Mar 242012
Here are some of our favorite wines from March 2012 reviews on Bacchus and Beery Wine Blog. Many of these wines from small producers, so they may not be available in your local wine shop. We encourage you to support small, family and artisanal wineries by ordering directly from their websites, if you live one of the 38 states that believe in wine freedom. If you don’t know if your state allows direct shipping of wine, check this map.
Again, these are just a few of the superb wines we reviewed this month. Please check out Bacchus and Beery Wine Blog – Wine Reviews for all the reviews and ratings. Full disclosure – These wines were samples provided by the winery.
Red Wines
Lava Cap Winery Reserve Zinfandel 2008 Estate Bottled, El Dorado, CA, $20
A delicious medium-bodied Zin from Lava Cap Winery. Rich and round Zinfandel flavors of ripe blackberry, plum, black cherry and a touch of oaky vanilla and dark spice. Supple tannins add backbone. This wine screams out for grilled meats or dry-rubbed BBQ.
J Vineyards Pinot Noir 2009, Russian River Valley, CA, $32
A well-balanced and medium-bodied Pinot Noir with ripe fruit flavors of dark cherry, raspberry, and strawberry highlighted with notes of spice, black tea, cocoa and hints of oaky vanilla. Supple and unobtrusive tannins add complexity.
Nickel & Nickel Branding Iron Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Oakville, Napa Valley, CA, $95
A beautiful example of a single varietal/single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. A deep wine that holds your attention. Well-integrated tannins add depth and structure. About an hour in the decanter and this Cabernet opens to show off flavors of dark cherry, blackberry tobacco, dark berry, dark spice with hints of toasty oak vanilla.
Roadhouse Winery Zinfandel 2009, Dry Creek, CA, $29
Known more for their Pinot Noir, this Zinfandel from Roadhouse Winery rocks it. A bit of extra zip comes from the Petite Sirah and Carignane in the blend. Rich and jammy flavors of black cherry, blackberry, ripe plum, currant, bramble and dark spice. Supple tannins add a bit of backbone.
MacPhail Family Wines Wildcat Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009, Sonoma Coast, CA, $49
James MacPhail is a master of big, rich Pinot Noir and this beauty from MacPhail Family Wines is no exception. Ripe and round flavors of cherry, raspberry, red berries are complimented with hints of oak, spice and minerality with just a touch of fruit sweetness. I shared this wine with a friend who said “I just don’t get Pinots”…he does now!
White Wines
Patianna Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Mendocino, CA, $17
Winemaker Mike Lee left this world too soon. He left us however, with this wonderful Sauvignon Blanc from Patti Fetzer’s Patianna Estate. Made from organic grapes, using only stainless steel and no malolactic fermentation, the wine is crisp but still has an enticing soft and round mouth-feel. The nose offers aromas of melon, citrus and a hint of wet stone and crème. Flavors of ripe grilled pineapple, melon, minerality, white stone fruit and honeysuckle combined with balanced acidity and creaminess creates a wine that can be enjoyed on its own or paired with summer fare.
Mollydooker The Violinist Verdelho 2010, Wine of Australia, $25
Verdelho is a white grape originally from Portugal that produces a crisp wine. A satisfying nose of ripe pineapple. Crisp on the palate with a semi-round mouth-feel followed by well balanced flavors of pineapple, citrus, tropical and minerality with enough zippy acid to make it a good food pairing wine. It paired very well with our meal of boiled shrimp with 3 sauces.
Lava Cap Chardonnay 2010, El Dorado, CA, $18
Another delicious Chardonnay from Lava Cap. A rich nose of baked apple gives way on the palate to a round mouth-feel full of ripe red apple, ripe pineapple, died apricot, baking spices, Meyer lemon, and tropical flavors integrated with oaky vanilla and a light creme finish. Sit back and enjoy sip after sip
Chatom Vineyards Chardonnay 2010, Calaveras County, CA , $18
This sumptuous Chardonnay from Chatom Vineyards opens with a soft nose of baked apples. A round mouth-feel with flavors of ripe apple and pear that give way to flavors of apple pie, cinnamon, ripe citrus and tropical fruits with finishing notes of vanilla Crème Brûlée. 80% stainless steel fermentation creates nice acidity to balance the rich flavors.
Crosby Roamann Eternal Return Sauvignon Blanc 2010, St. Helena AVA, Napa Valley, CA, $24
This lightly oaked Sauvignon Blanc by Crosby Roamann opens with a nose of herbal citrus which gives way to a crisp yet soft mouth-feel with flavors of pear, vanilla, flinty minerality, and Meyer lemon with a bit of zippy acidity. It paired well with broiled scallops. This wine needs to approach room temp before all the flavors come into play.
