Early Spring Wine Notes

Golden Gate Wine Cellars
2337 Ocean Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94127
Tel: 415 337.4083
Fax: 888 790 WINE (9463)
E: frank@goldengatewinecellars.com
W: www.goldengatewinecellars.com

Our Motto: Always Drink Good Wine™ !


A Great Tasting Week at Golden Gate Wine Cellars
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I got to spend some time with Jeff Smith, the proprietor of Hourglass winery. We tasted through his entire portfolio of Hourglass Estate, Hourglass Blueline, Fisticuffs wines. The Hourglass Estate is only four acres of prime vineyard surrounded by some big names like Grace Family, Colgin's Tychson Hill, Vineyard 29, Ahern and Korte Ranch. Hourglass takes its name from the fact that the vineyard defines the "pinch," or narrowest part of the hourglass shaped Napa Valley

The unique vineyard setting provides both hillside and valley floor microclimates. Varying degrees of hillside slope create different ripening zones, yielding complexity. Eucalyptus trees flank one block delivering a mint/eucalyptus character, and wild fennel grows throughout the vineyard adding black licorice nuances.

The Hourglass 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (139.99) is one of the best wines yet to date from the estate, and winemaker Robert Foley. The wine is very elegant, with a certain silkiness on the mid palate. The wine has an aroma of anise and black stone fruits which continue through the mid palate into a long, elegant finish.

Robert Parker (95 points) says:
“The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Hourglass has a dense purple color and a sweet nose of licorice, black currants, smoke, cedar, and some high-class subtle oak in the background. The wine is full-bodied, avoids some of the harder tannins that sometimes arise in this vintage, and has a much layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel and finish. This is a beauty that can be drunk now or cellared for 20 or more years.”

We also tasted his Hourglass Blueline 2006 Merlot (74.99), which is not shabby at all! As a matter a fact, tasting it blind one would say it was a Bordeaux-style blend, rather than a straight Merlot. Only a few hundred cases were produced of this baby, which Robert Parker gave a 92 point rating “Readers looking for a soft, richly fruity, mocha and coffee-infused wine with oodles of berry fruit should check out the 2006 Merlot Blue Line. This wine is hedonistic and luscious, with plenty of Merlot typicity, medium to full body, and a soft, silky-textured finish. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.

To finish up the tasting, of course the much anticipated “bargain” wine, the 2006 Fisticuffs (29.99). For those who dream of big and expensive Cabernets and don't want to pay the big bucks... I got news for you! I have a wine that taste a lot more expensive than its price point! This wine is the real deal. Intense Cabernet aromas with hints of vanilla, plum and black cherry aromas. Medium to full in body with lively and lush fruit on the palate that gives a real "punch" into a long and pleasantly flavorful almost silky finish. This is a wine that would go well with some hardy red meats, a rack of lamb or steak. Stellar job from Rob Lawson! As it was the case with 2005, very limited, 500 cases. And it will sell out in no-time!!!

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An afternoon with Lioco. Catching up with Matt Licklider (the LI in Lioco).
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We tasted through their entire 2007 Portfolio, and I loved every single wine!
Too bad to hear that the Dermuth vineyard has succumbed to Phyloxera and has been replanted after this, the 2007, the last release.

The 2007 Lioco Sonoma County Chardonnay, the bargain in the flight, showed very nicely. This tank fermented (no oak!) is a great sipping wine on a nice Spring day. Very elegant with great crisp fruit. Retail 22.00 – GGWC SPECIAL 17.99

The Lioco Anderson Valley Dermuth 2007 Chardonnay, was lush on the both nose and palate, equally tank fermented (no oak!), but using wild yeast giving it a more buttery feel, with also had to do with the sur-lie aging this wine underwent. The wine smells of pressed white flowers, citrus oil and rock dust. The attack finds poached pears, orange sherbet, and minerals galore. A low-alcohol, age-worthy wine Retail 38.00 – Solid Case special 33.00

The 2007 Lioco Charles Heintz Chardonnay I always their flagship, and it was no different this release. Again, tank fermentation only using wild yeast. Making this wine super lush! It hints at the exotica, but is held taught by ripe, cleansing acidity. Like a kernel of sun, enveloped by a cold mountain stream. Prepare for a bouquet of orange blossoms, kettle corn, and wet sand. The flavors include lemon oil, jasmine, and a chalky minerality. Needs time to reveal its true potential. Retail 50.00 – GGWC 43.00

The last one was the 2007 Lioco Klindt Vineyard, Pinot Noir ( Anderson Valley ). Only 264 cases were produced of this baby! This wine is concentrated without being heavy. There are the signature flavors/aromas of the Anderson Valley which we love: red raspberries & rose petals. Needs time or a serious decanting. Retail 50.00 – GGWC 43.00


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Baton Winery – "the" next HOT Burgundy in California!

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Bill is a Sonoma County native, and was the General Manager at Peter Michael Winery .At the time, it was a small, unknown startup. Over the next 14 years, Bill helped develop Peter Michael Winery into one of the most respected luxury winery and vineyard estates in the United States . In 2006, Bill and his wife Cathy set out to start Baton Wines. Returning to the land he knows, Bill's experience and intimate knowledge of the landscape, soil types, microclimates, fog and wind patterns in his native Sonoma County have proven invaluable in identifying vineyard sites that produce the highest quality grapes. Bill Hired Jeff Pisoni to make is wine, and the rest as they say is history.


Baton 2006 Chardonnay, Charles Heintz Retail 55.00 – GGWC 48.99
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This wine hails from what Robert Parker calls "one of the great grand cru Chardonnay sites in California ." The old vines, planted 30+ years ago on Goldridge soils, sit at nearly 1,000 feet above sea level, just a few miles inland from the rugged Sonoma Coast . Perched above the fog line on most days, the site receives a combination of sunshine and cool ocean air that lengthens the growing season and provides ideal conditions for the grapes to develop rich, complex flavors while retaining a wonderful natural acidity. Harvested by hand at the end of October and naturally fermented in French oak barrels, we employed the 'old world' winemaking practice of 'Batonage' to stir the wine by hand in each barrel once a week for nine months. Batonage is so labor intensive that typically only small wineries dedicated to producing the highest quality wines still employ it. However, hand-stirring with the baton gives the winemaker an intimate, ongoing knowledge of how the wine is evolving in each barrel. That knowledge can provide all the edge a winemaker needs to craft a truly exceptional wine. Only 271 cases produced. Wine Notes: Aromas of vanilla, apple crisp, honeyed-pineapple. Vibrant, natural acidity and minerality with flavors of mango, pineapple and hazelnuts. Good energy, length and a lingering finish

Baton 2006 Laguna Ridge Pinot Noir, Russian River Retail 60.00 – GGWC 53.99
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This wine was grown in the famed Russian River Valley appellation on a small, 4 acre hillside vineyard near Sebastopol overlooking the Santa Rosa Plain and Laguna de Santa Rosa. The vineyard’s eastern aspect ensures good exposure to the sun's gentle rays from dawn through mid- afternoon and protects it from the extreme heat of the late afternoon sun. The vineyard's well drained, Goldridge soils keep vigor in check and the array of Pinot Noir selections - Dijon 113, 115, 667, 777, 459, Swan – lend personality and complexity to the wine. Great care was given throughout the growing season managing the leaf canopy and balancing the crop load on each vine. To retain the fruit flavors, we picked the grapes in the cool of night, harvesting the tiny grape clusters into small bins to protect them and prevent dejuicing. Immediately upon their arrival at the winery, we sorted the grapes by hand to ensure that only the finest grapes went to tank, culling out any sunburned berries, under ripe fruit or leaves. Aged in French oak barrels for 9 months. Only 259 cases produced. Wine notes: Enticing aromas and flavors of sweet raspberries, sandalwood, vanilla, tea and black cherries.


Baton 2007 Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast – Retail 28.00 – GGWC 24.50
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This is the “hidden secret” only 8 barrels produced – this is wine that did not make the cut for the Charles Heintz designation, but if Bill would not have told me that, I would have just said WOW, another awesome wine at an AMAZING price!! This wine is super clean, and elegant with a crisp clean nose of green apples and a touch of white pepper. On the palate this medium to full bodied Chardonnay is elegant with touches of minerality and some tropical fruit. A must have, and a bargain knowing that the “original is 50.00!!!


GOLDEN GATE WINE CELLARS' LOCAL WINE TASTING EVENT!
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I am working on my next tasting. I had one planned for 4.11, but had to delay it (it is my wedding anniversary and my wife made plans to go out of town with our girls). So we are looking at May 2 at Lakeside Cafe's private room. My V'Day event was too large. We had almost 100 guest, and had to turn 60 away. Because of that we will limit it to 80 and RSVP only! We will have a similar format, about 8 winery owners or their winemakers will be showcasing their wines, and a "special" Golden Gate Wine Cellars selection of course!


Another gem from Orin Swift (Prisoner/Papillon, etc.)
2007 Saldo (Zinfandel) - Retail 32.00 – GGWC 28.00
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As you might know 2007 is an amazing growing year for California ! That said through the success with his Prisoner (Papillon) label Orin Swift winemaker/owner Dave Phinney has gained access to some of the best Zinfandel vineyards in the northern part of our state. His latest wine “Saldo” which is Latin for from “here to there” or “balance in hand,” is a blend of 85% Zinfandel, 10% Syrah and 5% Syrah. The production is not large, so this wine will not be around for a long time! The wine has a deep, dark ruby color, and aromas of dark raspberry fruit with a touch of toasty vanilla. On the palate, this full bodied wine is loaded with lush fruit – wild strawberries, rhubarb, and sassafras. The wine is very intense and the finish does not seem to end – it reminds me of my grandmother’s cherry pie!


Coho 2007 Pinot Noir Russian River Retail 45.00 - GGWC 39.99
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Riding high after the big score with their Headwaters 2006 Proprietary Red, I am proud to share another gem that was just released. The 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir from Coho is amazing. Sweet fruit intertwined with a touch of Pinot earth on both the nose and palate teases you throughout this well-made wine. It is medium to full in body, well-balanced with an elegance from start to finish! Only 357 cases were produced, this means it will sell out fast! Those of you who bought the Headwaters know how good the Coho wines really are and this Pinot is no different!