One heck of a good value for an every day approachable Cabernet sipper. Very fruit forward, flavors of juicy blackberry and ripe plum with a touch of spice and very soft tannins. Pop it with a steak and your friends will be happy.
Read : The Unlikely Conversion of a Wine Evangelist (Pt. 1)
The rest of the 70’s and into the early 80’s were spent ensconced at the University Of Texas School of Business finishing my undergraduate business degree, MBA degree and teaching undergraduate business classes. Wine, however, remained a growing fascination. Those years were lean. Odd jobs generated what little spending money I had. Once, my prospects were so bleak, I even took a job catching live snakes at night for a campus area pet store and the occasional rattler for a university science project. Wrestling rattlers on the end of a snake stick is a bit off the wall and frightening. But I needed some, as we say, walkin’ around money, and hell, this is Texas. Finally, I ended up with a desk job at an insurance agency. At least that was safe from venomous reptiles. During this time I also received a small university paycheck as I continued my position as an instructor at the UT Business School. Certainly, not the income needed for a fine wine collection or even much consumption, but we did our best. Continue reading »
First Annual Copper Uncorked Winter Wine Festival, a delicious celebration of fine wine, food and winter recreational activities. February 10 to 12, 2012
Ticket Prices Reduced! Buy Now
Click Here to Order: Use Code bbwine for 20% Discount
Celebrate Valentines Weekend in any of Copper Mountain’s Three Picturesque Villages with a variety of lodging options.
I first met James MacPhail in February of 2011 in his small yet well designed winery located behind his home, near Healdsburg in Sonoma. Others had told me of these beautiful Pinots, but I remained skeptical of the accolades. That skepticism was blown away in about 10 minutes. Predominately a producer of single vineyard Pinot Noir, James and I sat for over two hours sampling the wines and discussing the nuances of each. More than just being a great winemaker, James is smart and fun to hang with. I became more than a fan that day…maybe a devotee.
At that time James split his time between making his own wines under the MacPhail label and working as the winemaker for Hess Collection’s single vineyard Pinot Noir label, Sequana. James told me he enjoyed the freedom Hess allowed him to create artful wines with the same attention to detail as his own. The relationship must have remained strong, since Hess acquired the MacPhail label later in the year. James continues as winemaker for both.
James’s offerings from the 2009 vintage are as strong as those of 2007. What about 2008 you ask? Well, it seems that many of his vineyards were close enough to the raging fires of that summer to absorbed the smoke flavors (smoke taint) thus producing inferior wines. James refused to bottle that year at significant cost to his small winery. That shows however, his strong commitment to quality.
A lovely rich Chardonnay with a nose of lemon, citrus, baked pineapple and melted butter. The soft round mouth-feel offers up flavors of ripe pineapple, pear, citrus creme, red apple and oaky vanilla. A full-bodied CA Chardonnay style without getting flabby.
