2019 The Shepherd Sauvignon Blanc

 

Hot days are made for cooler wines and Sauvignon Blanc almost always fits the bill.  But when you have a Sauvignon Blanc like this one that is so pure, straightforward and extremely easy to enjoy, you know you have hit the jackpot.  Don't mistake this as simple, because it isn't.  It is just very well made and exactly how we enjoy SB.  Shepherd Wines, aka Truchard Vineyards, presents a fine California example of this wildly popular grape.  Aromas of cooked pear, grapefruit and crisp linen resonate throughout the glass and intensify as the wine begins to warm.  Delicious and crisp citrus flavors lead to a zippy and memorable medium acidic finish.  Absolutely and easily a daily drinker!

ABV:  13.9%

Napa Valley, CA (Carneros Region)

Suggested retail price:  $18.00

Drink The Bottles score:  90/100

2017 The Shepherd Estate Red

 

It is always a pleasure working with a winery partner year over year and having the fortune to taste the same label but differing vintages.  We last tasted this wine for the 2014 vintage.  The 2017 The Shepherd Estate Red is once again a blend of Syrah, Zinfandel and Tempranillo.  All of the grapes are sources from estate vines and the mixture of each grape differs each year, depending on the quality of the grapes and the overall desired affect.  This wine is a dark inky purple in the glass and (although tough to see in the picture) the cork is nearly black and sexy.  Solid color to the edge of the glass.  Blueberry pie, cedar bark and plum primarily on the nose.  Baked cherry cobbler, vanilla bean and cremè de cassis are lovely flavors with hints of black pepper wrapped up in lush tannin.  These three grapes are always a favorite and this wine drinks very, very easily now or you can hold it for 5+ years.  Most of the wines are tasted unescorted by food, but this would pair well with a hearty cut tomahawk steak with seasoned potatoes.  And, as always, this wine is an incredible bargain at just $25 suggested retail.

ABV:  14.2%

Napa Valley, Carneros, CA

Suggested retail price:  $25.00

Drink The Bottles score:  89/100

2014 The Shepherd Estate Red

Once in awhile you pop and cork and get so excited because of the incredible color that is displayed on the cork.  When I pulled the cork out of this 2014 The Shepherd Estate Red wine, I knew I was in for a real good time!  Seriously, it was incredible.  Check out the picture HERE and I know you'll appreciate what I'm talking about.  So, I was completely unfamiliar with Shepherd Wines until I received this bottle.  Shepherd Wines is an offspring of my friends at Truchard Vineyards.  They currently offer 2 wines under the Shepherd label - a Sauvignon Blanc and this Estate Red.

Seldom do I open a wine, roll my eyes skyward and then clinch a fist in pleasure before tasting the wine.  But that is exactly what has happened here.  Before I get into that, I have to tell you that I literally cannot wrap my head around the fact that this wine has a $20 price point.  This wine is clearly worth at least twice that price and with just over 1000 cases produced, this is a wine that won't last long once the word gets out.  This could be the viral wine of this season!  (Clinches fist again.)  This beauty is a blend of Syrah, Zinfandel and Tempranillo.  No wonder I love this wine so much.  These are 3 of my favorite reds.  I think Zinfandel and Tempranillo get overlooked all too often by most people in the wine world.  But we have a love for each other.

Medium red with dark purple hues in the glass, incredibly aromatic blackberry, baking spices, old barn hay mount, vanilla and clove on the nose.  So much going on here and as I was swirling, the aromas literally wafted right up out of the glass before I stuck my nose in.  I knew this was going to be something special - and it is.  Juicy, jammy and mouth-watering flavors of blackberry, barn wood, cherry cobbler and hints of a marinated, lightly peppered brisket.  When I give an overall score on wines, one thing I have to consider other than the obvious (presentation, aromas, flavor, finish) is the value.  And I can't stress this enough.   Twenty bucks for this wine is a flippin' steal!

ABV:  14.2%

Napa Valley, Carneros, California

Suggested retail price:  $20.00

Drink The Bottles score:  95/100