High End Red Wine Club
High End Red - November
This month we present two iconic red wine blends, one from California and one from South Africa. Your allocation is for one bottle of either
- Keever Inspirado Red Blend 2008 or Keermont Red 2007
We have enough on hand so that you may purchase one of each.
Keermont Red Blend "A blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 20% Shiraz, the 2007 Keermont has a lifted bouquet of mulberry, blackberry, white pepper and a touch of iodine. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grainy tannins and a dash of white pepper. It is very elegant and displays wonderful tension towards the fresh, shimmering finish. This is drinking beautifully now but should age well over 4-5 years."
- Neil Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 92pts
Keever Inspirado Red Blend Made by superstar winemaker Celia Welch (Corra, Scarecrow, Winemaker of the Year 2008 Food & Wine Magazine). A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Not made every yearevery year, only 234 cases produced.
Inspirado has lovely, elegant aromas of baked cherries, mocha, dark chocolate, cinnamon bark, and just a faint waft of floral perfume fill the glass at first pour. As the wine opens, a touch of vanilla, cedar, and bay leaf slowly add dimension to the aromatic profile on this enticing blend. On the palate, the texture is soft and full at entry, with fruit-forward flavors. The long lingering finish of cherries/ cherry jam, warm raspberries on the vine, and a touch of vanilla beckon the taster to take another sip.
Keever Vineyards is nestled in the western slopes of Yountville, California in the Napa Valley. It is a family-owned and operated winery, producing exquisite Cabernet Sauvignon from the family’s six acres of rocky, hillside vineyards.
Keermont Vineyards is a farm located in a small box canyon/valley outside of Stellenbosch, South Africa. The name comes from Keerweder, which is the name of the former farm. A keerweder is a dead end in a valley - it literally translates to ‘blocked again’, as the early settlers were blocked by the terrain when they tried to pass through the valley. Winery and vineyards are located in the shadow of Guardian Peak (official name is Suurberg).
The mountain fruit here is similar to the grapes grown at the Howell Mountain AVA in Napa Valley.
High End Red - October
This month we present a wonderful red wine from Italy, made from the Carmenère grape: Inama Oratorio di San Lorenzo IGT 2004.
Your Allocation is for one bottle.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: 93 points "The 2004 Oratorio di San Lorenzo is deeply impressive. Layers of dark cherries, plums, minerals, espresso and chocolate flow beautifully in this sumptuous, first-class red. Silky tannins convey an impression of finesse and elegance. Despite its notable depth, there is nothing overdone about the Oratorio di San Lorenzo. This is a first-class effort in every way. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2019."
Wine Spectator: 93 points "This shows loads of tarry currant fruit, with rosemary, sage, mineral and a twist of orange peel against a fresh, oaky background. Full- to medium-bodied, with fine, integrated tannins and a superclean finish of licorice. Needs a bit of time. An amazing Carmenère. Best after 2010. 500 cases made."
According to the Washington Post's Jason WIlson: "Inama's Carmenere has been so well received that the winery has invested heavily in planting new Carmenere vineyards. 'I see Carmenere from the Colli Berici DOC being elevated to the world stage,' winemaker Stefano Inama said in an e-mail. 'Some might say it is crazy, but that is what was said about Cabernet Sauvignon from Bolgheri and Sassicaia in the 1970s.'
For now, its Oratorio di San Lorenzo is in a class by itself, the finest 100 percent Carmenere that I've tasted. But its more affordable Carmenere Più (a blend of 75 percent Carmenere, 20 Merlot and 5 percent Raboso Veronese) is sold locally and i salso a winner."
High End Red Club - 8th Allocation
Lucky you! This month we present an iconic Washington red wine - a wine produced in miniscule quantities, that pundits and wine fans alike marvel at its depth, length and purity - 2006 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon.
I had to struggle to get enough wine for the club - there's a one bottle per person allocation. But I realize that the wine's expense might be a bit much for some - it's $175 per bottle before club discount - so we offer a wonderful, lower priced alternative: 2006 Côte Bonneville Carriage House du Brul Vineyard Red Wine
About Quicelda Creek: Quilceda Creek Vintners is a boutique winery in Snohomish, Washington specializing in premium Cabernet Sauvignon wine. The winery is named for a nearby creek in Snohomish County. Although the winery facility is located west of the Cascade Range, the winery sources all of its grapes from six vineyards in eastern Washington. Quilceda Creek Vintners has earned some of the highest reviews and awards of any winery in the United States. Quilceda Creek Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon is the only American wine from outside of California to earn perfect 100-point score reviews from wine critic Robert Parker in his publication The Wine Advocate.
High End Red - September
This month, we're pleased to present two great wines: 2007 Robert Craig Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain and 2007 Robert Craig Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder
Your allocation is for one bottle of either bottling, but we have enough on hand so that you can buy one of each.
Mt Veeder: Varietal Composition: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot 3% Malbec
When Robert Craig first came to Napa Valley in the late 1970’s, he headed to Mt. Veeder in the southwestern Mayacamas range. There he spent the next 12 years learning about mountain vineyards and came to regard Mt. Veeder one of the premiere Appellations for world-class Cabernet Sauvignons. His first Mt. Veeder Cabernet was made in 1993. Fifteen vintages later, the 2008 offering is the true expression of a mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, brimming with deep black fruit and balanced by round, supple tannins and bright acidity that offer the structure for long-term aging.
High End Red - July
We were lucky enough to score a wee bit of Sean Thackrey's amazing 2008 Orion Rossi Vineyard, St Helena Red Blend, about which Robert Parker opined: "Marching to the beat of a drummer largely unknown to any other winemaker in California, Sean Thackerey continues to produce some extraordinary wines, in this case from a field blend planted in 1905. This is clearly a Rhone Ranger blend, with a dense ruby/purple color and loads of incense, camphor, blue and black fruits, earth, and spice. Full-bodied, rich, and bursting with personality, the wine is unique/singular, with an intensity that has to be tasted to be believed. Drink it over the next decade or more. 95 points"
This Rhone-style red is the stuff of legends (the 2007 got 98+ points from Parker). If you are lucky enough to procure a bottle, it will be because you did not wait around for scores. According to Robert Parker: "One of California's most iconic and mystical winemakers, Sean Thackrey has logged in 20 or more vintages of consistently stunning wines that perhaps say it all with the simple quote on his label: -Sean A. Thackrey, Vintner, Bolinas, California." (08/09)
One bottle allocation