Cellar Notes

Notes about the wines we have tried recently.

St Urbans Hof Wiltinger Alte Reben

St. Urbans-Hof Wiltinger Alte Reben Kabinett Feinherb Riesling

Nik Weis is the current winemaker and caretaker of Weingut St. Urbans-Hof, the winery founded by his grandfather. He takes a hands-off approach to winemaking, intervening as little as possible in the wine cellar, and focusing on quality wine grape production. The SUH Wiltinger Alte Reben Riesling was fermented in stainless steel using only indigenous yeast. The Riesling comes from a vineyard that was planted in the early 1900s. Alte Reben, translates to old vines and some of those very old vines remain.

Locations P4

Locations P4 – Portuguese Red Wine

This wine was received as a tasting sample.Locations P4 – Portuguese Red Wine — dense ruby-violet in the glass with dark plum and blueberry aromas. Ripe blueberry and blackberry flavors are supported by an interesting earthiness. This medium-weight wine has substantial drying tannins that together with the dark fruit flavors make it a deliciously brooding wine that finishes with a […]

Locations I4 Italian Red Wine

Locations I4 – Italian Red Wine

The Locations I4 – Italian Red Wine is yet another example of winemaker Dave Phinney’s skill as a blender. With this wine he has chosen to blend grape varieties from southern and northern Italy. Negroamaro and Nero d’Avola are sourced from vineyards in Italy’s southern region, Puglia. Both varieties are known for their tannin structure, dark fruit flavors and body. Barbera, from Alba in Italy’s Piedmont region, was chosen for its acidity and lighter tannins. The result is this delightful red wine that, in true Italian fashion, will accompany a meal in style.

2013 Prie Vineyards Petit Verdot Featured

PRIE Vineyards Petit Verdot: A Lovely Lodi Interpretation

It is possible to enjoy wine on many levels. Some of us are happy to open a bottle of wine and simply enjoy the flavors. Others also dive into wine regions, grape varieties and winemaking techniques. Even fewer have the passion for actually making wine. Such is the case for Lisa and John Gash whose home winemaking experience led them to make wine on a commercial basis in 2010 and to establish PRIE Vineyards & Winery in Lodi.

Adler Fels Wines

Adler Fels Chardonnay & Pinot Noir: Making a Case for Blending Between Wine Regions

When I think of a blended wine, I think first of a wine made by blending different varieties, as in a Bordeaux or in a Rhône-style wine. Blending multiple varieties allows for greater complexity and balance in the finished wine. Blending of vintages, as in the production of a non-vintage Champagne or sparkling wine, allows for consistency from year-to-year…a house style. But, it is also possible to blend wines of the same variety from different regions to produce wines of balance and elegance. This is the tack taken by negotiant winery Adler Fels, established in 1979, with great success in the two wines we tasted.

Luxury Wines from Bodegas Salentein

This is the third group of wines from Salentein we have had the pleasure to review. In all, we have tasted nine wines produced by Bodegas Salentein from their high-elevation vineyards in Argentina’s Valle de Uco. This last group of wines is from their Luxury Range of wines. We have saved the best for last!

Super Bowl Wines

Wine to Accompany Your Super Bowl Celebration

Let me just get this out of the way at the very beginning of the post. We are not football fans. Heresy, I know. Football fans, please forgive us. We just don’t watch the game faithfully, every Sunday, during what seems like an ever-expanding season. We do, however, look forward to the Super Bowl. We whip up some of our favorite munchies and, there is always wine.

Salentein Reserve Wines

Reserve Wines from Bodegas Salentein

I have to say, after tasting this range of wines from Bodegas Salentein, I’m developing a affection for Argentinian wine, at least for those made by Salentein. This is the second collection of wines we’ve tasted (their Killka wines were the first), and we have one more group after this. With each group of wines we have gained an appreciation for the style and quality of the wines produced by Bodegas Salentein.