Why Livermore is better than Napa: Ruby Hill Winery

Having friends in town is a great excuse to head out for a day of fine food, fine wine and great company. Why go to Napa when you've got the choice of dozens of top notch wineries just minutes away from my home?

You know I love Livermore Valley- and it's not that I don't like Napa and Sonoma, it's just that Livermore wineries are just better in terms of physical proximity to my house, value of wine for the dollar, absence of (or very low) tasting fees, and just a far more laid back attitude.

Take Ruby Hill Winery as an example. Having arrived on a Friday at around 11AM you wouldn't expect a crowded tasting room, but what I didn't expect was the impeccable personal treatment and attention that we got for the hour that we were there. We literally tasted 20+ wines all for a $5 Tasting fee which was refunded after the purchase of a few bottles. Our host Marilyn was kind, courteous and had a bubbly personality. And man did we ever sample some great wines!

Some of the wines we sampled included:

Champagne California
Bright lemony citrus champagne. Refreshing

2008 Pinot Noir reserve
Aged in French and Hungarian oak. Smoky, strawberry, elegantly silky.

2007 Estate Merlot
Peppery nose, Tannins are a bit up front, slightly muted fruit

2006 merlot monterrey
Rich raspberry nose. Dark chocolate, dark berries

2007 Harris Tesla Cabernet
Aged in 100% French oak. Dark ruby/raisin. Nose of truffle, menthol. Tight tannins, elegant mouth feel. Tastes of cherry and dark chocolate.

2007 Ghielmetti Cabernet.
Aged 24 months in American, French and Hungarian oak. Cedar and mint nose. Smooth mouth feel. tastes of cherry and liquorish.

2008 Grapeful Red Blend
Fruit forward, a bit lacking in oak but easy drinking. Taste of red berries.
2008 Peacock Patch Zinfandel
Jammy with layers of dark berries.

2007 Intessa blend
Cabernet/barbera blend.
A spicy blend of Cabernet and Barbera.

My 2 favorites were:
2008 Estate Petite Syrah
Ultra long finish, chewy, smooth, rounded. Huge dark berries.

2007 Jewel connection Zinfandel
100% new oak. Not to be released for another 6 months
Tastes of Dark berry jam, maple syrup, buttery oak. Incredibly rounded. Chewy.

We finished the tasting with a white and red port which they served to our spouses in chocolate cups!

After buying a few bottles and having them hand carried to our car we asked about a good lunch spot to have a picnic. There were kind enough to offer the use of their private patio where we sat and had a relaxing picnic lunch of assorted meats, nuts, berries and cheese.

What a great winery. I shall return!

Review: Taurian Vineyards Flight- 1995, 1999, 2000 Zinfandel Part 2- 1999

Taurian Vineyards 1999 Zinfandel. $12

Winemakers tasting notes:
Unavailable

My notes:
Color: Dark Raisin and a bit cloudy. Nose of  toasted oak, coffee and nutmeg and cocoa. Taste of bitter cherry, pomegranate, mint and rosemary. This wine is a bit more structured than the 2000 and really shows it's age.

Bayareawinelover rating: 88

Review: Taurian Vineyards Flight- 1995, 1999, 2000 Zinfandel Part 1- 2000

Taurian Vineyards 2000 Zinfandel. $12

I bought this flight on Lot 18 for $48. It included a 1995, 1999 and 2000 Vintage of their proprietors reserve Zinfandel. I thought what the hell lets give it a try. BTW Lot 18 is a great place to buy discounted and rare vintage wines. To join go here: http://www.lot18.com/i/Alex62752

Winemakers tasting notes:
Unavailable

My notes:
Color: Inky red. Nose of fresh air, hay and iodine. Taste of cherry jolly ranchers, leather and creme brulee. A decent Zinfandel but not great.

Bayareawinelover rating: 87

Review: 2008 Pillar Box Red

Review: 2008 Pillar Rox Red. Australia. $6

Ah yes, another Australian wine favorite- Pillar box red is a great example of Australia producing high yield good quality red wines. Pillar Box must be a close rival  to Yellow Tail in Australian wine popularity in the US because I see it everywhere- this time at Costco- and for around $6. Where Pillar box is different than a Yellow Tail is that Pillar Box Red takes a far more refined approach to their wine - this isn't a fruit bomb formulated for wine tasting newcomers.
Hailing from the Padthaway wine region of Australia Pillar Box Red is produced by Henry's Drive Wines makers of brands such as Parson’s Flat, The Trial of John Montford, Dead Letter Office, The Postmistress, The Scarlet Letter, Pillar Box, Morse Code and upscale Henry’s Drive.
Most of Australia's best wines never make it to the US in any large qty- which is a shame because in my opinion Australian wines rival the best wines from Napa and Sonoma. Quite a bold claim on my part, but one thing you can't argue is that the country produces some of the best values for the money- including Pillar Box Red.

Winemakers Tasting Notes:

The 2008 Pillar Box Red has a dark colour and a vibrant purple hue, with aromas of fresh blueberry fruit, liquorice, dried mint and cinnamon oak undertones. The palate is dense and juicy, with flavours of fresh blackcurrant and cherry combined with aniseed, dried thyme and mocha oak characters. The wine is rich and full bodied, well balanced and seamless with soft, persistent tannins.

My Notes:

Color of dark ruby red/garnet. Nose of smoked duck, metallic copper, and strawberries. Tastes include jammy blackberry with a hint of clay dirt and liquorish. Fruit forward but very well rounded with a long finish. Be careful and use a strainer for the final glass as it will likely be full of sediment. A great value for casual drinking any time.

Bayareawinelover rating: 89

A slew of wine reviews coming this weekend

I've been holding off on major posts to the blog while I prepare a number of new wine reviews. In the next few days look for reviews of Pillar box red, St.Supery Cabernet, and my flight of 1995, 99 and 2000 Taurian Vineayards Zins to name a few.

Review: 2007 Hewitt Vineyard Napa Valley Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

2007 Hewitt Vineyard Napa Valley Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon - $49.00

Winemakers tasting notes:

"The 2007 vintage gave our Hewitt Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon an explosive fruit expression of ripe berry, black cherry and juicy plum character that is awesome," says Winemaker Tom Rinaldi. Dark fruit, mineral and floral notes meld with bittersweet chocolate and toffee from oak aging. The enticing violet note, which we don’t see in other Rutherford vineyards, is part of Hewitt Vineyard's unique personality. The muscular tannins carry the flavors through a long finish, while balanced acidity gives a vibrancy that is sometimes lacking in powerful Cabs.

My notes:
Color- Dark ruby red. Mineral nose with black currant, violets and butterscotch. Rounded mouth feel with good structure. Taste of chewy toffee, vanilla bean, blackberry and dark chocolate. Very long finish. Sharp tannins show signs of good aging potential. This is a great Cabernet. On sale at Costco for $49
Bayareawinelover rating: 93

Finally a great bottled pasta sauce!

I've tried 'em all, the regular suspects: Classico, Ragu, Prego, the premium sauces like Emeril's, Newman's own, Dave's Gourmet- the list goes on- and they've all failed to impress me...until now. I think I found a pasta sauce that rivals even the best home made. I introduce to you famous TV Chef Mario Batali's line of bottled pasta sauce- the BEST bottled sauce I've ever tasted!

Chef Batali's website claims "Mario Batali’s Pizza and Pasta Sauces are hand crafted at Summer Garden Food Manufacturing, the only Green LEED Certified Manufacturing facility in North America. Mario’s sauces are made with real imported Italian San Marzano tomatoes from the Sarnese-Nocerino area of Italy, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh herbs and spices. These all natural sauces are made in small batch production to ensure consistent product quality and great taste in every jar. No paste, puree, or sugar is added to any of Mario’s sauces making them great options for the health conscious consumer."

And you can taste the quality!. Batali has 6 different sauces in his lineup: Marinara, Alla Vodka Pasta, Tomato Basil, Arrabbiata, Cherry Tomato and Neapolitan Style Pizza Sauce.

I tried the Arrabbiata. Tasting notes included ripe tomatoes with just the right amount of acid, bold and very spicy hot peppers and a wonderful flavor of olive oil that lingers forever. Some might think the spices might be a bit bold- especially for kids, but I like it hot!

For $7.99 a bottle- I'll surely be stocking up with more and trying the other sauces in the lineup

Two thumbs up!