Wine Sense Two Cents

88 points Wine Advocate: Another innovative blend is the 2006 Scouts Honor Proprietary Red, a combination of 63% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, and the rest Charbono and Syrah. This meaty, peppery effort is reminiscent of a Rhone Valley red. Good acidity, soft tannins, and plenty of berry fruit are offered in a heady, seductive style. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.

Kristin’s Three Good Reason’s to Buy this Wine:

If you are a fan of one of our hottest selling wines “The Prisoner” than you will love this wine! This is big, powerful wine…great for a freezing cold night. 15.2% alcohol!

The wine is a tribute to the Venge Family’s beloved dog, Scout. I am a sucker for anything related to doggies. Let’s toast our best friends ever!

Flavor Profile: Zin Lovers Line UP! Stop by tonite 5-7 pm and taste for yourself. Winemaker, Kirk Venge describes this wine perfectly: “This vintage is an eclectic assemblage with light violets, crushed herbs, red cherry and licorice scents in the nose. The palate is driven with femininity from the Zin with loads of ripe red berry and cherry and enveloping masculinity of mineral, char and tannin flavors from the Syrah, Charbonno and Petite Sirah. This is a largely structured wine and not for the weak of heart nor imagination. With time this wine will certainly

Our Everyday Price $31.99/bottle
One-day In-store Price $26.99/bottle
3 Bottles or More $25.99/bottle

Wine of the Week (WOW)

Hardin Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Napa Valley, California

One of the most sought-after winemakers of Europe at the moment, Jean-Marc Lafage lends his expertise with Southern European varietals to several top estates in both France and Spain and also in South America. However, his best work is perhaps at home at his estate in the hills of the Roussillon with his wife, Eliane, also a highly accomplished winemaker.
You Choose…Mix it up! A little red…a little white!

Our Everyday Price $12.99/bottle
One-day In-store Price $10.99/bottle
3 Bottles or More $9.99/bottle

Kristin’s Three Reasons to Buy this Wine:

Stop being afraid of French wine. There are great wines at reasonable prices coming out of France. Treat yourself and someone special to a lovely dinner featuring both of these wines.

Both wines represent great values. They are great options for a dinner party. Start with the Lafarge Cote Est …perfect with appetizers, soup, salads, seafood then move onto the Chateau Mylord for the meat course.

Flavor Profile: Both wines are the perfect food wines! The Lafarge is crisp, yet it smells like Chardonnay…it is medium bodied but coats your mouth with lush fruit. This is a red wine drinker’s white wine.

My rep brought in a bunch of Bordeaux for me to try last week and this one stood out. Many of the other options needed more years in the bottle before they really shine. This one is ready to go. It is deep, dark purple in color, big ripe fruit with lots of black cherry, plum and black berries followed by a splash of toasty oak.

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Wine Sense
749 Park Ave
(585) 271-0590
Monday through Friday: 10am-8pm
Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday: 12pm-5pm

We have been big fans for David O’Reilly for a number of years. David is the “man” behind O’Reilly Pinot Noir, O’Reilly Pinot Gris, Sinister Hand, Sharecropper Cabernet Sauvignon & Sineann Pinot Noir…just to name a few. He has recently started a new line of “affordable” wines called Crovidae from Washington State. The series of wines are known as “Corvidae” – a biological classification that includes birds of the crow and raven families. Each individual wine is named after a famous bird in history.

David O’Reilly, his wife, Angelica and their 8 children live in Oregon. David is one of 12 siblings born in Belfast, Ireland. He started his winemaker career at Elk Cove Vineyard in Oregon. He recently purchased an old dairy which he has converted to his own winery, Cream Wine of Yakima, located in Sunnyside, Washington.

Everything O’Reilly does is thoroughly Irish. The wineries associated with O’Reilly-Sineann (pronounced Shen-ay-yan), Owen Roe, and O’Reilly’s -all have ties to his former homeland. Sineann is Gaelic for Shannon River, considered the lifeblood of Ireland. The name stems from a mythical princess of the Leprechauns, who drowned in the river. Owen Roe was named for Owen Roe O’Neil, a great Irish patriot. O’Reilly’s, features a drawing of a huge Irish wolfhound on the label.

Our Everyday Price $16.99/bottle
One-day In-store Price $14.99/bottle
3 Bottles or More $13.99/bottle

Kristin’s Three Reasons to Buy this Wine:

David O’Reilly started Corvidae Wine Company with the intent of making wines that are affordable. He puts the same attention to detail into these wines as he does with his higher end wines. The Rook is made to be enjoyed now, whereas some of his higher end wines need a bit more time to age.

I love the way David O’Reilly thinks out every aspect of creating his wine…right down to the label! Each Corvidae wine is named with a particular fairy tale, fable, or legend in mind. “Rook” references the legendary luck associated with crows. “Lenore” is named for Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven”. “Fable” is inspired by the story of the fox and the crow and its moral- “Beware of Flatterers”. “Mirth” refers to an old nursery rhyme about magpies. More wines in the series will be named for other references to crows in folklore.

Flavor Profile: This wine is so easy to enjoy! The aromas and flavors of blackberry, blueberry and cocoa are bursting out. The ripe and rich Cabernet flavors prevail - juicy loganberry, cassis, and a base note of black plum and cherry. Syrah adds lots of spice, and Merlot offers a smooth velvety finish. The Cabernet Sauvignon is from the acclaimed Seven Hills Vineyard in Walla Walla. On the far west end of Yakima Valley the Merlot is grown by Mike Sauer of Red Willow Vineyard. The Syrah is grown in the Horse Heaven Hills where the temperatures are moderated by close proximity to the Columbia River.

Wine: Corvidae The Rook
Region: Washington
Grapes: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 27% Syrah
Lifespan: Drink now thru 2011

Cheese Pairings: Truffle Cheese, Cheddar, Tallegio
Food Pairings: Beef, Grilled Tuna, Fried Chicken

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Visit www.wedefinewine.com and tell us what you think!

Wine Sense
749 Park Ave
(585) 271-0590
Monday through Friday: 10am-8pm
Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday: 12pm-5pm

# 76 on the Wine Spectator Top 100 & 90 points Wine Spectator: There’s a sense of elegance to the well-defined, concentrated flavors of dark cherry, blackberry and plum, followed by notes of sage, dark chocolate and tobacco leaf on the long, powerful finish.

“Big, rich and darkly colored—these are the descriptors for the best red wines from the Cahors district of southwest France. The leading grape is Malbec (that’s right, there was Malbec before Argentina) and now a small group of quality-oriented producers is pursuing a higher profile for Malbec in its homeland. Tannat and Merlot can also used in these blends. Besides an array of dark fruit flavors, the wines from Cahors offer plenty of muscle and dense structures. They beg to be drunk with a juicy rib-eye or a roasted leg of lamb. There’s a good sense of elegance to the well-defined, concentrated flavors of dark cherry, blackberry and plum, followed by notes of sage, dark chocolate and tobacco leaf on the long, powerful finish. Drink now. 5,000 cases imported. — Kim Marcus“

Philippe Bernard is the sixth generation of his family to oversee this 50 hectare estate in Cahors, a few hundred yards from the Lot River, just west of the town of Cahors. The property was founded 100 years ago by his Great-Great Grandfather, Valmy, and now produces almost 20,000 cases annually. Philippe Bernéde is a renaissance man whose interests range from cooking, to sports, aviation and a few patented inventions. Winegrowing is his passion and it shows in the quality of his wine.

The domaine is planted to the traditional varietals of Cahors – Malbec (locally known as ‘Cot’), which provides deep color, structure and tannin and Merlot, which softens the young wine and improves the bouquet. The wine is aged in large oak foudres before being bottled unfiltered.

“Incredibly bright color, like the skin of a ripe black cherry, the aroma captivates. There is a suspicion of new oak, a jumble of black fruits (cherry, cassis, blackberry), plus a little corner of blueberry, plus a subtle smoky nuance, and a fleeting suggestion of black truffle. And the perfume is only the opening salvo. The palate is rich, loaded with delicious fruit. It is round, and tannic with superb balance and structure.” – Kermit Lynch

Our Everyday Price $14.99/bottle
One-day In-store Price $12.99/bottle
3 Bottles or More $11.99/bottle

Kristin’s Three Reasons to Buy this Wine:

Wine & Spirits Magazine Winery of the Year!
89 points Wine Spirits Magazine
90 points Stephen Tanzer’ International Wine Center
When I hear Chenin Blanc, the first thing that comes to mind is Vouvray. Vouvray is is not only a wine, but it is also a town/wine region in the Loire Valley of France, Many people often associate Vouvray with sweeter style wines. Yes, there are sweeter wines made with the Chenin Blanc grape but, there are also many drier style wines made with the Chenin Blanc grape.
“Walla Voila” is our old vine, Vouvray style Chenin Blanc produced since 1987. Jean Ferguson, L’Ecole Nº 41’s founding winemaker, loved this wine and crafted her version of Vouvray through cold fermentation to enhance the fruity and floral esters of this delicious variety. Pronounced with a French accent as “Walla Woila” or “here it is!!”, this regional whimsical pun captures the lively and vibrant flavors of this grape. – winery website.
L’Ecole Nº 41 was founded by Jean and Baker Ferguson. Today, the winery is owned and operated by their daughter and son-in-law, Megan and Martin Clubb. Built in 1915, the schoolhouse is located in historic Frenchtown, a small community just west of Walla Walla, Washington. Frenchtown derived its name from the many French-Canadians who settled the valley during the early 1800s. The name - L’Ecole Nº 41 French for “the school” located in district number 41 - was chosen to honor these pioneer viticulture efforts.
The winery is currently producing about 30,000 cases annually. Martin Clubb is the winemaker and co-owner, with his wife Megan, of L’Ecole Nº 41. Marty recently expanded the winery’s production facilities to produce 29,000 cases annually. In addition, he is a partner with Leonetti Cellar and Pepper Bridge Winery in the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley.

Our Everyday Price $15.99/bottle
One-day In-store Price $13.99/bottle
3 Bottles or More $12.99/bottle

Kristin’s Three Reasons to Buy this Wine:

Chenin blanc (also Pineau de la Loire and Gout fort), is a white wine grape variety from the Loire valley of France. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines. In cool areas the juice is sweet but high in acid with a body full-bodied fruity palate. The white wines of the Anjou AOC are perhaps the best expression of Chenin as a dry wine, with flavors of quince and apples. In nearby Vouvray AOC they aim for an off-dry style, developing honey and floral characteristics with age. In the best vintages the grapes can be left on the vines to develop noble rot, producing an intense, viscous dessert wine which may improve considerably with age.

Wine expert Jancis Robinson has noted that Chenin blanc is probably the world’s most versatile grape being able to produce quality wines of various sweetness, including dessert wines noted for their aging ability, as well as sparkling made according to the méthode champenoise and fortified wines. The grape can distinguish itself as a single varietal wine or it can add acidity as a blending component. Its ability to be crafted into premium quality wines across a wide spectrum of dry and sweetness levels invites the comparison to Rieslings.

Flavor Profile: A drier style Chenin Blanc with crips acidity…similar to biting into a Granny Smith Apple. Juicy flavors of ripe melon & pear. Very refreshing!

Wine: L’Ecole No. 41 Winery Chenin Blanc
Region: Washington
Grapes: Chenin Blanc
Lifespan: Drink now thru 2011

Food Pairing: Seafood, Soup, Salads, Chicken French, Seared Scallops

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Wine Sense
749 Park Ave
(585) 271-0590
Monday through Friday: 10am-8pm
Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday: 12pm-5pm

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: “It is virtually impossible to find a high-quality Pinot Noir that actually tastes like Pinot Noir for under $25, but Polaner accessed a blend of fruit mostly from Carneros with the rest from the Sonoma Coast, Russian River, Sonoma County, Mendocino, and even the Central Coast.
This wine is a real winner, tasting like a delicious Cotes de Beaune. Earthy, ripe currant, strawberry and spicy notes jump from the glass of this Pinot with a very fragrant, sensual style. Medium-bodied, with decent acidity, ripe tannin, and a nice, plush mouthfeel, this is a rather remarkable wine value for a Pinot Noir, which is always a fickle grape as well as expensive to produce. Drink it over the next 2-3 years, and buy it by the case.”
“The 2008 Pinot Noir is perhaps our strongest effort yet. We were able to source from several top Pinot growing areas including the Russian River, Sonoma Coast, Carneros, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, and Santa Clara County. In a true Burgundian spirit, the wine was made with 25% whole clusters, and was aged in about 10% new French oak. On the nose the wine has lovely aromas of wild strawberry, red plum and rhubarb, with a lovely savory earthy quality intermingled with the fruit. On the palate, the wine is medium weight, with just enough structure from the stems to balance the forward fruit. 3,400 casess produced.” – winery website.

Our Everyday Price $19.99/bottle
One-day In-store Price $15.99/bottle
3 Bottles or More $14.99/bottle

Kristin’s Three Reasons to Buy this Wine:

I am definitely a new member of the Wyatt Pinot Noir Fan Club! I am usually not excited about Pinot Noir for under $20/bottle. Too many producers add Syrah/Shiraz or some other grape to pump up the fruit and the alcohol. The wine tends to taste like anything but Pinot Noir! Not this one! This is Pinot Noir all the way!

Okay, so $20 bucks is not cheap….but Pinot Noir is never cheap. I am a huge Oregon Pinot Noir fan because I like the earthy characteristics that are found in may Oregon Pinots. Wyatt Pinot is not about earth or mushroom which tends to be the draw for me. Wyatt is all about fruit and acid. It is mouthwatering, with flavors of dark cherry, dark chocolate and dried blueberries. It is extremely well-balanced and just makes you want to refill your glass too many times!

Flavor Profile: Bright, fresh fruit aromas of cherry, raspberry, and blueberry fill the glass. Youthfully exuberant with lots of sweet fruit on the palate with hints of spice and vanilla. The sharp acidity makes the wine almost dance on your tongue.

Wine: Wyatt Pinot Noir 2008
Region: California
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Lifespan: Drink now thru 2011

Cheese Pairings: Truffle Cheese, Brie, Tallegio
Food Pairings: Tuna, Salmon, Sushi, Mushrooms

Try it! Love it! Comment!
You can post reviews for any of our wines on our website.
Visit www.wedefinewine.com and tell us what you think!

Wine Sense
749 Park Ave
(585) 271-0590
Monday through Friday: 10am-8pm
Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday: 12pm-5pm

We are back with another fabulous wine from one of our favorite California winemakers, Joel Gott. Joel Gott was destined to produce wine. His grandfather was winemaker and president of Inglenook in the 1960s and 1970s, and his father, Cary Gott, is the founder of Montevina Vineyards and continues to consult for many wineries. His wife Sarah, is the former winemaker at Quintessa and Joseph Phelps. She is currently winemaker at cult winery, Blackbird and Joel Gott wines.
Joel has access to some of the best juice in California. He is involved in many wine projects including Three Thieves Bandit (7 different wines); Joel Gott Wines (14 different wines from 7 appellations in California & Washington) and he has opened a custom crush facility in Napa to not only expand his line of wines, but to also offer a place for small production wine producers to make their wines. Joel is also famous for his Burger shack, Taylor’s Refresher in St Helena and San Francisco.

Genetic research shows that the Zinfandel grape is related to the Italian grape, Primitivo, and to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski. It made its way to the United States in the mid-19th century. Wine consumption took off in the 1970’s with Americans seeking sweeter style wines. Winemakers started pressing the dark black zinfandel grapes after removing the skins to produce the sweet light pink wine, white zinfandel.

Our Everyday Price $16.99/bottle
One-day In-store Price $14.99/bottle
3 Bottles or More $13.99/bottle

Kristin’s Three Reasons to Buy this Wine:

Joel Gott Zinfandel has been called “the poor man’s Turley” because it offers astonishing quality for a very reasonable price. Turley Zinfandel is considered a “cult wine” because wine collectors wait years to get on the Turley mailing list. Turley is a full throttle (high alcohol), fruit bomb with gobs of spicy black pepper. Joel Gott Zinfandel brings it down a notch or two, which makes it a bit more food friendly. If you are just dying to know hat Turley tastes like…gives us a call…we will find you a bottle or two!

Joel Gott draws fruit from Zinfandel vineyards located in the top growing regions in California: Napa, Sonoma, Lodi and Amador. This wine reflects the soil and environment of each distinct location. The vineyards in Lodi and Amador are dry-farmed and produce deeply concentrated fruit and structure; Sonoma fruit adds spicy aromas of pepper and anise; while Napa fruit brings power, depth and complexity to the wine.

Flavor Profile: The wine is packed with ripe black cherry, plums and black blackberry fruit. It is supple with mouth filling tannins that offer lively acid structure and an elegant balance. My favorite part is the classic zinfandel characteristics of jammy fruit, black pepper and licorice.

Wine: Joel Gott Zinfandel 2008
Region: California
Grapes: 96 % Zinfandel, 3% Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouchet (1%)
Lifespan: Drink now thru 2011

Cheese Pairings: Aged Cheeses, Blue cheese, Cheddar
Food Pairings: The perfect BBQ wine! Steak, burgers, ribs, blackened fish and a special treat: chocolate

Try it! Love it! Comment!
You can post reviews for any of our wines on our website.
Visit www.wedefinewine.com and tell us what you think!

Wine Sense
749 Park Ave
(585) 271-0590
Monday through Friday: 10am-8pm
Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday: 12pm-5pm