2018 Youngberg Hill Natasha Pinot Noir

 

Don't worry wine snobs.  Not all great wines have corks.  The 2018 Youngberg Hill Natasha Pinot Noir is a screwtop but there is nothing screwy about this wine!  Blueberry compote, leather bound book, wet stone and barn dust are prevalent on the nose.  You really get lost in the aromas of this juice and we found our noses in the glass repeatedly!  Berry cobbler, mocha and ripe plum dance on the palate with a firm but not overbearing acidity.  Medium and memorable finish puts this wine in a "must buy" Oregon Pinot category.  It's quite lovely!

ABV:  14.0%

McMinnville, OR

Production:  600 cases

Suggested retail price:  $65.00

Drink The Bottles score:  92/100

Winery Spotlight: Krupp Brothers Estate

 

About ten years ago, Jeff blindly reached out to Krupp Brothers winery to introduce himself as a fledgling wine blogger.  The winery was kind enough to send Jeff a few bottles to review, and the rest, as they say, is history.  We have been very enthusiastic fans of Krupp Brothers wines and have enjoyed sharing these wines not only virtually with their readers, but in person with their friends.  And, just as it should happen, it did.  Those friend started buying Krupp Brothers wines and eventually some of them became wine club members.  

In late August, we had the opportunity to travel with close friends to Napa and Sonoma for an amazing wine adventure.  This was our second visit to the Krupp Brothers estate in as many years and we were excited to share this special place with a new couple joining us on our trip this year.

"Napa Scott" posing with the Porsche tractor outside of the tasting room.  We believe that this is an obligator picture for anyone visiting the estate.

Our visit started with estate director Tyler Hinsley and our wine educator/tour guide Sierra Fiddler greeting us at the end of the picturesque drive.  I'd like to think they were eager to see us (which we know they were) but it might also be because we were running about 10 minutes late since we had just landed and headed straight to the estate from the Sacramento airport.

The grapes were looking amazing and about to burst! 

Because our trip was late August/early September, harvest was just around the corner.  Overall, the grapes this year looked, smelled and tasted extraordinary and the consensus in Napa Valley is that 2022 would be another vintage for the record books.  

Cabernet Sauvignon at Krupp Brothers estate

Sierra showed us around the estate and guided us to the veranda overlooking the manicured and beautiful vineyards.  She told us about the history of Krupp Brothers, Stagecoach Vineyard and the story about finding water in an area that was believed to be desolate.  Sierra was a breath of fresh air and incredibly enthusiastic and knowledgeable about "everything" Krupp Brothers.

Sierra Fiddler, tour guide extraordinaire

Much to our surprise, Dr. Jan Krupp, showed up and greeted us out back.  To say that I was over-the-moon would be a gross understatement.  While we met Dr. Krupp previously, it really meant a lot for him to take time out of his busy scheduled to entertain our questions for nearly an hour.  Believe me, I'm sure he's heard them all before!  Maybe our next tasting can be at his house?  (Hint, hint Dr. K!)

Dr. Jan Krupp fielding the group's questions and telling us stories

If you ever have the opportunity to sit down with a wine maker or a vintner, do NOT pass up the chance.  We learned so much from our time with Dr. Krupp and we had a lot of laughs on the way.  This is time that we will treasure forever!

Incredible setting and gorgeous wines at the Krupp Brothers estate tasting room

Our tasting included five (no, make that 6 because of a 'bonus' tasting) Krupp Brothers wines and charcuterie.  Each wine was unique, elegant and incredibly special.  It's so tough to pick a favorite.  We were determined this year to cellar some of our purchases away so we can enjoy them for many years.  All too often we drink the wines young and don't appreciate the aging capabilities of these gems.  We WILL be sharing our thoughts on these wines on the blog and social media at a later date.

Tyler Hinsley, estate director for Krupp Brothers

Another highlight of our visit was our new friend and estate director, Tyler Hinsley.  Tyler's genuine kindness, enthusiasm and excitement about the Krupp Brothers label was infectious.  He even helped us locate a couple of library wines that we can open at a much later date.  Tyler was incredible nice on the phone and via email, but became an immediate friend when we met him in person.  We also had the chance to hang out with Tyler later that evening when we visited the Krupp Brothers downtown tasting room for a fun time.

The "Cali Wine Trip" crew with Dr. Jan Krupp

There are literally hundreds of wineries you can visit in Napa and Sonoma.  In fact, the toughest part of planning any trip is narrowing down the list and then narrowing it down again.  While wish we could visit them all, visiting the special places like Krupp Brothers completes our adventure and creates memories of a lifetime.  Krupp Brothers is definitely a "must re-visit" destination for us and we think you will love it too!

For more information about Krupp Brothers, their story, their history and those incredible wines, please check out https://www.kruppbrothers.com

You didn't really think I wasn't going to get this picture, did you!?

Posted by Jeff

2020 Bells Up Winery Jupiter Pinot Noir

 

Rounding out our tastings of samples from Bells Up Winery is their 2020 Jupiter Pinot Noir.  This comes from an estate vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains.  Three words.... It is fantastic.  Too often we have been slightly underwhelmed by Pinot, often getting the "same old" dusty, overly sweet rose petal vibe.  But not with this.  This Pinot Noir is built differently and if this is testament to the Chehalem Mountains AVA, then we can't wait to visit some day.  Cherry pie, tobacco leaf, graphite and forest floor on the nose.  Solid medium purple color makes an introduction to rhubarb, cherry pomegranate and a subtle hint of pepper, leading to a finish that leaves you yearning for more.  This wine should be in your cellar and with such a low production, you'd better act fast.  This is drinking wonderfully now and should for another 5-7 years.

ABV:  13.5%

Chehalem Mountains, OR

Production:  94 cases

Suggested retail price:  $48.00

Drink The Bottles score:  94/100

2021 Bells Up Winery Rhapsody Pinot Blanc

The 2021 Bells Up Winery Rhapsody Pinot Blanc wine from this small, family-owned winery is our second introduction of unique and flavorful wines from David and Sara Specter.  Pinot Blanc is not a dominant varietal and if you haven't tried it, this is the one you need to get.  Aged on lees for six months, this has a fuller body feel than many white Pinot grape varieties and the terroir of Willamette Valley is evident by the wet stone, crisp fruit flavors and dollops of soy sauce lurking in the background.  There is just the right amount of baking spices mid palate and a memorable finish that includes a noticeable acidity and mineral notes.  We love when you taste a wine and just smile from ear to ear, knowing that you've discovered a fun, memorable bottle.  This wine is drinking very well right now and should for another 4-5 years.  

Medium golden color and very fragrant.

We generally don't taste wines (when reviewing) with food.  After we scribed our thoughts on paper we could just tell that this Pinot Blanc would be a great wine to compliment a snack.  We tasted this with popcorn from Northern Neck Popcorn Bag and the pairing was a-MAZ-ing!

ABV:  12.9%

Willamette Valley, OR

Production:  114 Cases

Suggested retail price:  $32.00

Drink The Bottles score:  91/100

 

2021 Bells Up Winery Prelude Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir

 

Kicking off our series of Oregon wines, we started with this inviting Rosé that is as gorgeous in the glass as it is on the tongue.  The 2021 Bells Up Winery Prelude Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir first captures the eye with the stunning reddish hue, darker than many other Pinot Noir rosé on the market.  It was intriguing and immediately mouth-watering.  We tasted this wine both on its own merit and with food (which is unusual for us, but we had to prove a point to ourselves).  With ample time in the glass, we began swirling and collecting pleasant, but not overpowering, aromas of strawberry and pomegranate.  The fruit is more noticeable on the palate and the acid is in check and doesn't even begin to overpower this easy-drinking wine.  The finish is subtle and enjoyable.  While we don't always taste wines with food, there was something here that was urging us to do so. We tasted this with a variety of salty cheeses and the pairing was absolutely incredible.  This is definitely a "food" wine and one of the best Rosé of Pinot Noir that we have tasted in recent memory.  

ABV:  12.9%

Chehalem Mountains, OR

Production:  101 Cases

Suggested retail price:  $28.00

Drink The Bottles score:  92/100

2020 Penny's Hill Malpas Road McLaren Vale Merlot

 

Situated in McLaren Vale which happens to be one of Australia's most exciting wine regions, here are things you would want to know about the Penny’s Hill Winery.

History

Established in 1988, this promising winery is named after the hill at the base of which it is located.

Considering this winery has all the elements of a great vineyard in place, the vines were planted in 1991 at the property in a unique narrow-row configuration to amplify vineyard productivity along with grape and wine quality.

In the year 1993, the newly-planted Malpas Road property was purchased, followed by an adjacent highly prized hay-producing paddock in 1996 that was planted to vines and named Goss Corner.

After wo years, the original Goss family homestead, ‘Ingleburne’ was added to the Malpas and Goss properties to reconnect to make it an entire holding.

Ownership & The Team

Founder Tony Parkinson passed on the ownership and management of the business to his good friend and fellow South Australian winemaker Warren Randall.

The team at Penny’s Hill is committed to growing outstanding fruit across their vineyard sites to deliver the finest wines possible. They reflect upon the site where the vines are planted. They are passionate enough to make sure that optimum flavour, balance and ripeness are present in the fruit during harvest time.

Winemaker at Penny’s Hill

A passionate and experienced winemaker, Alexia is a group winemaker for Penny’s Hill, The Black Chook & Thomas Goss brands, and a champion for the McLaren Vale wine region; in particular its Shiraz and Grenache varietals.

She has been in the winemaking in McLaren Vale since 2004 and has undertaken vintages in both France and Italy. Accountable for the production of many acclaimed wines, and no stranger to medals, trophies, awards and accolades both domestic and international, she has the ‘World’s Best Cabernet’ in 2016 for Penny’s Hill 2014 Edwards Road Cabernet accredited to her name.

She works closely with the viticulturist to maximise fruit quality and vine health. Her style includes crafting elegant, fruit-driven, single-vineyard estate-grown wines to best express the varying terroir of the three key sites: Penny’s Hill, Goss Corner and Malpas Road, with more company-owned vineyards now being used to source more fruit.

Winemaking at Penny’s Hill

The winemaking process at Penny’s Hill includes each fruit parcel harvested separately in small batches and individually nurtured throughout. The proximity of the vineyards to the winery ensures the selection and hand-picking of particular fruit parcels for a “small batch” approach to winemaking, enabling more options at final blending.

At each step of the winemaking process, the wines are gently guided to bring out the ultimate balance of texture, complexity and interest.

The Malpas Road and Goss Corner vineyards have black Bay of Biscay clay that helps produce wines that are rich and luscious with a soft, round finish. However, the Penny’s Hill vineyard with sandy loam over clay soil produces wines with a perfumed bouquet and a high level of fruit intensity and fine tannin structure.

The red wines at Penny’s Hill are natured in the finest French oak barrels before blending. The presence of optimum quality vineyards in the nearby Adelaide Hills allows the creation of fresh, vibrant, balanced white wines of aromatic intensity and regional expression.

Sustainable Winegrowing

A proud member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, the Penny’s Hill winery contributes to the sustainability program which minimizes environmental impacts and encourages best viticulture practices.

Remember, it all begins in the vineyard.

Now that you know how this winery is going above and beyond to make the experience count for you, here’s a recommended wine from them. Give it a shot.

About the Wine

This vibrant Merlot unfurls aromas of plum, dark cherry, black olive and tar, with nuances of chocolate.  A medium-bodied wine with zingy minerality, light acidity and silk tannins leads to a smooth finish.  This splendid red wine tastes great with food such as light meats, chicken or slightly spiced dark meats.

ABV:  14.5%

McLaren Vale, Australia

Article contributed by guest writer, Hugo Brown

2017 Patland Estate Vineyards Chardonnay

We all know that Napa Valley is home to some of the most amazing full-bodied red wines in the world.  But it would be a shame for wine lovers to overlook the throngs of high quality white wines that are also available from this region.  When we first visited Napa in 2009, we found one of our favorite wines (a Chardonnay from a now defunct winery) and we have again found one of our favorite Chardonnay in this bottle.  The 2017 Patland Estate Vineyards Chardonnay is a prime example of delicious and age-worthy Chardonnay that we feel is a "must have" wine for your portfolio.  Much of the fruit in this offering is from the Stagecoach Vineyard (one of our favorite) and the wine is absolutely singing right now!

Vanilla, baking spices and pear on the nose with hints of lychee fruit.  As always, we tasted this wine at room temperature and were introduced to flavors of homemade apple pie, toasted marshmallow and almost no oak.  While we tend to lean towards more oak-framed wines, the fruit in this bottle is the star of the show and each sip is a dive into pure bliss.  It's absolutely stunning. 

Most people are used to paying $12 - $15 for grocery store Chardonnay.  Do yourself a favor and try something outside of your comfort zone and budget.  Try this exquisite Chardonnay from Patland Estate Vineyards and you can thank us later.  We think you'll love this with grilled chicken and asparagus with a lemon cream reduction sauce or with sashimi.  Enjoy!

Did we mention that after the initial tasting....

We enjoyed this with some salted dark chocolate carmel popcorn from Northern Neck Popcorn Bag?  It was a WINNER!

ABV:  14.4%

Napa Valley, CA

Suggested retail price:  $60.00

Drink The Bottles score:  94/100