Wine Spies: Today's Deal

Trefethen Family Vineyards 2006 Estate Chardonnay

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

2008 Wine Intrigue Award Winner: Operatives Choice, Top Chardonnay

SECRET SAVINGS ALERT:

Apply coupon code NAPASPY at check out, when you buy 6 bottles (or more), and we’ll give you FREE GROUND SHIPPING.

Mission Codename: The Gold Standard

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Infiltrate Trefethen Family Vineyards, a winery that shook the wine world to its core – by trouncing French wines in the 1970s. Return with their World-beating Chardonnay for our eager Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Trefethen Family Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2006 Estate Chardonnay

Winemaker: David Whitehouse Jr., Winemaster

Backgrounder: In 1976, Trefethen rocked the wine world by beating out French Chardonnays in the now famous Judgment of Paris. The French were outraged, and in 1979 they organized the _World Wine Olympic_s where, they were certain, a French wine would win. Trefethen won the top award, earning “Top Chardonnay in the World”. Today, the Trefethen Family continues to make wines of distinction and remarkable quality. Read Agent White’s tasting notes, followed by his mission report, below.

Chardonnay is arguably the greatest of all white grape varietals, showing its influence in the legendary sparkling wines of Champagne, the great whites of Burgundy and of course its expression as ’the’ white wine of California. Chardonnay represents over 50% of the planted white grapes in California with nearly 100,000 acres planted. With such a great number of wines made from this grape, it stands to reason that finding wines of immense quality would be hard, but look no further. In this wine, we have found perhaps the ideal expression of the California Chardonnay.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Clear golden-yellow in color that extends to the edge of the glass with luminescent sparkles of honey and pale green hues and long slender legs.

Smell – Bold aromas of tart Granny Smith apples and ripe pears with hints of citrus, toasted oak and tiny components of butter and orange-blossom honey.

Feel – Slightly viscous, dry and smooth, this full-bodied white fills the palate and has surprising good structure

Taste – Tart apples and pears with a bright acidity backing with hints of citrus, honey and oak. Best of all is a slightly flinty minerality that continues through to the finish.

Finish – This wine finishes long and clean with lingering flavors of pears and citrus, a touch of creamy butter and oak and a mineral component that invites further exploration.

Conclusion – Tasting this wine reminds us why Chardonnay is the king of all the white grapes. This wine is not your typical flabby Chardonnay nor is it an overly oaked butter-ball. With all its components in balance, hints of minerality, layers of aromas and flavors that invite another sip, this wine is sure to please even the most discerning of white wine lovers. As it did in 1976, this Chardonnay sets the Gold Standard.

Mission Report:

We are proud to feature Trefethen Family Vineyards today. For more intriguing Trefethen history, please enjoy the following report, and be sure to go and see the feature film, ”Bottle Shock”, which opened yesterday. See our events page for more details

Agent White reporting. Finally, I get a mission to Napa Valley. Not just any mission mind you, one to Trefethen Family Vineyards.

Trefethen is a record-breaking, rule-breaking, innovating and inspiring winery.

I had the pleasure to spend an afternoon with LOREN Trefethen recently and we toured the vineyards, tasted some grapes, enjoyed some wines and had a great conversation about the family’s rich history in the wine business.

What follows is a partial transcript of our lively discussion.

AGENT WHITE: A big thanks for hosting The Wine Spies today, LOREN. Our Operatives have been anticipating this for a while now.

LOREN TREFETHEN: My pleasure, Agent White. When do I get my own agent name?

WHITE: How about, “Agent Victorious”, in honor of the wine wins that your family has racked up over the years.

LOREN: (laughs) Sure, but only if its an agent name that I can share with my family. We’ve all been in this together since my grandfather purchased this land in 1968.

WHITE: That makes this year the 40th anniversary of your family’s estate. Impressive.

LOREN: Yes, and you know what? In 40 years we have never purchased fruit from any other vineyards in order to make our wines. In fact, today we are still the only American producer that is 100% Estate-only.

WHITE: My informants tell me that this land once belonged to another winery, Eshcol, in the 1800’s.

LOREN: They are right! This is the very site where Eshcol made wines. In 1890, Eshcol won a gold medal for their wine at the states first ever statewide viticultural fair. It was that fair, and Eshcol’s win, that first established California as a legitimate winemaking ‘region’.

WHITE: Until prohibition intervened, right?

LOREN: Exactly! Thereafter, Napa was home to mostly apricots, prunes and walnuts!

WHITE: Fast-forward a few years, and tell me about how your family got started in the wine business.

LOREN: Well, after Grandad purchased the land, he started growing grapes. My dad was in business school, but learning winemaking from a U.C. Davis winemaking textbook. Not the most traditional approach, but neither were his early winemaking experiments.

WHITE: Legend has it that he made his first wines in your grandmother’s basement? In steel garbage cans?

LOREN: Yeah. I remember my Dad telling me about forgetting that he left a lid sealed onto a can for a little too long…

WHITE: Oooh! KABOOM!?

LOREN: Indeed, KABOOM! He was scrubbing away pieces of grapes from all corners of that basement – for a long time!

WHITE: That was the early 70’s. Tell me about his first commercial wine.

LOREN: That came about in 1973. My Mom, a newlywed at the time, suggested that we call the winery, “Trefethen”. Everyone thought it was a terrible idea. even today, people struggle with the name, but it stuck.

WHITE: What happened in 1976?

LOREN: Just a little even that shook up the wine world! In ‘76, Steven Spurrier, a British wine shop owner, living in France, visited America. Here, he found incredible wines, of course. He brought these back to France and organized a competition called, The Judgment of Paris. Our Chardonnay took gold…

WHITE: And that must have really pissed off the French!

LOREN: To say the least! They were infuriated, and insisted that the competition was rigged or set up to be too heavily in favor of the California wines. There were a few more Cali wines represented, but…

WHITE: But, three years later, the French organized a rematch!

LOREN: Yes. The World Wine Olympics were held in 1979. This time, French wines were ‘better represented’, and even outnumbered those from California. We had no plans to enter our wine this time around but found out that a friend had entered our Chardonnay.

WHITE: That’s when the French REALLY got mad!

LOREN: Too true. Our Chardonnay – a wine that was just our fourth vintage of Chard – ended up winning, and was declared the “Best Chardonnay in the World”.

WHITE: Quite something. That really stoked the fires back home, I’ll bet.

LOREN: All around the world, actually, but ours was really the first ‘cult wine’ in America. The wine was in such demand that we were actually asking for wine back from our distributors.

WHITE: Merci, Paris!

LOREN: Exactly!

WHITE: I just heard that your Cabernet Sauvignon just took Gold at the 2008 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. Quite an achievement, congratulations.

LOREN: Thanks! We’re very proud of all of our wins. Mondial was a great one for us. 5,800 wines were judged by 240 International judges. To win among a field of so many other superior wines was humbling – and exhilarating!

WHITE: We’ll have to send Agent Red by to taste the 2004 with you!

LOREN: We look forward to meeting him.

WHITE: Thanks, again, for the tour, Loren. I’m sure that our Operatives will love having a chance to enjoy your wines.

LOREN: Thank you, White!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Trefethen Family Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

Gundlach-Bundschu Winery 2005 Estate Merlot

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

2008 Wine Intrigue Award Winner: Operatives Choice, Top Merlot

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!

Today’s wine deserves special recognition as a beautiful example of California Merlot.

SECRET SAVINGS ALERT!

Subscribe to our Daily Dispatch (above) and you’ll always know what our Top Secret coupon code of the day is. Every day we issue a new members-only code that entitles you to Free Ground Shipping and, sometimes, an added discount!

Mission Codename: The Sesquicentannial

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Gundlach-Bundschu and retrieve the wine that they are best-known for, their estate Merlot

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Gundlach-Bundschu

Wine Subject: 2005 Estate Merlot

Winemaker: Jeff Bundschu

Backgrounder: To true wine lovers, Merlot is one of the finest wine varietals in the world. Today, Merlot continues to sell in record numbers across the US, outpacing all other varietals. Merlot is sincere wine for serious wine drinkers. If you think that Merlot is not for you, forget everything that you think you know about Merlot and embrace this spectacular example. Read Agent Red’s mission report, immediately following his tasting notes.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep burgundy with a deep and inky heart. When swirled, this wine shows a springy surface and leaves behind a mix of skinny and chubby legs that crawl down the glass at varying speeds

Smell – Deep and lush, with extracted aromas of blackberry, black cherry, plum, sweetwoods and mild spices, with dark river rock, sweet fresh mulch and sheet metal (unique!)

Feel – Soft and round, light at first, then the wine grips gently at the your cheeks as it coats your mouth. The wine has balanced light-to-medium tannins that introduce a slight dryness that makes your mouth water

Taste – This wine present dark and lush layers of blackberry, cherry, toasty raisin, black tea, cedar and a hint of mildest spice. Perfectly balanced acidity amkes this wine a perfect companion for most meals

Finish – A super long finish, with flavors that change from tart to sweet to slightly smoky as they tail off slowly

Conclusion – Yes! Another great wine from our friends at Gundlach-Bundschu. This Merlot is rich and dusky and delicious, representing the finest Sonoma County Merlot we have had the pleasure to enjoy. With aromas and flavors that pop as you swirl, sniff and sip, this is a fun wine to experience. If you love great Merlot (or not!), I promise that this is one of the finest you have ever tried from The Wine Spies!

Mission Report:

When we first infiltrated the Gundlach-Bundschu Winery earlier this year, we came to recognize the passion that is apparent in each sip of their wonderful wines. Today, Gundlach-Bundschu is a Wine Spies favorite.

Below, you will find a recap of my first mission to Gundlach-Bundschu. First, however, I would like to provide you with an update on recent happenings at the Gundlach-Bundschu Winery.

Agent Green, our newest Wine Spies agent, heads up environmental initiatives for The Wine Spies. Green is keeps our operation in balance with the environment, and is always on the lookout for wineries that are employ or promote sustainable and renewable practices.

One of the wineries that caught Agent Green’s attention of late was, you guessed it, Gundlach-Bundschu. News of the planning and installation of an innovative new floating solar array was leaked to him by one of our moles at the winery, and Green even managed to intercept the following draft press release:

[the following is not meant for public display or reproduction]

Gundlach Bundschu Winery is celebrating their 150th anniversary by installing two solar arrays on their Sonoma estate, including the first Floatovoltaic™ installation in Sonoma County.

Designed and installed by SPG Solar, Inc. of Novato, CA, the 30kw Floatovoltaic system provides 100% of the power used by the winery’s water reclamation system. A series of ponds and man-made wetlands filters all the winery wastewater, ultimately recycling 70% for use in the vineyard. The new solar array secures 162 Sharp solar panels on pontoons that float on one of the ponds, generating enough power to fully power the pumps, monitors and other electrical needs of the system. When the ponds were first installed in 2006, electric bills were extremely high. Now, we expect a net-zero to $200 annual bill.

The second array, which went live on November 20th, is an 80kw system that now provides 60% of the winery power needs. Gundlach Bundschu pulled out 1.3 acres of five-year-old Dijon 667 pinot noir vines in July to install the system, which is roughly equivalent to $70,000 dollars’ worth of bottled Gundlach Bundschu wines annually.

Sixth-generation vintner and president Jeff Bundschu is continually, actively looking at every aspect of his business to promote conservation and eco-system health while producing the highest quality wines. “In addition to our existing practices in the vineyard and winery—eliminating pesticides, using biodiesel, recycling water, reducing packaging and using recycled materials—the solar program is another important step in our family’s goal to eventually become carbon neutral.”

Agent Green says, “Jeff Bundschu, you are my hero!”

Prior Mission Recap:

I don’t receive much postal mail, and when I do, its usually junk mail. Certainly, the letter I received last week stood out; It was in a bright yellow envelope with a double-struck and unreadable postmark.

On opening the envelope, a single sheet fell to the desk. Pasted to the paper were four images: A pistol, a padlock, a cinnamon roll and a men’s dress shoe. All if the images seemed to have been clipped from magazine pages and stuck, from top to bottom, to the sheet. There were no words on the page and no indication on page or envelope where the ‘communication’ had come from.

For the next 48 hours, I obsessed over the page, struggling to decode its hidden meaning. The whiteboard walls in my office were filled with analysis, supposition and even translations of the images into foreign languages. I cross compared and correlated my findings with known wineries, my informants, moles, assets and field operatives. I applied infinite combinations, but could not find a result that made any sense.

With only a few hours of sleep during this arduous period, I was, admittedly, a wreck. Agent Sparkle didn’t know what I was working on, but she decided that I needed to get out of my lab, and out into the world. She coaxed me out to our favorite local cafe. I packed my attache with a note pad and a few items – in case inspiration struck – and headed out.

We got our Breve Lattes and made our way to a corner table. As I was setting my drink down, my attache opened, its contents spilling out onto the floor. Great.

Agent Sparkle bent to pick up some of the papers that had fallen – and she came up with the mystery sheet.

“Hey, that’s clever – and sort of cute! Gun, lock, bun, shoe… Gundlach-Bundschu,” She said.

I grinned sheepishly and took a sip of my latte. How could I have been so…

Just then, my phone rang. “Agent Red here,” I answered.

“Hey Red, its Jeff Bundschu! I expected you to have called me by now. You got my letter, right?”

I paused. “Oh, hi Jeff. Sorry, I’ve been away, umm, on a covert mission, yeah, that’s why I couldn’t call you.”

“Whatever you say, Red. Anyway, I know that you’ve been trying to get a meeting with me for the past few months. Good things come to those who wait, my friend. I have an awesome Pinot Noir for you and your Operatives. Come on by and see how you like it.”

Did I like the wine? I loved it, and I snagged some for you, dear Operative. I do, after all, still have what it takes!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Gundlach-Bundschu winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

Viader 2005 Dare Cabernet Franc

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

2008 Wine Intrigue Award Winner: Operatives Choice, Top Cabernet Franc

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!

Today’s wine deserves special recognition, for it is a divine example of Cabernet Franc. These special alerts are issued when we sleuth out a really great wine.

SECRET SAVINGS ALERT!

Subscribe to our Daily Dispatch (above) and you’ll always know what our Top Secret coupon code of the day is. Every day we issue a new code that entitles you to Free Ground Shipping and, sometimes, an added discount!

Mission Codename: I (Via)Dare you!

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Procure a stunning Napa Valley Cabernet Franc for our impatient, Franc-loving Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Viader

Wine Subject: 2005 Cabernet Franc

Winemakers: Delia Viader, Alan Viader and Michel Rolland

Backgrounder:

Cabernet Franc is one of Agent Red’s favorite red varietals. Perhaps this is because its flavors are often rich, layered, complex and elegant. Or, perhaps he loves Cabernet Franc so much because it pairs so exceptionally with many different foods. One of the most notable things about Cabernet Franc is the fact that finding excellent examples can be very difficult. This explains why we have not shown a Cab Franc here in some time. Agent Red recently scoured the Napa Valley to bring you today’s exceptional selection from our new friends at Viader. Red Red’s tasting notes and mission report below

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look Beautiful, deep burgundy with a deep heart of dark garnet with concentrated color right out to its edges at the outside of the glass. Heavy and fast-settling, this wine leaves behind tightlly-packed skinny-thin legs that crawl down the glass at differing speeds

Smell – Perfumy rushes of bright fruit of cherry, cassis and tart plum lead the way and then yield to lusher and more dark aromas of mixed berry, smoky cedar, oak, spice and a hint of sweet tobacco

Feel – Velvety and very wet, up front, then smooth lush tannins grab hold at the mid while the wine coats the entire mouth and introduce a slight drying effect

Taste – Cassis, cherry, strawberry, plum and raspberry with distinctive and delicious pine tar, Dutch licorice, mineral and smoky black cherry

Finish – Ultra-long and velvety, flavorful then slightly drying – which makes your mouth water, reminding you to take another delicious sip

Conclusion -This Viader Cabernet Franc is a stunning example of great Cabernet Franc. Its an American wine that could teach a thing or two to French Cabernet Franc. It is supple, sophisticated, refined, and tons of fun to drink. An unpretentious wine, this is the sort of conversation wine that I have referred to in the past; It encourages exploration and discussion. Cabernet Franc is always a food friendly wine and this example is no exception. With a bright acidity, balance and great flavors that won’t overpower most foods, this wine could pair with nearly any food. Are you a current Cabernet Franc drinker? If you are, you’ll flip for this wine. If not, I’ll issue this warning: Do NOT buy this wine if you don’t want to become hooked on great Cab Franc!

Mission Brief:

As a regular reader of my mission reports, you know of my profound love of Cabernet Franc. To me, this underdog varietal does not get the respect that it deserves. Well, in this country, anyhow.

Cabernet Franc, the genetic parent of Cabernet Sauvignon (its other parent is Sauvignon Blanc), when done right, is the perfect red wine for any situation. With enough acidity to make it a great pairing partner for most foods, and enough flavor to make it a superb solo-sipper, Cab Franc delivers on flexibility and great taste.

Sometimes, my love for the varietal gets on the nerve of my fellow agents. Some of my colleagues seem to think that the zeal with which I pursue the perfect Cabernet Franc – and the length of time I may take to find it – is misguided and unproductive. I strenuously disagree, of course, but this does partially explain why you have not seen a Cabernet Franc here in recent months. As much as it pained me, I had been staying away, deliberately. That, and I had been somewhat disheartened by the examples that I was tasting.

Recently, Agent Sparkle threw down a challenge. She reminded me of the Dazzling Dozen tasting that I had conducted last year. “I double dare you to find a better Cabernet Franc than last year’s winner,” She said.

She dared to dare me, did she? Well, if you know me like she does, you know by now that I cannot resist a challenge. Especially not one having to do with finding an exceptional Cab Franc! It was about time I was back on that particular case!

And so, I readily accepted. “Dare me? You should know better! How long do I have, a week?”

Agent sparkle laughed at this and said, “24 hours!”

I swallowed hard and tried to keep my cool. “I accept,” I said. I hoped that the did not hear the slight quaver in my voice.

Back in my auxiliary Ops Center, I sat an pondered my foolhardiness. 24 hours!? Not nearly enough time. She knows how picky I am about Cab Franc, I though. Why did I have to accept her dare.

Dare… Dare… DARE! That’s it, I thought, and quickly I logged on to my private server, accessing recent intel reports from assets in the field. Viader, in Napa, was at the top of the list of Cabernet Franc-producing wineries that I was advised to surveil. Most assets who tried Viader’s Dare, Cab Franc, reported on its supreme quality. Why had I not visited sooner?

A quick trip to the beautiful winery, set at 1200 feet on Napa’s fabled Howell Mountain, proved somewhat easier than I had expected, given that at Viader, tastings are by appointment only. Luckily, when I phoned in, I found that they had just had a cancellation.

After just 15 minutes with their 2005 Dare, I was absolutely enamored! Then and there I revealed my identity – and my intentions. Lucky for you, dear Operative, I was able to come away with a handful of cases of this beautiful wine.

As for Agent Sparkle’s challenge, a blind tasting of the 2005 Dare and 5 other superior Cabernet Francs proved to her that Cab Franc – and me, Agent RED, could still deliver.

And then some!

Enjoy today’s incredible Cabernet Franc. If you are a friend of Franc, you will not be disappointed. Never tried a Cab Franc? Go for it with today’s wine, but be warned: You’ll be hooked – and hard pressed to find a better example.

Phelan Vineyard 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

2008 Wine Intrigue Award Winner: Agent Sparkles’ Top Selection

INCREDIBLE WINE ALERT!:

Today’s wine is one of the best Napa Cabernet Sauvignons that we have ever had the pleasure to taste.

SAVINGS ALERT!:

Enjoy an additional 5% off (a total of 20%) plus FREE GROUND SHIPPING, when you buy 6 or more bottles. Enter coupon code: CABSPY at checkout.

Mission Codename: Over the moon

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Locate and procure a great… no.. an amazing Cabernet Sauvignon for our well-deserving Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished! (in a round about way)

Current Winery: Phelan Vineyard

Wine Subject: 2004 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Arlene Phelan

Backgrounder: Napa, California is revered for its wines. Particularly for producing some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines available anywhere in the world. For today’s wine, Agent Red had the great fortune to meet winemaker Arlene Phelan – and to taste what he declares to be her “Astoundingly great” Cabernet Sauvignon. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report below.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep and inky, bordering on purple with a dark, almost black heart with a heavy and dense-looking surface and legs that start slow and then streak down the glass

Smell – Mighty and lush with a potent perfume rush of blackberry, cassis and cherry with clove, leather and cigar box. After swirling for a while the wine gave off more subtle earth and fresh herbal qualities with a hint sweet oak

Feel – This wine hovers on your tongue initially, a great sensation that is followed by soft tannins and a deep texture that coats your mouth

Taste – Delicious and deeply layered with concentrated mid-palate flavors of blackberry, plum, a soft hint of vanilla, mild oak and sweet but subtle mocha.

Finish – Extra long finish with tannins that dry but then leave behind a flavorful sweetness that tapers gradually

Conclusion – This is an incredible wine! Drinking this wine, I am reassured that the Napa Valley deserves its reputation as the premier Cabernet Sauvignon producer in the world. 2004 was a banner year for Cali Cab and this wine represents best of breed, delivering a rich and great feeling wine that is super long on flavor and finish. If you don’t LOVE LOVE LOVE this wine I would be shocked. Actually, I would probably wonder if you were insane, or maybe lost your tastebuds in a freak accident. Seriously, though, this is a superb wine that I can’t get enough of!

Mission Report:

Its late and I am exhausted. Thank goodness I am back from my latest mission abroad. These International missions can be grueling, especially those which require me to go deep under cover.

I grab my suitcases from the turnstile and head out the airport doors to catch a cab home. Its late and its cold and I am miserable, but I will soon be back at Central Command – and that give me small comfort.

“Where to, Mack?” asks the cab driver.

I give the driver the approximate address and settle in for the half-hour ride. I use the time to catch up on some Wine Spies emails on my handheld device. After a few minutes, I sense that something is wrong. Looking out the windows, I discover that we have just deviated from the proper route.

I lock eyes with the driver, in his rearview mirror. A moment later, the doors lock, and the windows and the divider between me and the driver tint to a opaque black. I cannot see outside of the vehicle. Grabbing at the handle and at the lock, I discover that I cannot open the door.

“Settle down, Mack.” says the driver.

Keeping my cool, I ask him where he is taking me. Silence. .. We drive on.

After nearly an hour the vehicle stops and I hear the driver door open and then close. I wait a few moments, bracing myself for my own door to open. It never does and I try the door handle again. The door swings open and I discover that I am inside of a vast darkened and empty warehouse.

Across the expanse, a pool of light catches my eye. Under it is a small table – with an object sitting atop it. As my eyes adjust, I am instantly aware that the object is a wine bottle.

I quickly make my way across to the table. Once there, I pick up the bottle and read the label. ”Phelan Vineyard – 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon” . My heart skips a beat. This particular wine had been eluding me for some time, its creator a difficult woman to place under surveillance.

This is the sort of wine I had hoped to return with. Instead, my away mission had been a total bust.

Looking down at the table, I notice a small envelope. In neat handwriting, I read the words, ”Agent Red”. Opening it, a small card falls to the table, writing-side-down. I flip it over and read, ”Don’t move!” My training kicks in and, without thinking, I grab the bottle and dive beneath the table. In that instant, a light flashes before my eyes and familiar voices shout out, “Welcome home!”.

“Welcome home, Red!”

It’s Agent White and the rest of the team.

“We know how badly it went for you in [CENSORED] and we thought we’d cheer you up. Arlene Phelan sent you this bottle with her regards. It seems that she was running counter surveillance on you for some time. She hopes that you enjoy the wine.”

And did I ever! Arlene Phelan is my new Napa Valley Hero. Her wine is fantastic and once I settled back in and made contact with her, she was more than happy to make a small allotment available to our Operatives for today. Don’t buy any, though, what you don’t snap up, I will!

Iron Horse Vineyards 2005 Estate Chardonnay

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

2008 Wine Intrigue Award Winner: Agent White’s Top Selection

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT

Operatives appreciate really great Chardonnay, and Agent White is very picky. This adds up to a guarantee of quality for today’s great Chardonnay!

SAVINGS ALERT

Clever Operatives will earn a Free Ground Shipping award when they order 6 or more bottles, but only if they use this coupon code at checkout: SPYSONOMA

Mission Codename: Horse Sense

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Recover a stash of Iron Horse’s revered Estate Chardonnay – before they run out

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Iron Horse Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2005 Iron Horse Estate Chardonnay

Winemaker: David Munksgard

Backgrounder: Our Operatives love Iron Horse wines. We’ve featured Iron Horse here before, and our Operatives responded by snapping up their wines in record numbers. For today’s selection, we sent Agent White to Iron horse Vineyards to secure a cache of their world renowned 2005 Estate Chardonnay, a wine that the notoriously difficult to please spy calls, “A velvety winner!”. Read White’s detailed tasting notes and mission report below

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Glistening pale stray to golden yellow in color, with a springy surface and fat, widely-spaced legs that sink slowly down the glass

Smell – Beautifully bright, sharp and clean, this wine imparts fresh fruit aromas of green apple, pear, starfruit, caramel, subtle toasted coconut, vanilla and fresh citrus leaves

Feel – Velvety and silky smooth, this wine is not the buttery chard that turns me off. Rather, there is a smoothness and a roundness that glide beautifully across the palate. The wine starts cool and fresh, then gets slightly grippy at the mid

Taste – Sweet and tart with delicious golden apple and tropical fruits leading off. Thar be oak here, but it is subtle after some time in the air. Follow-on flavors candied walnut and pear, with slight pineapple couple with a medium acidity that adds to the wines complexity

Finish – This wine finishes long and flavorful, with a smooth and creamy feel and a fresh and fruity quality

Conclusion – A truly wonderful wine! And since you know how hard I can be on Chardonnay, you know that’s high praise indeed. I guess that I should have expected such a great wine to come from our friends at Iron Horse but, admittedly, I was surprised. This wine, with its silky-smooth feel and deep, delicious flavors also remind me that Chardonnay doe not have to be boring. Instead, this is a bright wine of some complexity. Three cheers for Iron Horse, who release this special wine to our Operatives while the hot weather persists… It’s a perfect late-summer compliment to your Top Secret gatherings.

Mission Report:

“Agent Red thinks he can tell me where to find great white Chardonnay? We’ll see about that!”

And so began my rant when Agent Red, my supposed Joint Station Chief had the nerve to assign me the mission to today’s winery.

Okay, I admit it, when it comes to Chardonnay, I am a snob! I do try to keep an open mind with all of the wines that I sample, but there is something about Chardonnay that makes me outright leery. Perhaps that’s because most Chards are flat, flabby and way too buttery.

At least this would be an easy mission. Because we infiltrated Iron Horse in the past, I could have just called the winery to arrange a tasting. In order to make my visit interesting, however, I went in, posing as a French wine journalist. This turned out to be a bad idea, as winery CEO, Joy Sterling, who grew up in France, showed up in the tasting room the day I visited!

Putting on my best Pariaian accent, I began my tasting – beginning with their whites. Just as a I made it to today’s wine, Joy entered the tasting room. In French, she said to me, “Welcome, friend. What brings you from France?”

I blanched, but tried to maintain my composure. I tried my hardest to answer in colloquial Parisian, but guess that I failed, as Joy smiled, leaned over the bar and said, “Agent White, I presume?”

I deflated somewhat, but managed a wan smile in return. “Busted,” I replied.

We had a laugh and Joy invited me to take my time with my tasting. I was glad that the pressure was off, and that I had an extended amount of time to spend with today’s superb wine.

Later, I arranged with Joy to procure an allotment of today’s great wine.

If you really love great Chardonnay – or if you don’t believe that such a thing exists – this is a wine to try! Velvet-smooth, but not butterball, delicious and very flavorful, without being cloying, this wine has garnered my respect. And, as Agent Red will tell you (perhaps a little too redily), that’s a miracle.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Iron Horse Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

A detailed Iron Horse Vineyards block map can be seen in this Top Secret document

Raymond Burr Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

2008 Wine Intrigue Award Winner: Agent Red’s Top Selection

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!

Today’s wine is the best Raymond Burr wine we have ever featured – and an excellent and delicious Cabernet Sauvignon

SAVINGS ALERT!

Ground Shipping Included when you buy 6 bottles. Enter this coupon code at checkout (discount will be shown before you complete your order): SPYSONOMA

EXTRA SAVINGS ALERT!

Ground Shipping Included plus an additional 5% off, when you buy 12 bottles or more, with coupon code: IRONSPY2

Mission Codename: A Wine in the Sun

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Send Agent Red back to Raymond Burr winery, to retrieve their stellar Cabernet Sauvignon – before it goes on lock-down!

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Raymond Burr Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: John Quinones

Backgrounder: Our Operatives know that we are huge fans of Raymond Burr wines. We have featured two of their wines previously, but today’s is the best of the bunch! This 2004 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, a multi-medal winner (it just took GOLD at the 2008 San Diego International Wine Competition), is fragrant, balanced, big and richly delicious. When our friends at Raymond Burr offered our Operatives a chance to pick up this gem of a wine, we were thrilled. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and click the big blue button to grab some of this special wine – before we run out

Wine Spies Tasting Profile, by Agent Red:

Look – Deep ruby to burgundy in color with great clarity and concentrated color to the edge of the glass, the wine has a fast-moving surface and thinny-thin closely-space legs that move slowly down the glass

Smell – Bright and juicy aromatics with big cherry, black cherry, currant, dried edible flowers, toasty oak, blackberry and a hints of dark chocolate and espresso

Feel – Smooth, cool and wet up-front, then the wine gets bright on the palate with an explosion of tender flavors and delicate tannins

Taste – Incredibly delicious and bright with flavors of sweet cherry, currant, blackberry, oak and gourmet fruit jam

Finish – Long and lingering with flavors that change and move after you swallow, leaving behind a very slight dryness and mouth-watering flavors and soft tannins

Conclusion – Like all of the Raymond Burr I have tried so far, this wine shows the care and expertise and stellar fruit that make Burr wines so wonderful. Their 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon is taking awards and getting a great deal of attention and its no wonder; This wine is perfectly balanced with layered flavors, deep aromas, a bright mouth-feel and a finish that makes to keep sipping! Drink now or hold for a couple of years. Heck, do both!

Mission Report:

Now that we are great friends with the folks at Raymond Burr Vineyards, additional surveillance or infiltration is not necessary. Now that they have been recruited into The Wine Spies Network, they contact us through back-channels when they have a special allocation of our Operatives..

No new mission report today, so please read below for a recap of our initial mission to Raymond Burr Vineyards.

Please note that we enjoyed today’s featured Cabernet Sauvignon even more than the Cabernet Franc that we featured previously

Prior Mission Recap:

Ask anyone to describe Raymond Burr in a single word and, resoundingly, you will likely hear, Classy.

The veteran actor, for whom today’s winery was honorarily named, was also a cultivator of orchids, a war hero, a philanthropist and more. Most of all, he was cherished and loved by his close friends, who say that his warmth, humor and compassion made him a remarkable man.

When I was given the mission – finally – to seek out a new Cabernet Franc, I riffled through my mental Rolodex and recalled hearing great things about a Cab Franc from Raymond Burr Winery. In fact, it was in the most unusual way that I had come to hear of the wine in the first place.

On returning from a mission to Latin America, our flight got in to Miami too late to make our connecting flight back to California. the airline put us up in a swanky hotel and the next morning we found ourselves in a shuttle back to the Airport. I struck up a conversation with a young couple who were also on our inbound flight and, as always, I steered the conversation toward wine. We compared tastes in varietals and found that Cab Franc wines were among our very favorites. We traded recommendations and they assured me that Raymond Burr had a wine that I would be sure to love.

Now that I was finally assigned a Cab Franc mission I knew just where to go, so I called proprietor and long time companion to Mr. Burr, Robert Benevides. I used the direct approach and told him that I was very interested in sampling his wine and, if they passed the test, feature his Cabernet Franc here for our Operatives to enjoy.

I enjoyed this exceptional wine more with each sip. With enough time to stretch out in the air, the wine really opens up and loses the rough edges present on opening. For best results, decant the wine for a few hours – and enjoy at cellar temperature.

Aromas, flavors, acid and mouth-feel are all in harmony here and the finish is really very unique. If you love incredible Cabernet Franc, look no further Operative, its right here.

Finally, I remember hearing a story about Mr. Burr that sums up his life and his wines: While working with Errol Flynn, Flynn told Mr. Burr that if he died with ten dollars in his pocket he hadn’t done a good job. This inspired Mr. Burr to always share his wealth with all. His legacy lives on in today’s wine from Mr. Burr’s namesake winery.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Raymond Burr Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

Sol Rouge Vineyard & Winery 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Special Award Alert:

We are pleased to say that the 2006 Sol Rouge Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon was recently awarded a Gold Medal, 94 Points and the Best of Class – North Coast Appellations at the 2008 California State Fair, the oldest and most prestigious wine competitions in North America. A hearty Wine Spy Congratulations are in order.

Through TOP SECRET negotiations with winemaker and owner Bryan Kane, we are able to bring you a very limited allocation of this exceptional wine. Be sure act fast, our allocation is very limited and once sold out we may never be able to get some more.

Savings Alert:

For additional savings, be sure to use the promotion code SPYSOL for free ground shipping on orders of six or more bottles.

Mission Codename: Mountain High

Operative: Agent White & Agent Blush

Objective: Acquire an allocation of the SUPER EXCLUSIVE New Sol Rouge Cabernet Sauvignon.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Sol Rouge Vineyard and Winery

Wine Subject: 2006 Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Bryan Kane

Backgrounder:

The 2006 Sol Rouge Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon is made exclusively from mountain Cabernet Sauvignon fruit from the northern part of the Mayacamas mountain range (in Lake County, just east of Mendocino and north of Sonoma which is exploding as wine growing region) home of several of California’s cult Cabernet Sauvignons like those of Peter Michael, Pride, Diamond Creek, and, of course, Mayacamas Vineyards.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark purple and almost black in color with inky clarity and garnet and purple highlighted edges. When swirled, this wine has slow moving and thick legs.

Smell – Bold, but balanced bouquet with aromas of blackberries, both tart and ripe cherries, toasted oak and spice. As this wine opens up a distinct herbaceous component of green peppers also emerges.

Feel – Dry, rich and smooth but with firm tannic structure that reaches the far corners of the palate with a spicy tingle that lingers on the tip of the tongue.

Taste – Concentrated black and red fruits lead off with layers of toasted oak, spicy black pepper and a hint of licorice.

Finish – This wine finishes long and lingers with balanced flavors of fruit, spice and oak.

Conclusion – Once again, Bryan Kane has produced an exceptional wine. This Cabernet is bold, but not overpowering and true to its varietal characteristics. Give this wine some time to breathe and you will be handsomely rewarded with an exceptional wine drinking experience. Try this wine with grilled beef or game meats.

Mission Report:

What follows is our original mission report on this wine.

Our flight plan listed our destination as 1O2 – Lampson Field Airport, at the south end of Lake County. We weren’t interested in landing, however. The purpose here was to do some low level reconnaissance of the vineyards at the north end of the Mayacamas mountain range.

Tree-top flying is at its best in the cool early mornings (hopefully not waking the neighbors as we blow the fruit right off the vine). The problem here was dropping out of radar contact from NorCal Approach, particularly since we were so close to the Maxwell Military Operation Area (MOA).

Starting at the highest point of the mountain, about 4760 feet MSL, we carefully followed the ridgelines working our way down. Blush, with chart in hand indicated the direction the vineyard of interest. As we approached our target, the terrain was between about 1800 and 2600 feet in elevation.

”Put her in a slip, I need to get a close-up look”.

Applying left rudder and right aileron, the plane banked about 20 degrees providing her with a great view…

”Can’t you fly any lower?,” she asked, “No, we’re already only 5-700 feet AGL”., I responded, keeping track of the terrain and the winds.

”Now I know, why Bryan’s wines are so good”, she said, ”Look at that Mountain Terroir..., It’s perfect!”

As a matter of fact, the Mayacamas are known for austere, coarse and complex rocky volcanic soil. The climate is also ideal for growing great Cabernet Sauvignon. Longer, more balanced growing days with the morning sun and a lack of fog that usually blankets the valley floor and cool afternoon breezes moderate the hot afternoon sun. That combined with extremely low yields result in smaller berries and more balanced, complex and concentrated fruit.

The Terroir and climate is why some of the most loved cult wines come from the Mayacamas.

Let’s head back as she flashed me an evil grin…

”Too bad you’re flying White, I guess that means more wine for me!”

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Sol Rouge Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

Mission Postscript: Agent White is a trained mountain search and rescue pilot. Always fly safely and within the limits of yours and your aircraft’s abilities and according to the appropriate FAA regulations.

Sol Rouge Vineyard & Winery 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Special Award Alert:

Savings Alert:

For additional savings, be sure to use the promotion code SPYSOL for free ground shipping on orders of six or more bottles.

Mission Codename: Mountain High

Operative: Agent White & Agent Blush

Objective: Acquire an allocation of the SUPER EXCLUSIVE New Sol Rouge Cabernet Sauvignon.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Sol Rouge Vineyard and Winery

Wine Subject: 2006 Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Bryan Kane

Backgrounder:

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark purple and almost black in color with inky clarity and garnet and purple highlighted edges. When swirled, this wine has slow moving and thick legs.

Feel – Dry, rich and smooth but with firm tannic structure that reaches the far corners of the palate with a spicy tingle that lingers on the tip of the tongue.

Taste – Concentrated black and red fruits lead off with layers of toasted oak, spicy black pepper and a hint of licorice.

Finish – This wine finishes long and lingers with balanced flavors of fruit, spice and oak.

Mission Report:

What follows is our original mission report on this wine.

”Put her in a slip, I need to get a close-up look”.

Applying left rudder and right aileron, the plane banked about 20 degrees providing her with a great view…

”Can’t you fly any lower?,” she asked, “No, we’re already only 5-700 feet AGL”., I responded, keeping track of the terrain and the winds.

”Now I know, why Bryan’s wines are so good”, she said, ”Look at that Mountain Terroir..., It’s perfect!”

The Terroir and climate is why some of the most loved cult wines come from the Mayacamas.

Let’s head back as she flashed me an evil grin…

”Too bad you’re flying White, I guess that means more wine for me!”

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Sol Rouge Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

Mission Postscript: Agent White is a trained mountain search and rescue pilot. Always fly safely and within the limits of yours and your aircraft’s abilities and according to the appropriate FAA regulations.

Dry Creek Vineyard 2005 Meritage

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT

2008 Wine Intrigue Award Winner: Operative’s Choice, Top Meritage

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!:

Today’s wine is one to rave about – or one to impress with! If you are looking for a please everyone wine, you’ve found it. And then some! Stock up for your holiday entertaining.

EXTRA SAVINGS ALERT!:

Today’s wine is offered at 20% off, but order six or more bottles and we’ll also throw in Free Ground Shipping! Just enter coupon code: SPYSONOMA and your savings will be applied at checkout

Mission Codename: Wind at your back

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Locate a distinctive and excellent red Meritage wine for our blend-loving Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Dry Creek Vineyard

Wine Subject: 2005 Meritage

Winemaker: Lisa Bishop Forbes

Backgrounder:

According to the US Meritage (rhymes with Heritage) Association, a red Meritage wine is made from a blend of two or more of the following varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, St. Macaire, Gros Verdot, or Carmenere. The Wine Spies have sampled many great Meritage wines and we are proud to bring you one of the finest examples we have ever tasted. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report below:

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Beautiful and deep ruby red, with great concentration of color, right out to its glistening edges. The wine shows perfect clarity through its darkening heart. On swirling, the wine settles quickly, leaving behind ultra-skinny and tightly-spaced legs

Smell – An elegant explosion of rich aromatics, with lush layers of cherry, soft dried flowers, blackberry, blueberry, plum, spice and black pepper with earthen components that include sweetwood, cigar box and softest tomato stem

Feel – Medium round and velvet smooth, the wine hovers over the tip tongue at first and then settles all around the mouth, gripping the tip of the tongue at first, and then the edges and rear and, finally, the inside of the cheeks

Taste – Incredibly delicious with layers of flavors that mirror the aromas. Add to these flavors additional tastes of mild salad herbs, edible flowers and smoky soft cedar

Finish – This wine coats the mouth, leaving behind a slightly stringy feel, with flavors that tail off sweet then slightly more tart and dry

Conclusion – On first smell of this wine, I knew that I was in for a real treat! I took my time, however, sniffing and swirling – pulling out the myriad of fine and distinct aromas. On to sipping, and I nearly fell out of my chair. Delicious only begins to describe how wonderful this wine tastes. With a medium-big mouth feel, acidity that make it a great food wine, and a long and elegant finish, this wine gets a huge Wine Spies recommendation!

Mission Report:

This time of year is crazy time for most California wineries. With the 2008 Harvest nearly complete, winery attention turns to crush and fermentation. The whole period is a pins and needles affair, when wineries begin to gauge the success of the crop. Some try to predict how the vintage will turn out.

My confidential informant at the winery, second generation winery family member and Vice President of Dry Creek Vineyard, Kim Stare Wallace, says that the winery takes a more pragmatic approach to crafting their exceptional wines:

KIM STARE WALLACE: When I hear of wineries predicting greatness for a particular vintage, I wonder how they can really know. The process of making wine is one that requires the persistent application of attention, art and science.

AGENT RED: Is this how your wines seem to improve so much each year?

KIM: I’m glad that you noticed! We are one of the oldest wineries in Sonoma County, having broken ground on our first vineyards in 1972. While there are plenty of great, small, family owned wineries in the area, ours is unique in the sense that we have more than 35 years of growing and winemaking experience in the Valley. We are so deeply committed to evolving and improving the quality of our wines.

RED: So, when do you begin to get a sense of the quality of the vintage?

KIM: Spring!

RED: I’ll have to check back with you then. Recently you’ve made the decision to make wines from 100% Dry Creek Valley fruit. Is this approach more true to your roots?

KIM: Yes, but also, Dry Creek Valley grapes are the finest available. In our humble opinions, at least!

RED: According to our intel reports, your wines have gone from great to even better. What other decisions have led to the improvements?

KIM: Within the last 5 years we brought on new members to our winemaking team. With nearly 40 years of combined experience at some of the finest wineries in the world, our team is focused on creating Dry Creek Valley wines that are dynamic, exciting and uniquely us. Our wines present an authenticity and a quality that deliver a sense of our special region.

RED: Tell me a little about your 2005 Meritage, which, by the way, I am totally crazy about!

KIM: I am so glad that you love it. Most of us here at the winery feel the same way. In fact, its a go to wine for us when we are looking for a delicious wine to go with a great meal.

RED: It has great acidity and great fruit. What is your favorite pairing?

KIM: Ahhh. I am so glad that you asked. I’ll transmit my favorite recipe to you after our meeting. Share it with your Operatives.

[see left for a great pairing suggestion and recipe]

RED: Thank you! I look forward to that. Tell me, how was harvest this year?

KIM: (sighs) Well, for one, its over! We’re all breathing easier now. Harvest was fun this year, and it came earlier too. The final fruit was all picked by October 8th.

RED: And last year?

KIM: October 26th! We’re glad that its behind us, though, as it gives us time to place extra attention on fermentation and barreling. We’ll miss our harvest interns, though!

RED: I met a few of them. Nice mix of ‘kids’. Let’s see, one from France, one from Australia, a UC Davis oenology student. All of them future viticulturists or winemakers. Do you have interns every year?

KIM: Pretty much since my father started this winery 36 years ago.

RED: I see that you are getting ready to plant new vineyards. What’s going in this time?

KIM: On this side, probably Petite Verdot and Malbec, two great blending components. Across the street, we’ll be planting Zinfandel.

RED: Yummy! DCV Zin is great. Listen, I have to congratulate you on a few things. Ready?

KIM: Sure!

RED: First, your 2007 Fumé Blanc beat out 1,052 other wines to be named Sweepstakes Winner at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair.

KIM: And you know what? This was the first year in nearly 20 that I have been attending that I could not go!

RED: Second, you were recently named Chairperson of the Meritage Association. Congrats on that! Third, your wine insider blog ”Wilma’s Wine World” is a great read. I recommend it to all, but one suggestion?

KIM: Yes?

RED: Change the name to ”The Quantum of Wallace”!

KIM: Very James Bond. I like it, but I’m sticking with my original name!

RED: As perhaps you should. You know me, I think that everything should be spy-themed…

Be sure to visit Kim’s blog at: http://www.wilmaswineworld.com/

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Dry Creek Vineyard winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

Galante Vineyards 2004 Blackjack Pasture Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT

2008 Wine Intrigue Award Winner: Operative’s Choice, Top Monterey Selection

Superior Wine Alert!

All of the wines we feature here are great, but sometimes we wrangle up a really stand-out wine. Today’s wine is superb, superior, stupendous and stellar

Mission Codename: The Galante Gang

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Ride the range, in search of an outstanding 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, and rope some for our Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Galante Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2004 Blackjack Pasture Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Greg Vita

Backgrounder: 2004 was purported to be the best vintage on recent record for California Cabernet Sauvignon. When Agent Red was directed to rustle up a handful of the best examples of ‘04 Cali Cab, he headed first to Galante Vineyards in picturesque Carmel Valley (in Monterey County) where Galante’s Blackjack Cabernet Sauvignon was winning the hearts and palates of wine drinkers worldwide. Read his tasting analysis and mission report to find out how he fared.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep ruby hues with great clarity and depth of color, right to the edges. When swirled, the surface settles quickly and the wines fat legs move slowly down the glass. Wait a while and you will see something you may never have seen before; the legs become streams of non-connected dots. Unique!

Smell – Rich and fruit-filled layers with black berry, black cherry, black currant and plum, with chocolate, leather, pine tar, green wood and rose petals

Feel – Thin and light on the mid-pallet, the wine initially races across the tongue and then medium tannins grab the entire palate and coat the whole mouth

Taste – Ripe sweetness at the tip of the tongue, introducing layered flavors of cherry juice, plum, sweet cranberry and cocoa, with supple leather and, soft oak and earth

Finish – Smooth, sweet and slightly dry, with flavors that last forever

Conclusion – This is a big and delicious Cab, but its no brute. With dynamic mix of both soft and subtle flavors, this wine exudes character, richness, balance, deep aromatics and giant flavors. For the best experience with this wine, I recommend decanting for at least 4 hours. I opened a bottle and then put the cork back in for 24 hours (with no added gasses) before sampling again. When I did taste the wine again it was far more pleasing, with softer aromatics and flavors.

Mission Report:

[note: be sure to read the following in your best cowboy voice]

Howdy Pardners! Agent Red here, reportin’ back from the range.

During a recent mission to infiltrate the notorious Galante Gang, I was known simply as ’Red’.

Why me? Well, match up my love for great red wines with the time I spent playing Cowboys and Indians as a child – and it was only natural that Central Command should chose me for this mission.

It had been rumored that Galante produced some of the best Cabernets in the state so I was sent to investigate. I arrived at the Galante Ranch where I was greeted by Cowboy Winemaker, Jack Galante. I told Jack right off that I was new in town and wanted to join his Gang. He looked somewhat skeptical when he noticed my shiny penny loafers, but after he sized me up, he invited me in for a tasting. (Note to self: Pay better attention to my disguises!)

Jack poured me a glass of his Cabernet Sauvignon (shouldn’t he serve it in a tin cup?). What struck me first was this wine didn’t have the overpowering aromas of chili pepper usually found in the Cabs of the Monterey region. Rather, I found sandalwood, oak, cherry, currant and rose. This is an aromatic wine that’s not afraid to boast about its character.

After some very skillful cowboy style sniffing and yelling “YEE-HAW!”, I went in for a taste. I was impressed. This is a very bright and flavorful wine that has a big mouth feel, with medium tannins and big tastes of cherry and berry.

I think that Jack was impressed with my cowboy manner. At least I think that’s why he was looking at me in that way. And, no, that’s not a Brokeback reference. Jack is all man.

This wine certainly gets my personal recommendation and I’m pretty sure that we’ll feature other Galante wines here in the future. Pair it with free range gourmet like pan-seared baked beans, cactus fritters or even a fine tumbleweed stew.

For a real Cowboy Cabernet that can be served with real cuisine, you should pick up a bottle or two. This is a wine that is ready to drink now, but could peak in just a few years.

For a real pairing, we recommend a delicious Montana Legend steak

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Galante Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

Maison Bouachon 2005 La Tiare du Pape

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT

2008 Wine Intrigue Award Winner: Operative’s Choice, Top International Selection

SECRET SAVINGS ALERT!

Subscribe to our Daily Dispatch (above) and you’ll always know what our Top Secret coupon code of the day is. Every day we issue a new members-only code that entitles you to Free Ground Shipping and, sometimes, even an added discount!

Mission Codename: Crown of Flowers

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Secure an exclusive allocation of a value oriented Châteauneuf-du-Pape for our operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Maison Bouachon

Wine Subject: 2005 La Tiare du Pape Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Winemaker: Christian Abry

Backgrounder:

Châteauneuf-du-Pape (CDP) is among this spy’s favorite Rhone wines. With each wine being a distinct blend of up to 13 different varietals (usually lead off with Grenache, France’s work-horse grape, with the trend leading to more Syrah and Mourvedre based blends). The name Châteauneuf-du-Pape dates back to the 14th century during the time of the dual papacy.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape comes in two distinct styles, the more traditional ’Old World’ (like this one) are dark, rich and spicy with firm tannins that lend these wines to cellaring; and the more contemporary fruit-forward style more reminiscent of New World wines.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark ruby red and garnet hued with a dark core and garnet pinkish edges. Slow fat legs cling to the edge of the glass when swirled.

Smell – A classic CDP bouquet of ripe red cherry, raspberry and plum backed by old-world cocoa, a touch of toasted oak, a touch of floral lavender, exotic spices and cigar tobacco.

Feel – An initially tangy attack that smooths as it breathes, this full-bodied wine has fine tightly woven tannins, good acidity and a dry mineral quality.

Taste – This wine is well developed with complex and integrated flavors of red cherry, raspberry, pomegranate with earthy notes indicative of its Terroir, a touch of toasted oak and some baking spice to round out the palate.

Finish – Long, dry and lingering, with clean flavors of red fruit, oak and its rich earthy components.

Conclusion – Anyone who has followed some of our French selections knows that I love Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They are rich, complex and each shows its own unique character. This CDP is a great example at at the price is an exceptional value. If you haven’t yet tried CDP, this is one to begin your journey. If you are a fan of CDP, then stock up on this one.

Mission Report:

It was a day of marathon tastings in the southern Rhone. Agent Terroir suggested that we enjoy thee rest of the afternoon in Marseille. It was just a short drive from Avignon. Terroir suggested that we find a cafe near the Vieux Port to see the big yachts, enjoy the sun fade into the Mediterranean and perhaps one more glass of wine, this time, not spitting…

We settled in and just as the garcon arrived to take our order, my communicator buzzed with an incoming PIN message:

LFML @ 1845 CARGO RWY 13 P.U. AR

Let me translate… Be at the Marseille Airport at 6:45 PM to pick up Agent Red at the cargo facility at the end of runway 13. Problem was that it was 6:45 and I was sitting at the port, while my plane was arriving. I apologized to Terroir and hired a cab to take me to the airport. As I arrived, I could tell Red was frustrated for having to wait for me to pick him up. Excuses wouldn’t do. Even if it was OPS fault for the late message.

He had an overnight bag and a dossier in had. Handing me both, he said lets get started, I don’t have time to waste. Red was anxious, but unfamiliar with the French way. His planned tasting would have to wait until the morning. Jumping in the car I said where to? “Back to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, I know you where just there but look at this”, as he handed me the dossier.

As I skimmed the file, Red told me about the Skalli Family, owners of Napa Valley’s St. Supery. How they were committed to the perpetuation of wine making tradition and that we needed to gather some intel on the negociant Maison Bouachon.

Maison Bouachon had quite a history dating back over 100 years as one of the best barrel makers in the region. More recently, Maison Bouachon was quickly becoming known for making great wines including from the Rhone including Vacqueyras and Saint-Joseph. But it was the Châteauneuf-du-Pape that was the flagship.

By the time we arrived in the village it was late and thankfully Red was fading. I don’t think I could do another tasting after the marathon tasting from earlier in the day. This would give me some time to review the dossier and make the arrangements for the morning. I called Agent Terroir and he said he could arrange for a meeting with Christian Abry, Maison Bouachon’s winemaker. He also told me about the great tradition of the family. Needless to say, I was getting excited to taste the wine.

After a quick cup of coffee we headed out to Maison Bouachon. Once we arrived, we reviewed the vineyards and then headed to the back of the house, where on the top of an artisan barrel was an arrangements of gardenias and a bottle of the La Tiare du Pape and a few glasses. This translates to the ’Crown of the Pope’ (Tiare is also the flower of the south pacific gardenia). With nobody in site but the farm hands tending the vines, I popped open the bottle and poured a glass for Red and myself. The puzzled look on his face said it all, as did my response…

”Accueillir en France, apprécier le vin!”

And enjoy we did!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Maison Bouachon in Châteauneuf-du-Pape can be seen in this satellite photo.

GRILLED FLANK STEAK WITH ROASTED GARLIC AIOLI

Epiphany Cellars 2005 Petite Sirah

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT

2008 Wine Intrigue Award Winner: Operative’s Choice, Top Petite Sirah

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT:

Today’s wine was not just an Operatve favorite. Agent Sparkle and Agent Red also declare this Petite Sirah to be their favorite of the year as well.

SAVINGS ALERT:

Subscribe to our Daily Dispatch (above) and you’ll always know what our Top Secret coupon code of the day is. Every day we issue a new members-only code that entitles you to Free Ground Shipping and, sometimes, even added discounts!

Mission Codename: Nothing Petite about it!

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Respond to Operative requests (okay, demands) for another great wine from Epiphany

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Epiphany Cellars

Wine Subject: 2005 Rodney’s Vineyard Petite sirah

Winemaker: Eli Parker

Backgrounder: Operatives went bonkers for the last Epiphany wine we featured. They made their love for the wine known by buying out every last bottle we had procured. For today’s wine, Agent Red was again dispatched to Epiphany, where he procured one of the best Petite Sirah’s he has ever tasted. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report below

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep purple with an inky heart, a tight surface, dark edges and tightly-spaced legs that run down the glass at varying speeds

Smell – This wine delivers a pleasing wallop of dark stonefruit, big dark berry, smoked meat, cassis, licorice root, and a delightfully fresh forest floor aroma

Feel – A very wet wine initially with a coolness that refreshes – then the silken tanins go to work and slowly dry the tongue and the roof of the mouth

Taste – Richly layered with a burst of highly concentrated flavors of sweet ripe black plum, jammy roasted blackberry and blueberry, smoked raisin, dark cherry and sweet dried fall leaves

Finish – Lush and rich and long with flavors that go and go… and then, something very unique happens: I feel a minty coolness on my gums! This was a really unexpected surprise and one that I must say, I love

Conclusion – I am insane crazy about this fantastic wine! Petite Sirah is something of a rarity in California, with less than 3500 acres planted. Getting a great Petite seems like even more of a rarity. When I got the order to secure today’s wine from Epiphany Cellars, I was elated. Epiphany gets it just right with this wine! This Petite is ready-to-drink gem that is filled with luscious flavors and aromas. The tannins are softer and silkier than I have found in many Cali Petites and I would say that it is a perfect drink now wine. Of course, you could cellar it for up to 8 more years if you want the wine to soften and mature. I tried the wine right out of the bottle and then again after it was decanted for several hours; what a difference. The decanted wine becomes even softer, sweeter and more enjoyable

Mission Report:

Another simple smash and grab mission, on this wine, but that does not diminish the significance of this really wonderful find.

Procuring follow on wines from wineries that we have infiltrated in the past can be easy. When that wine outshines the prior wine, I am elated. While Epiphany’s Gypsy (a red blend that we showed here earlier this year) was stupendous, today’s wine is incredible.

Rich, lush, juicy and delicious, this Petite Sirah pleased all of us here at Wine Spies H.Q., even the notoriously difficult to impress Agent Sparkle, who’s favorite red wine is Petite Sirah. When we poured the wine for her recently, we all held our breath as she sniffed, swirled and scrutinized the wine. She took her time, too, and that made all of us rather nervous. When she looked up from the glass, the stern look on her face revealed nothing. Finally, though, she burst out laughing. She had tried to fake us out but, in the end, could not suppress the fact that she, too, adored this wine.

(whew!)

Once we had a unanimous consensus, I was off to the winery to secure a Holiday-sized allotment for today’s offering. This beautifully balanced wine is bright and delicious – and perfect for solo-sipping or holiday entertaining.

A hearty thank you and congratulations to our friends at Epiphany, who have created a masterpiece Petite!

Wine Spies Winery Check:

The location of the Epiphany tasting room, in downtown Los Olivos, can be seen in this satellite photo.

Scott Harvey Wines 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT

2008 Wine Intrigue Award Winner: Operative’s Choice, Top Zinfandel

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!

Today’s wine was voted Top Zinfandel by our Operatives, but Agent Red is also a huge fan! Be sure to stock up as we are sure to sell out of our extremely limited allocation early.

SECRET SAVINGS ALERT!

Subscribe to our Daily Dispatch (above) and you’ll always know what our Top Secret coupon code of the day is. Every day we issue a new members-only code that entitles you to Free Ground Shipping and, sometimes, an added discount!

Mission Codename: The Prohibition Proposition

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Procure a stellar Old Vine Zinfandel

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Scott Harvey Wines

Wine Subject: 2005 Zinfandel Amador County Old Vine Reserve

Winemaker: Scott Harvey

Backgrounder:

Nestled in California’s once gold-rich Sierra Foothills, the Amador County AVA (American Viticultural Area) has been called California’s last great undiscovered wine growing region. With vineyards that date back to the 19th Century, this region is home to some of the oldest vines in the state. Today, Amador County produces some of the most deeply concentrated and intense Zinfandels in the state. Today’s wine is the best example of a perfectly balanced Amador Zin that we could get our spy paws on. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report below

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark garnet and purple with good concentration all the way to its glistening garnet edges. Slow but long slender legs creep down the side of the glass when swirled

Smell – Profound in fruit concentration with aromas of fresh ripe blackberry and raspberry. Immediately underneath the fruit is a dusky earthen quality with fresh anise and soft spice undertones. This wine is really aromatic on opening, but give it some time to open up and breathe and you will be rewarded with additional lushness

Feel – Smooth and dry, this full-bodied wine has firm but fine sweet tannins and bright acidity layered against a nice minerality that coats and enhances the mouth feel

Taste – Concentrated, tart and tangy black fruit of ripe blackberry, raspberry, plum and softest cherry. Add to these, soft hints of with hints of oak, anise and mild black pepper. The pepper component is really held in check and does not overpower

Finish – This wine finishes long with lingering flavors that are dominated by its fruit and backed up by its spice and herbaceousness

Conclusion – What a very lovely wine this is! Old vine Zinfandel is the epitome of California’s wine heritage and this wine strongly lives up to that standard. While I have had little experience with wines from Amador County, I am now a believer in the hype and intel that has been flooding in

Mission Report:

I recently took my son, mini-agent Agent Juice Box, up to the Sierra Foothills. The idea was to spend some quality Spy-son time together, hiking the varied terrain, enjoying the outdoors, and even trying out hands at some gold panning.

We had a wonderful time and the fresh air and time away did wonders for our spirits. While up there, I had vowed to unplug from the world of wine, and focus, instead, of having a great non-wine time. I believed that such a thing was possible and I did pretty good. For the most part.

You see, while trekking through Amador County, we kept passing vineyard after vineyard. Of course, I knew of this region as a superior wine growing region for rich, extracted reds like Zinfandel and Cab, but I had never given the region its due investigation.

Every time my eyes locked on a vineyard or a winery sign, Agent Juice Box would rein me back in. “Uh uh, Dad. We’re on vacation, remember?” This phrase was repeated more than once, and I did manage to heed this wise young agents advice. I did, however make a few small mental notes of vineyards and wineries to investigate later.

The vacation over, the both of us spent but relaxed, we reflected on the journey. “Good times, Dad. Have you conducted any Amador wine research yet?”

That was all the ‘permission’ I needed. Together we recalled what we had seen and we jumped into the Wine Spies W.I.N.E. (Wine Internet Nexus Engine) databases to put together a few mission plans.

My first mission was to Scott Harvey Wines, where I discovered today’s incredible Zinfandel – and some really amazingly great people. Scott, a veteran winemaker and his wife Jana, who ‘runs the joint’, are warm, deeply experienced and wonderful folks.

Scott, a former partner of Folie a Deux Winery, is widely recognized as one of Amador County’s most experienced modern winemakers. Today he makes elegant wines, where others from the region can tend to be overly concentrated, from wines that predate prohibition.

Today’s is not just a great Amador County Zinfandel, it is a great Zinfandel!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the vineyard where this wine was born can be seen in this satellite photo.