Behind the Cork™ - Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon

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!

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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

Ever Wonder? What Should You Do When Offered a Taste of the Bottle of Wine You Ordered at a Restaurant?

The common ritual when you order a bottle of wine is that the server will show you the bottle, open it and pour you a small amount. This can be a bit of a nervous moment if you don’t really know what you are supposed to do. But, it’s actually quite simple. Here’s how to handle it like a pro.

When ordering wine at a restaurant, it’s usually a better value to order a bottle rather than buying individual glasses. Remember, a bottle holds approximately five glasses. So, do the math and you’ll likely come out ahead ordering a bottle.

When the bottle is delivered to the table, the server will show the unopened bottle to the person that ordered it. This is done simply so that you can verify that the bottle that’s been brought to the table is the one that you ordered. And, if you were specifically ordering the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, look closely at the label and confirm that the bottle is indeed the 2012 vintage. Once you’ve identified the bottle as the one you ordered, simply let your server know that it’s the right one.

At this point, your server will extract the cork and place it on the table. This is not done so that you can smell the cork, it’s done to demonstrate that the cork is intact, and that there are no signs of leakage or spoilage. So, you should simply exam the cork and set it back down as long as it looks fine.

Now, your wine server will pour a small amount of wine in the glass of the person that ordered the bottle. This is the opportunity to ensure the wine hasn’t spoiled. Take a look at the color. A brown color will be a giveaway of a wine that’s oxidized. Then give the wine a quick smell. It should smell like wine, not like a wet dog or a cow pasture (yes, I recently experienced a wine that smelled like a cow pasture!). If it smells okay, then take a small sip. Again, this is your opportunity to confirm that the wine hasn’t spoiled. If you get a nutty flavor, your wine has oxidized. Or, if you get a vinegar flavor, you wine has gone bad.

But also realize, this small sip of wine isn’t intended to be for you to determine if you like the wine or not. You don’t get to have bottles of wines opened for you until you find something you like!

So, keep these simple things in mind the next time you are faced with having a bottle of wine severed to you at a restaurant and you’ll do just fine. Cheers!

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

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!

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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

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!

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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

Look for Unique Bottles of Wine on the Shelf When Shopping at Smaller Retailers

I occasionally shop at smaller wine retailers such as delis and drug stores. Something I’ve noticed is that these smaller retailers don’t have the same turnover that larger wine stores and grocery store have. So, I’m often pleasantly surprised to find unique bottles of wine on their shelves.

These unique bottles can include older ones, a range of vintages of the same wine and foreign wines.

Finding an older bottle of wine on the shelf can be a real treat. But, it can also be a double-edged sword. Older bottles of full-bodied red wines that are stored properly will have had a bit more time to mellow and soften with age. But, on the other hand, if these bottles have been sitting a very warm environment or in direct sunlight they may have been damaged.

Another interesting thing you may find is a range of vintages of the same wine.  It’s a real treat when you get to taste wines from different years (a vertical tasting) at a winery but it’s often difficult to do this at home. So, if you find multiple vintages on the shelf, pick them up and do your own vertical tasting.  You may be surprised how the same wine changes from vintage to vintage.

And finally, I found when traveling, smaller wine sellers will have unique labels that you won’t find at your local wine-seller. Everything from local wines to foreign wines. Especially on the East coast of the U.S. where you’ll find a larger selection of unique European wines than you’ll find on the West coast.

So, seek out smaller wine retailers (yes, even drug stores) and don’t just grab your same old bottle.  Look closely and you might just find a unique one. Cheers!