Thursday, September 15, 2016

The Rhone Rangers Ride Again!


The National Tasting Project – The Rhone Rangers
A resounding success!

Our thanks to Barb Johns (and her faithful companion Jeff Wagner) for the presentation, which included a myriad of scent and aroma samples for those in attendance to sample.  The expertise, enthusiasm, and insights that Barb provided were fantastic.

We also want to thank Kevin and Bob Dering (The Dering Duo) for hosting and providing the wonderful accompaniments for the wines.  The beef stew recipe will be posted on the recipe tab soon!  Our compliments to our co-vice-chair humans, Tim and Brittany for the purchase of the wines, and to our club “bootleggers” Wendell and Ellen Barner.  Discretion prevents us from being any more specific.

Next month:
Drink Pink – A tasting for the benefit of Breast Cancer Awareness. 


The Wines

Cass                             “Marsanne” White                                         2014                $26
The color captivates your eyes with a light, straw color and subtle hues of lime green. Your nose is enticed by aromas of spiced nectarine, crushed citrus blossoms and hints of rock melon. A unique rich mid-palate, zesty acidity and spritely minerality makes this a red wine drinkers' white. Flavors of cashews and agave nectar lead to a long, lively finish accented with lingering notes of Bosc pear and finger lime notes.

Cass                             “Rockin' One” White                                      2013                $32
Stewed black cherry, cracked black pepper, star anise, and subtle hints of vanilla bean emanate from this seamless blend. The mid-palate showcases ripe dark fruit, roasted hazelnuts, black licorice and traces of campfire smoke. Nuances of toffee, aged leather, cinnamon spice and sweet spearmint complete this blend's long finish. Enjoy now until 2020

Bonnie Doon               “Le Cigare Volant” Red                                  2011                $45
Black pepper, boysenberry and a tiny bit of barnyard funk on the nose. It's dark and brooding, with flavors of black pepper, leather and black fruits on the palate, but rather light and lean in texture, with a solid amount of tannic grip.

Kukkula                        "Aatto" Counoise Red Blend                           2013                $40
Counoise and Mourvedre, with small amounts of Grenache. Lighter in color, it has an almost Old World Pinot aromatic and flavor, laced with cinnamon and spice, and really finishes with amazing length and volume.

Kukkula                        "Pas de Deux" Grenache Red Blend               2012                $45
Grenache and Syrah.  Purple red with a nose of warm clay and dry herbs. It tasted round with lots of fruit and caramel, with hints of coffee and a long warm finish.

Pax                              “Griffin’s Lair” Syrah                                     2013                $64

This southwest-facing hillside is covered in coarse sand & gravel which allows these vines to dig deeply and hang on tight to this extremely windy slope. Traditional winemaking techniques, such as utilizing indigenous yeasts, foot crushing 100% whole cluster, judicious extraction during fermentation and aging in neutral French Oak Barrels ensure that this wine is a pure expression of Sonoma Coast Syrah.

Guyomar                     “Monsignor” Petit Syrah Red Blend               2012                $52

Inky ruby color. Lush cherry, cassis and violet scents on the deeply perfumed nose and palate. Supple and broad, with spice and mineral elements adding back-end cut and lift. Finishes sweet, velvety and very long, with excellent clarity and smooth, easygoing tannins. Drink 2019-20

No comments:

Post a Comment