Tamarack Ciel de Cheval Vineyard Reserve 2011
| Country: | United States |
| Regions: | Washington Washington (Red Mountain) |
| Grape Types: | Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot |
| Winery: | Tamarack Cellars |
Dark and chocolatey, spiced with pretty notes of allspice and clove, this wine is round and rich, bursting with ripe berries, combined with an earthy complexity and a velvety finish.
Made from 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc
The wine spent 22 months on 75% new French oak with the remaining 25% second vintage French oak. Select barrels from the best forests of Taransaud, Boutes, Quintessance, and Vicard cooperages.
Review:
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Cabernet Franc (30%) and Merlot, this wine seems a little green out of the gate, with aromas of herbs, cocoa, vanilla, black licorice, woodspice and black fruit. The fruit flavors display the warmth of this region, with the tannins providing some heft, stretching out over time. - Wine Enthusiast 91 Points
Tamarack Cellars’ 2011 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Reserve is an outstanding blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc that spent 22 months (each variety is kept separate until 12 months after the harvest) in 50% new and 50% once-used French oak. Classically styled, with lots of smoke tobacco, licorice and blackcurrant aromas and flavors, it has everything in the right place, in the right proportions, and is incredibly enjoyable to drink. Enjoy this medium to full-bodied, moderately tannic, balanced beauty over the coming decade, although it will probably last longer. Wine Advocate 91 Points
Offering up a touch more freshness and detail, the 2011 Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard is also upfront and textured, with ripe black cherry, rose garden and spring flower-like nuances all flowing to a medium-bodied, elegant and textured palate. There’s not a huge amount of back-end depth but it’s gorgeous nonetheless and I love the overall focus. It should shine for 4-5 years. Drink now-2018. This was an impressive (and large) lineup of wines. Made by the brother/sister pair, Brian and Kimberly Loring, with Rachel Silkowski functioning as assistant winemaker, these efforts never lack for fruit or texture and, for the most part, reward immediate gratification. Having said that, I think these 2011s will offer a relatively broad drink window. The 2012s are more rich and voluptuous, with the purity of fruit and seamlessness of the vintage. 
(8/ 2013) Wine Advocate 92 Points
Brulesecaille Blanc Grande Reserve is made from 75% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Sauvignon Gris.
Average age of the vines is 25 years.
Manual harvest from September 19th-20th 2016.
Direct press at low pressure (whole cluster) with low amount of SO2, settling at 10°C.
Addition of yeast and alcoholic fermentation in casks 400 liters.
Raised on the lees for 6 months with regular batonnage (stirring of the lees).
Bottling in april 2017.
Fish, seafood, white meats, fine goat cheeses.
Dark and chocolatey, spiced with pretty notes of allspice and clove, this wine is round and rich, bursting with ripe berries, combined with an earthy complexity and a velvety finish.
made from 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc
The wine spent 22 months on 75% new French oak with the remaining 25% second vintage French oak. Select barrels from the best forests of Taransaud, Boutes, Quintessance, and Vicard cooperages.
Review:
Located in Walla Walla and founded in 1998 by Ron and Jamie Colman, with the wines now made by Danny Gordon, this first-rate estate fashions classic, age-worthy wines that over deliver for the price. While I tasted the majority of the bottled wines in Colorado, all of the reserve efforts were tasted from barrel during my visit to the winery. This is an estate to watch and I came away more than a little impressed. - Wine Advocate 92-94 Points
The Tamarack Cellars Estate
Founded in 1998 by Ron and Jamie Coleman, Tamarack Cellars is dedicated to the production of small lot, hand-crafted wines from select vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley, Yakima Valley, Red Mountain and Columbia Valley appellations.
“Boutique winery from Waterbrook and Canoe Ridge alumnus Ron Coleman delivers ripe varietals and blends; Syrah-Bordeaux blend Firehouse Red is outstanding value.”
- Anthony Dias' blue pocket guide to wine 2006
The Tamarack Cellars Vineyard
Grapes are purchased throughout the Columbia Valley and are crushed, fermented and blended in a small winery located in a World War II firehouse complex at the Walla Walla airport.
Thorn Clarke William Randel Cabernet is made from 100 percent Cabernet
Deep red in colour. The nose is lifted and expressive with lovely Christmas cake and mint characters along with black olives and tobacco leaf adding complexity. The palate is medium to full bodied with blueberry and hints of cassis as the primary fruit flavours. The palate has great poise with the vibrant fruit, spicy French oak and fine tannin structure all wonderfully balanced, and the wine finishes with great length of fruit.
Review:
Eden Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from an excellent vintage. Deep, dark fruit crashes over firm, ropey tannin. To say that this will live and mature over a long period is an understatement. Mint, cassis, clovey oak, undergrowth. A substantial wine with a substantial future. - The Wine Front 94 Points
Raymond Chan, NZ, April 2016
Dark, deep, near saturated black-red colour with a touch of garnet on the edge. The nose is very firm and tightly bound with concentrated aromas of blackberry fruit harmoniously entwined with layers of menthol and cedar, revealing nuances of eucalypt, black olives and cassis. The aromatics build in intensity with aeration. Full-bodied, the palate features a firm and tightly concentrated heart with layers of rich and lusciously sweet, blackcurrant fruit with cassis, blackberries, menthol. mint and cedar. The palate is well-constructed with plenty of fine-grained tannin extraction forming a firm and dense core, with integrated acidity lending tension and drive, and enhancing the fruit sweetness. The structure carries the flavours to a long, lingering finish. This is a finely concentrated, firm, but fine-grained Cabernet Sauvignon with sweet blackcurrant fruit and layers of cassis, menthol, mint and cedar. Serve with lamb and beef, and with hard cheeses over the next 7-10 years. Fruit from ‘Milton’ Park, Eden Valley, fermented to 14.5% alc., the wine aged 16 months in French oak hogsheads. -18.5/20 Raymond Chan, NZ, April 2016
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What this vineyard captures, more so than any other Pinot Noir site that I have tasted, is both power and elegance. Bright and forceful Bing cherries and dark berries along with the slightest hue of roasted coffee bean on the nose. Immediate and broad textured tannins cover the palate as flavors of black raspberries, licorice and black tea leaves unravel. Oak-inspired overtones of crispy charred marshmellows and fall spice with balance acids elongate a finish that reverbs for hours.
What this vineyard captures, more so than any other Pinot Noir site that I have tasted, is both power and elegance. Bright and forceful Bing cherries and dark berries along with the slightest hue of roasted coffee bean on the nose. Immediate and broad textured tannins cover the palate as flavors of black raspberries, licorice and black tea leaves unravel. Oak-inspired overtones of crispy charred marshmellows and fall spice with balance acids elongate a finish that reverbs for hours.
The Soberanes Vineyard is the latest exciting joint venture between the Pisoni and Franscioni Families. The site features tightly spaced vines and is planted to 33 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah and sits on the Santa Lucia Highlands Bench adjacent to the Garys' Vineyard. The clonal material planted in the loamy, rocky soil is very diverse and features over a dozen of the most renowned heritage selections from California and Burgundy in pursuit of the finest wine quality.
Review:
The vineyard is famous for producing ripe, luscious Pinots stuffed with massive fruit. Many wineries have dipped into it over the years. Krutz’s rendition is dry, balanced and full-bodied, with relatively high alcohol framing raspberry, cherry, cola, red plum, exotic spice and sandalwood flavors. It should age well through 2020–2022.
- Wine Enthusiast 92 Points
Laird Pinot Grigio Cold Creek is made from 100 percent Pinot Grigio.
The Laird Family’s Cold Creek Ranch is a 300 acre vineyard located on the Sonoma side of the Carneros district. The cooling sea breezes off the San Pablo Bay are perfectly suited for Pinot Grigio as well as Chardonnay, two grape varieties that thrive in this special vineyard.
Tasting Notes: The clear yellow sapphire hue sparkles in the sunlight, with inviting aromas of juicy passionfruit, honeysuckle and Juicy Fruit gum. The palate is balanced with medium acid and enticing flavors of melon, apricot, vanilla, and subtle mineralty, leading to a focused, mouthwatering finish.
Vineyard: 100% Cold Creek Ranch
Appellation: Los Carneros (Sonoma)
