Behind the Cork™ - Cline Family Cellars Ancient Vines Zinfandel

2020 Cline Family Ancient Vines Zinfandel ($16)

Fred Cline founded Cline Family Cellars in 1982 in Oakley, California, which is part of Conta Costa County. With this 40th year vintage, they have created the special anniversary bottle design shown in the photo.

The 2020 Ancient Vines Zinfandel draws from their oldest, most historic Zinfandel blocks. There, the soils are deep sand from the banks of the San Joquin and Sacramento River delta’s which have been depositing the sand from the Sierra Nevada mountain range for millennia. Their ancient, dry-farmed vineyards have survived through phylloxera and prohibition and consistently produce great fruit.

The Zinfandel grapes for 2020 vintage underwent near total destemming and a very gentle crushing to ensure a large proportion of whole berries in the must which contributes to the fruit character of the wine. The grapes were fermented in temperature-controlled open-top concrete tanks. The wines were pressed off their skins and aged in 40% French oak for 15 months before being blended and bottled.

This 2020 Cline Family Ancient Vines Zinfandel is deep ruby in color with aromas of black berry and black plum with herbal notes. On the palate it is medium-bodied with flavors of black and red fruits, some spiciness and finishes with sweet tobacco and chocolate.

This 40th anniversary Cline Family Ancient Vines Zinfandel is a great value and widely available, making it a great fit as the Behind the Cork™ wine of the week. Look for this one at your favorite wine seller and check them out on the web at clinecellars.com 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 Cline Family Cellars (via Donna White Communications)

Behind the Cork™ - Wairau River Wants to Take You Back to Nature

2021 Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc ($20.99)

As the weather gets warmer it’s time to start enjoying. Wairau River Wines wants to remind us that while life moves fast, there is always time to unwind, unplug and head outside.

And, what better way to enjoy the outdoors than with a SoloStove, a Primus cutting board and knife, and, of course, a chilled bottle of Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc!

The stainless steel SoloStove is super efficient for burning sustainable fuel sources such as sticks or twigs, and provides hot cooking temperatures in minutes with its 360 degree airflow design. Or use it for roasting marshmallows, or just as a safe and efficient way to have a warming campfire.

The Primus cutting set provides a durable oak cutting board and a stainless steel knife with sheath that wraps up into the poly-cotton transportation roll. A super way of preparing your food for outdoor cooking or just for cheese and crackers while you cook.

Then to top off your outdoor adventure, enjoy a chilled bottle of refreshing Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc. At the edge of the Wairau River in Marlborough New Zealand, Phil and Chris Rose established their vineyard in 1978 and today, with the help of their extended family, they continue to produce some of the best wines that Marlborough has to offer.

This 2021 Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc is medium straw in color and has aromas of citrus and lime. On the palate this 100% Sauvignon Blanc is light-bodied, bright and refreshing with flavors of tropical fruit, guava and pear and finishes clean and dry.

So, get outside and enjoy a warm evening of food and wine with your SoloStove, Primus cutting set and a delicious bottle of Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc. Cheers!

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

Samples Provided by Terlato Wines (via Donna White Communications)

Behind the Cork™ - Beronia Rioja Wines

With almost five decades of wine making, Bodegas Beronia is renowned for it Rioja. Their flagship winery is located in La Rioja, Spain. It is nestled seamlessly into the hillside, preserving the natural beauty of the landscape. The winery sits beneath a plant-covered roof, partially underground, allowing energy saving through the force of gravity and thermal inertia in the winemaking process. Their winery promotes sustainable architecture and agriculture that minimizes their environmental impact.

Rioja is located in Northern Spain, and is undeniably the most famous Spanish wine region, with a global reputation of trust and quality built over 2000 years of winemaking.

The Beronia winery took its name from the ancient Celts known as the ‘Berones’, the former guardians of today’s La Rioja region.

2017 Beronia Reserva Rioja ($24.99)

In Spain, a “Reserva” wine must have a minimum of three years of aging, with at least one year in barrel and the remainder in bottle. This Rioja Reserva is produced from 93% Tempranillo, 1% Mazuelo and 6% Graciano. This wine spent 18 months in mixed French and American oak barrels and then was left to rest in the bottle for 18 months before being released to the market.

This Beronia Reserva Rioja is medium ruby in color with aromas of black cherry and peppery notes. On the palate it has good black fruit flavors, medium tannin, nice acidity, hints of licorice and a nice finish.

2013 Beronia Gran Reserva Rioja ($29.99)

In Spain, a “Gran Reserva” wines are aged in barrel for two years followed by three years in the bottle prior to release. This Rioja Gran Reserva is also produced from 95% Tempranillo, 1% Mazuelo and 4% Graciano. It spent 27 months in French oak barrels and completed its ageing with another 36 months in the bottle prior to release.

This Beronia Gran Reserva is deep garnet is color with aromas of black cherry and brown sugar. On the palate has flavors of sour cherry and spices while being smooth with its mellow tannin. It has a long and balanced finish.

These Rioja wines from Bodegas Beronia are both excellent. They are attainable and affordable and this a great fit as the Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

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

Samples Provided by Gonzalez Byass (via Donna White Communications)

Behind the Cork™ - Veramonte Organic Wines from Chile

Veramonte Organic Wines

Earth Day is Friday April 22nd and here’s a great way to celebrate. Veramonte takes seriously how they produce their 100% organic wine.

Veramonte employs organic farming practices, which are essential for helping the planet and the people. Their wines are naturally free of pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizer. Veramonte is committed to doing what it can to create delicious wine while ensuring optimal conditions for growth and sustainability over time.

Veramonte organic wines are from the Casablanca Valley which is part of the Aconcagua Viticultural region in Chile - a region known for its cool climate due to the coastal influence.



2021 Veramonte Organic Sauvignon Blanc ($13.99)

This wine is produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The grapes go straight from the vineyard to the press where the juice is held for 24 hours. It is then racked and fermented in stainless steel tanks to retain the vibrant, fresh crisp flavor. It has bright aromas of lime and tangerine along with subtle floral notes. Its bright acidity leads to a long and refreshing finish.

2020 Veramonte Organic Chardonnay ($13.99)

This wine is produced from 100% Chardonnay grapes that are whole-cluster pressed to obtain the structure provided by the stems. The juice sits for 24 hours before being racked off. Part of the wine is barrel fermented in neutral oak with wild yeast and the rest is fermented in stainless steel tanks. Thirty percent of the wine undergoes spontaneous malolactic fermentation, enhancing the Chardonnay’s softness and creaminess without losing the freshness. It has aromas of pear, quince and lemon along with notes of toasted oak. It is bright and smooth with a long finish.

2020 Veramonte Organic Carménère ($13.99)

Made from 100% Carménère, these grapes are destemmed and cold macerated for five days in stainless steel tanks before being fermented with native yeast. Following fermentation, the wine is macerated with its skins for another ten days to intensity the flavors. It is then aged for eight months in neutral oak barrels. There are flavors of blackberry and plum with hints of pepper that result in a nice light finish.

Veramonte organic wines are a nice accompaniment for spring and summer foods. With these very affordable prices and availability, the Veramonte wines are a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers to Earth Day on Friday April 22nd!

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

Samples Provided by Gonzalez Byass (via Donna White Communications)

Behind the Cork™ - Catena Malbec

2019 Catena Malbec ($15)

World Malbec Day is coming up on Sunday, April 17th, an annual holiday that commemorates the founding of the first agricultural school in Argentina in 1853, which was instrumental in the early cultivation of Malbec in the South American nation. And, here’s a great way to celebrate!

This celebration features the 2019 Catena Malbec and a great book all about Malbec.

The wine is from high-altitude vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina in the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

The book ($24.49 on Amazon) is fun and informative. It is written by Laura Catena and Bodega Catena's oenologist Alejandro Vigil. It tells the story of Malbec, its near extinction, rebirth and in a joyful end, the story of how a plant has elevated the lives of millions of people for over 2,000 years.

This Catena Malbec is produced from 100% Malbec that goes through cold maceration for five days to and then is fermented with wild yeast for 12 days with a post-fermentation maceration of 19-22 days. It then spends 12 months in barrels that are of first, second and third use.

This wine is medium purple in color with aroma of black berry, black cherry, spice and cocoa. On the palate it has nice fruit flavors, medium tannin and medium acidity along with the characteristic easy finish of a Malbec.

At $15 this is a wonderful wine that is fully deserving of being a Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Look for this one and raise a glass for World Malbec Day on April 17th. Cheers!

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

Samples Provided by Catena winery (via Nonni Strategic Marketing)