Behind the Cork™ - Hess Select Rosé

Hess+Select+Rose.jpg

2019 Hess Select Rosé ($12)

Spring is just a little more than a week away and it’s time to start thinking about Rosé. Warmer days make rosé the perfect pairing with it’s bright fruit and thirst quenching acidity.

This Hess Select Rosé is a great match for Springtime fare.

To retain the bright fruit flavors of this rosé, it was fermented in stainless steel. According to winemaker Dave Guffy, this was done “…in order to accentuate the wine’s naturally crisp and expressive flavors. Bright and bursting with notes of red berries and stone fruit, this wine delivers a perfect element of acidity on it elegant finish.”

This Hess Select Rosé has wonderful flavors of strawberry and Maraschino cherry and a finish that gently fades away.

Hess Select Rosé is a tasty wine that’s affordable and attainable and a great fit for a Behind the Cork™ wine of the week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Donna White, Donna White Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon

IMG_2442.jpeg

2017 Hess Select North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon ($19)

Hess Select wines are from family-owned Hess estate vineyards in Napa Valley and from grower partners who share Hess’ sustainable farming philosophy in Lake, Napa and Mendocino Counties.

This 2017 vintage of the Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petite Sirah, 7% Malbec, 5% Merlot and 1% Syrah. It ages in 27% new French and American oak for 18 months before bottling.

Winemaker Dave Guffy states “This wine is so versatile, I drink it year round - among friends at a summer backyard barbeque or with family in front of a crackling fireplace. On the nose, this Cabernet Sauvignon presents vivid aromas of red cherry and blackberry accented by notes of warm cedar. I love the big, rich entry on this wine, as mouthfilling tannins deliver complex layers of black fruit, notably blackberry and black plum, with hints of roasted vanilla and mocha on the soft, round finish.” Well said Dave!

This is a very affordable and attainable Cabernet Sauvignon from California’s North Coast and one that you will enjoy. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Donna White, Donna White Communications



Behind the Cork™ - Two Hands Angel's Share Shiraz

Two Hands Shiraz.jpeg

2018 Two Hands Angel’s Share Shiraz ($33)

Here’s a re-visit with this wonderful Angel’s Share Shiraz from Two Hands.

Angels' Share refers to the small amount of wine that evaporates from oak barrels during maturation. Medieval winemakers assumed that angels watched over the wines, and that they took their share.

Selected from parcels of exceptional McLaren Vale fruit, this wine is made in a true Australian style and will appeal to both angels and mortals alike.

The grapes were crushed into and fermented in five, 7 and 10 ton open fermenters. During the peak of fermentation the batches received regular pump-overs three times daily to extract color, flavor and tannin. The average time on skins was 16 days. And boy did they extract color and flavor!

Once the parcels were dry, the fermenters were drained off and the skins pressed, with the pressings combined with the free run. After 24 hours the individual batches were racked to barrel where malolactic fermentation proceeded. The final blend was unfined and unfiltered prior to bottling.

This Two Hands Angle’s Share Shiraz is really good! It has herbal aromas of mint and pepper and there’s also some earthiness. On the palette, it’s got rich dark fruit flavors including plum and chocolate from the oak aging. The tannin is moderate and the finish just doesn’t quit.

This is a super Shiraz from Two Hands. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Will Rogers, Donna White Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Merry Edwards Meredith Estate Russian River Pinot Noir

IMG_2293.jpg

2017 Merry Edwards Meredith Estate Russian River Pinot Noir ($68)

My favorite Pinot Noir wines are from the Russian River. That’s where I first fell in love with Pinot and I haven’t found a region that can beat it. And, this Merry Edwards Pinot Noir stands with the best of them.

The Meredith Estate (Merry’s given names is Meredith) was Merry’s first adventure into viticulture that began more than 20 years ago. It was planted in 1996 with emphasis on its orientation to the site, soil amendments, the style of trellising and training used and the crucial selection of the rootstocks and clones.

Merry states that “The experience shaped my conversion from being a winemaker to being a vigneron or winegrower.”

This Merry Edwards Meredith Estate Pinot Noir is ruby red in color with delicate aromas of cherry and stone fruits with a noticeable hint of oak. On the palate it initially presents tart cherry and cranberry, has light tannin mid-way that transitions to a wonderfully easy and long finish.

This medium-bodied Meredith Estate Pinot Noir from Merry Edwards is excellent and will pair with most foods. And it’s great on its own! Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Jill Schlegel of Merry Edwards Winery

Behind the Cork™ - Merry Edwards Somona Coast Pinot Noir

Merry Edwards Sonoma Pinot.jpeg

2017 Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($48)

This Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir comes from six vineyards that include the 115, 667 and 777 blend of Dijon clones that originated in teh cool Burgundian region of France.

The 2017 harvest of these vineyards is described as “diminutive” and resulted in just 1700 cases being produced.

Merry states “This Pinot Noir shows off the virtues of grapes grown on the southernmost boundary of the Russian River Valley. Here the cooling influence of coastal fog allows the fruit to ripen slowly.”

This is an elegant and delicate Pinot Noir. It features wonderful red cherry, raspberry and cranberry flavors with luscious soft tannins with a long and easy finish.

I first came to love Pinot Noir from Sonoma and this Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is an excellent example of wines from this region. You won’t go wrong with this one. It’s wonderful. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Jill Schlegel of Merry Edwards Winery