Behind the Cork™ - Left Coast Blanc de Noir

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2013 Left Coast Estate Blanc de Noir ($55)

Here’s just the bubbly for the holidays.

This Left Coast Estate Blanc de Noir is made from 100% Pinot Noir (one of the components of French Champagne). It is fermented in 100% Stainless Steel to preserve the bright flavors then aged by the Méthode traditionnelle (bottle fermented) for 4.5 years.

Left Coast states that “This wine will deliver your pallet on a journey of crisp acidity, an array of flavors of apple and pear accented with floral notes and summer grasses, and rounding off with a rich, yeasty and subtle finish.”

Their Winemaker’s Tasting Notes say “This pale yellow sparkling wine displays aromas of yellow apple, subtle lavender and biscuit. This wine will deliver your pallet on a journey of crisp acidity, an array of flavors of apple and pear accented with floral notes and summer grasses, and rounding off with a rich, yeasty and subtle finish.”

I say this Left Coast Blanc de Noir is absolutely superb!

This is a limited production of just 135 cases. And, it received a score of 91 from Wine Enthusiast (Chosen as a “Celler Selection” for being a special bottle that will stand the test of tim). So, look carefully for this one and enjoy. Cheers!

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

Sample Provided by Left Coast Estate winery

Behind the Cork™ - Pfendler Pinot Noir

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2018 Pfendler Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($55)

Nestled in the hillside of Sonoma Mountain, Pfendler Vineyards is a small, family-owned winery. And this limited production Pinot Noir is a wonderful example of their excellence.

This is 100% Pinot Noir that underwent a five-day cold soak, followed by 48 hours warm-up to a spontaneous native yeast fermentation. Thus, spending 13 days on the skins for enhanced flavor. Native secondary fermentation is carried out in the barrel. It then spends 14 months in French oak, 50% of which was new oak.

Winemaker Erica Stancliff joined Pfendler just in time to complete the final blending of this 2018 Pinot Noir. She describes it as “Brilliant ruby in color, with luxurious aromas of black raspberry, plum, black tea, violets, herbs and tobacco. On the palate, flavors of blackberry, red apple, cherry, clove, baker’s chocolate are balanced by fine-grain tannins and long, layered finish.” Well said, indeed.

I found this Pfendler Pinot Noir to have aromas of cherry and raspberry with big, bright red cherry flavor, very soft tannin, noticeable acidity on the back-end and a very delicate, long-lasting finish.

This is a wonderful Pinot Noir from Sonoma’s Petaluma Gap that stands with the best. With only 250 cases being produced this may be difficult to find but well worth searching for. Cheers!

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

Sample Provided by Anika Crone, Jarvis Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Harveys Bristol Cream

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Harveys Bristol Cream - Solera Sherry ($24.99)

Did you know that Harveys Bristol Cream is Sherry? It’s actually the number one selling Sherry in the world! And, it’s perfect for the holidays!

John Harveys & Sons was founded in 1796 in Bristol England where they imported Sherry from Spain. And, in 1882, Harveys became the only Spanish product with a Royal Warrant from the Queen of England.

This Sherry is crafted from four different styles of Sherry (Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso and Pedro Ximexez) and aged between 3-20 years in the traditional Solera system.

Serve this one chilled (50-55 F) to open up this Sherry’s rich, mellow flavor notes that provide a long-lasting satisfying finish. Cheers!

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

Sample Provided by Rebekah Polster, Donna White Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Vilarnau Brut Reserva & Brut Reserva Rosé Cava

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Vilarnau Brut Reserva & Brut Reserva Rosé Cava ($14.99 each)

Cava is the sparkling wine of Spain and perfect for the holidays!

The Vilarnau Brut Reserva is made from the three base wines used to make Cava - Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada. These wines are always made separately. The first fermentation takes place over 30 days followed by the blending. It then undergoes its second fermentation in the bottle.

The vilarnau Brut Reserva Rosé is made from Garnacha and Pinot Noir. These are also fermented separately, blended and undergo a second fermentation in the bottle.

Both of these delicious Cavas should be well chilled and go with most any foods. Cheers!

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

Sample Provided by Rebekah Polster, Donna White Communications


Behind the Cork™ - Nino Franco Prosecco Rustico Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG

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Nino Franco Prosecco Rustico Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG ($19)

This Prosecco from Nino Franco was named #1 by Wine Enthusiast in their 2019 Enthusiast 100. And it’s $19. Need I say more!

This Enthusiast 100 is the best-of-the-best list. According to Wine Enthusiast “These wines are showstoppers in their own right and exemplifies a dazzling variety of wines available to consumers today. With selections from 16 countries and nearly every wine style—dry whites and reds, rosés, bubbles and beyond—there’s truly something for everyone. Boasting an average score of 93 points and an average price of $33, this is a list of the top wines to crack open and revel in right now.”

This Nino Franco Prosecco scored 94 points with Wine Enthusiast who described it as having “Aromas of white spring flower, Bartlett pear and citrus waft out of the glass. The racy, refreshing palate is full of energy, offering crisp yellow-apple, lemon drop and orange zest flavors balanced by vibrant acidity. A perlage of small, refined and continuous bubbles provides the silky backdrop.”

If you are looking for some bubbly for the holidays, look no further. This is the Wine Enthusiast 2019 #1. And the list is extremely impressive. Hope you can find this one. And, if you do, pick up a few bottles. It’s an amazing value! Cheers!

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

Sample Provided by Will Rogers, Donna White Communications