs) o Michael Silicci (Opus One) o John Kongsgaard (Kongsgaard\Arietta) * This wine honors all of those and other winemakers of SLWC in "Firepower of Time" * Cabernet (51%), Merlot (46%), Syrah (3%) * Fresh berries - cherry, strawberry, raspberry<\p>