Beckstoffer "Melee"

California
95% Grenache, 5% Syrah




Melee possess beautifully integrated and striking aromas of fresh alpine strawberries, rhubarb, and wet granite. The palate showcases a wealth of herbal notes combined with dried plums, apple skin and fresh cracked white pepper. A small amount of Syrah from the cooler region of California’s Mendocino coast adds structure and tremendous length while maintaining immense power, balance and structure.

Conn Creek "Herricks Red"

Napa Valley, California



Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend of classic Bordeaux-style varieties with a hint of Syrah

Spiced cherry, black plum and chocolate aromas lead to a full bodied, textural wine, studded with layers of berries and caramel mocha. This diverse and pleasing wine lends itself to almost any situation.

Gorman Winery "Zachary's Ladder" Red Wine Blend

Columbia Valley, Washington



45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 25% Mourvedre,
with the balance Syrah and Petit Verdot

Medium purple in color, it exhibits an aromatic array of Asian spices, violets, herbs, underbrush, cassis, and plum. Structured with thick, smoky and exotic notes on the palate with good depth and balance, Big and creamy wine with plenty of acidity, Friendly mocha flavors of new oak.

45% new French oak. This savory offering will evolve for 1-2 years and drink well through 2017

CHATEAU de FONTENILLE

Grand Vin de Bordeaux

Merlot—60% Cabernet Sauvignon—30%
Cabernet Franc—20%

This historic winery dating back to the 13th  century still produces wines of superb quality and value. This lovely ruby colored wine is medium bodied with good structure, intense red fruit aromas with a touch of warm pepper and silky tannins.

CHATEAU MAZERIS BELLEVUE

Canon Fronsac

Merlot—70% Cabernet Sauvignon—15%
Cabernet Franc—14% Malbec—1%

Ch. Mazeris Bellevue has been with the same family since 1848. The vineyard is situated on the slopes of the St. Michel de Fronsac and enjoys the best location in the region. It has a deep black color with fruity aromas of cassis, blackberry and cherry. A perfect balance of strength, fruitiness and smooth tannins.

Clayhouse Adobe Red

Adobe Red

 

The Adobe Red is a proprietary Zinfandel-based blend with effusive aromas of cherry spice, blackberry and pepper, with hints of brambles and plum. Cherry/berry flavors dominate on the palate. The tannins are fine and supple, and a bit of oak character adds additional vanilla notes to the balanced finish.

Mt. Defiance, "Brimstone," Red Wine, Columbia Valley

52% Syrah / 25% Merlot / 18% Cabernet Sauvignon / 5% Pinot Noir

 

Cassis, berries, ripe red plums and pomegranate show brightly in the nose, complemented by moderate smoke and spice from barrel aging along with attractive roasted coffee bean notes. The medium-full body unfolds to expose layers of plum, berry and dark chocolate flavors completed by a long, solid finish kissed with oak.

Dreaming Tree "Crush" North Coast, California

67% Merlot / 33% Zinfandel

Crush has a balance of flavors, Its fruit forward profile was complimented with a hint of smoky/spicy/berry. Only 19 months in oak barrels, but neutral so there isn’t too much oak in the flavor of the wine. Acidic consider it to be more of a medium bodied wine. But, it still held its own and had a bit of a drying  quality to it, which is enjoyable. All night sipping it with ease, with or with out food. A Dave Matthews wine...

Matchbook, Cabernet Sauvignon Lake County, California

87% Cabernet Sauvignon / 7% Petit Verdot / 6% Syrah

 

 

Matchbook Cabernet has deeply layered aromas of dusty cocoa, sassafras, and cedar. Full-bodied with loads of red fruit and spice. Relaxed tannins, pleasing acidity and a refreshing richness dance endlessly. A bold Cabernet that seems to be “intensely-drinkable!”

From their website: Lake County is California’s hidden treasure for growing Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and the Red Hills Vineyard where we source ours is one of the best. We carefully blended in Cabernet from Alexander Valley and Chalk Hill to amplify the structure and then a little petit verdot for to juice up the black fruit component. Finally, a little Dunnigan Hills syrah was added to soften and lengthen the finish. 6,700 cases

Evening Land "Once" Knife Red Napa, California

50% Cab Franc / 25% Cab Sauv / 20% Merlot / 5% Petit Verdot

The nose is quite intense, with aromas of black currants, graphite, and coffee.
Full Throttle on the palate, with good overall acidity and lush tannins. A solid middle provides a nice bridge to the wine's very long finish. While still young, this wine is definitely in a pleasant drinking window for years to come.

Atalaya “Laya,” Almansa, Spain

70% Garnacha Tintorera 30% Monastrell

 

Aged 4 months in French oak. Garnacha Tintorera is known for its deep color and here it coats the glass and imparts aromas of brooding black fruits, espresso, and pepper.
Dense, savory, and rich, round and succulent. Light on its feet.

Arizona "Mandala" Red and White

The Latest Release of James Keenan's Wines

Mandala White
87% Viognier, 8% Grenache Blanc, 5% Orange Muscat
Ripe peach, apricot and tangerine flavors that are woven together on a lush body with minerality and juicy acidity. Impressively long finish.

 

Mandala Red
39% Cinsault, 25% Syrah, 25% Petite Syrah, 5% Counoise, 4% Grenache, 2% Viognier
Aromas of dark cherry, blackberry and spice in he glass. Red plums and pomegranate join other dark fruits as they layer into black pepper, anise,
vanilla and violets. Balanced with good acidity and a bit of earth.

Distefano "Sogno," Columbia Valley 2007

82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Franc offers a complex nose of cedar, tobacco, clove, and black currant. Medium-bodied, smooth-textured, and savory, 1-2 years but can be approached now.

Sexy, Tinto, Vinho Regional Alentejano

50% Touriga Nacional / 25% Aragonês / 15% Cabernet Sauvignon / 10% Syrah



Deep ruby-violet color. Warm aroma of woodland fruits combining with spicy and caramel notes from good French oak. Full bodied, with ripe, well-rounded tannins and an intense black fruit flavor. Refreshing acidity and a very persistent finish.

This wine pairs well with both white and red meats and good company

Altacima 6.330

Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Syrah / Petit Verdot

Cassis, mora and cherries with some Mocha and vanilla all giving the wine a big aromatic complexity. Taste has the same fruits as in the nose, very juicy with delicate toasted tones of barrels, full bodied, ripe and silky tannins.
It lasts long in the palate with a distinctive elegance.

Appollis Bordeaux Red Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Malbec / Petit Verdot



Opulent blackberry and plum aromas underlined by refined minerality. Exuberant, silky fun!

Saint Cosme, Cotes du Rhone, France

100% Syrah



First off, hard to imagine a 100% syrah from a an area known for blends! Much less the quality to price that this wines provides!

A violet aroma leads and are followed by dark berries,  your fathers pipe tobacco pouch and fresh tilled earth, delightful grip on the finish. Solid!

Chateau Roudier, Montagne-Saint-Emillion

80% Merlot / 10% Cabernet Franc / 10% Malbec

Great lively garnet color, strong bouquet and good balance, a bit of fruit leading into a long finish.

Mulderbosch, Faithful Hound, R.S.A.

62% Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Merlot 10% Petite Verdot 10% Malbec 8% Cabernet Franc

Deep black cherry colour. A plethora of mulberry, blackcurrant with aromas of souboise (forest floor), pencil shavings and fresh roasted coffee bean. Full bodied, wafts of Christmas cake and black fruits complexed with spicy new oak.
Game birds, roast beef, lamb, steaks, meat stews, ratatouille, strong cheddar cheese.

Wines "Big Word" of the Week! What the Heck is Meritage?

The Meritage Association was formed in 1988 by a small group of Napa Valley, California vintners to offer a way to denote wines that do not meet the 75% minimum grape labeled wines. Interest grew in creating Bordeaux-style wines, their blended nature failed to qualify for varietal status. In 1988, the association hosted a contest to conceive a proprietary name for these wines, receiving over 6,000 submissions. "Meritage", —a combination of merit and heritage, was selected and its coiner awarded two bottles of the first ten vintages of every wine licensed to use the brand. In May 2009, The Meritage Association announced that it has changed its name to The Meritage Alliance.

A red Meritage must be made from a blend of at least two or more of the following varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot or Carmenère, with no varietal comprising more than 90% of the blend.

A white Meritage must be made from a blend of at least two or more of the following varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon or Muscadelle du Bordelais, with no varietal comprising more than 90% of the blend.

Although many people, including many wine experts, have a tendency to Frenchify the word "Meritage" by pronouncing its last syllable with a "zh" sound, as in "garage," the Meritage Alliance specifically states that the word should be pronounced to rhyme with "heritage."