The Tasting Panel magazine

December 2013

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DEPARTMENT HEADER Best Joint Venture Most Team Spirit Neil Ellis 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, Groenekloof, South Africa ($18) Renwood 2011 Zinfandel, Fiddletown ($25) The Sauvignon Blancs from South Africa just keep getting better and better. Neil Ellis was out on his own, producing award-winning wines, but eventually outgrew his production facilities. Serendipity ushered in Hans Peter Schroder, who had purchased Oude Nektar, an estate in Stellenbosch situated in the Jonkershoek Valley. Schroder was looking for a likeminded partner, equally focused on quality, who might fill some space within his extensive cellar facilities. The timing was right and a joint venture was formed— and lucky for us, because Ellis's Sauv Blanc is an ideal aperitif, and we always keep a few bottles handy. Ripe and juicy with generous fruit and lovely texture; elegant, complex and beautifully balanced; bracing, bright and precise with lots of style. VINEYARD BRANDS Amador County, home of the Sierra Foothills and also the Fiddletown AVA where the grapes for this gem are culled and churned into a gorgeous wine of international style. The team responsible comes from all over the globe: Locally there's Director of Winemaking Joe Shebl, as well as Jeff Cohn and Kent Rosenblum, who helped popularize Zinfandel under his eponymous label, now owned by Diageo. Internationally there's Carlos Pulenta of Argentina and Alberto Antonini of Italy. They all agree on one fundamental factor: Getting grapes right and ripe; not picking by numbers but rather by flavor. Fragrant purple flowers hold up a reservoir of grape and blueberry. This is juicy to its very core: ripe, sweet and toasted cinnamon sprinkled with a flash of cranberry. Earthy, gripping tannins are held in check, nestled in a soft cloth. Sturdy but palate-stroking. Most Down-To-Earth Frutiest Favorite VML 2011 "Earth" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley Cedilla Açai Liqueur, Brazil ($34) "Earth" is the first release from VML's Earth, Moon & Stars series; the fruit is sourced from key vineyards all around the Russian River Valley. We were enchanted by VML's six-acre picturesque estate, not only planted to vines but also bursting with apple, plum, lemon and lime trees, and a fantastical herb and flower garden. Truett Hurst partners Bill Hambrecht, Paul Dolan, Heath Dolan, Phil and Sylvia Hurst and Virginia Marie Lambrix (winemaker) are focused on offering a rich portfolio, riddled with innovation, while nodding to the more traditional winemaking roots of the Russian River Valley. Not surprisingly, this vintage recently sold out, so be on the lookout for the next! Juicy and bright with ripe cherry, cola and spice; tangy, supple and complex with lovely texture and a long, elegant finish. TRUETT HURST We're partial to any spirit that elevates sociability and ingratiates itself to the cocktail scene with a veritable splash. Cedilla Açai Liqueur teaches patrons how to pronounce that oft confusing "ç" with its exotic accent mark—it is a soft c andand it also delights the senses, revealing exactly how the açai berry is capable of revolutionizing mixed drinks. Organic açai berries—it takes a full kilo (500 berries) of açai to make one bottle of Cedilla—are hand-picked from palm trees in the Amazon, transported to Maison Leblon in Minas Gerais, Brazil, where the berries undergo a two month maceration in Leblon Cachaça's small batch alambique sugarcane spirit. The juice is then extracted and blended, creating a spirit with 30% pure açaí. Offers up hints of ginger root, orange zest, spice and the subtle sweetness of the sugarcane. Brilliant rich purple color, dark berry and mocha flavors round out a well-balanced artisanal liqueur. MHW LTD. december 2013  /  the tasting panel  /  145 the tasting panel  TP1213_104-148.indd 145 11/23/13 8:38 PM

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