Country: | United States |
Regions: | California California (Sonoma County) |
Winery: | Zanon Wines |
Grape Type: | Petite Sirah |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Intense violet, hints of lavender, black cherry, fresh leather and spicy flavors (white pepper and clove), rich and concentrated with a lingering spicy finish. Will age gracefully for several decades.
Review:
Morlet doesn’t make much of it, but their Syrah is beautiful and well worth seeking out. The 2018 Syrah Bouquet Garni comes from the cool climate, higher elevation Bennett Valley in Sonoma and offers a big, exotic nose of blackberry and blackcurrant fruits as well sandalwood, dried flowers, new leather, and white pepper. The fruit is ripe and opulent, yet it still holds onto loads of classic cooler-climate Syrah gaminess and peppery notes. Full-bodied on the palate, it’s balanced and has a lively, clean texture, beautiful depth of fruit, and a great finish. Enjoy bottles any time over the coming decade.
-Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
Betz Family Besoleil is made from 55% Grenache, 23% Mourvèdre, 11% Syrah and the rest Cinsault,
Grenache is the star of Besoleil, but it's not the whole story. Additional southern Rhone varieties have found their way into the blend and today the wine includes Counoise, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre . Our cellar treatment has also evolved in several ways in order to promote additional nuance from these southern Rhone gems. Larger, neutral oak cooperage of 300 and 500 liters provides less surface-to-volume ratio, resulting in slower evolution and less oak influence in the final wine. Aging up to two-thirds of the blend in concrete vessels helps maintain a bright, fresh fruit character.
The story of Besoleil begins with our long-held belief that a precise marriage of soil and site can produce a profound expression of Grenache in Washington. We put that belief to the test with Besoleil's first vintage in 2003. While the Grenache in the earliest vintages of Besoleil was sourced from various vineyards throughout the Columbia Valley, two sites in particular (Olsen Vineyards in the Yakima Valley and Upland Vineyards on Snipes Mountain) have excelled as uniquely distinctive for Grenache. These two sites are the sources for the entirety of the Grenache in Besoleil today.
Besoleil is our Spanish/French whimsy for "kissed by the sun". It alludes to the warm, sunny days in the south of France that impart an intensity of character to the Grenache grape and its southern Rhone relatives. Imagine the windswept vineyards of Chhateauneuf-du-Pape, the inspiration for this wine, where Grenache thrives alongside a dozen or more other grape varieties.
Review:
"Grenache makes up 46% of this wine, with Mourvèdre and Counoise each accounting for 24% and the balance being Syrah. With the majority of the fruit coming from Olsen Vineyard in Yakima Valley, the aromas explode from the glass, with notes of raspberry, smoked meat, huckleberry and white pepper. The palate has dense, textured, layered fruit flavors but still remains fleet of foot. There is a compelling sense of freshness and texture to it. It's a complete dazzler. - SEAN P. SULLIVAN"
- Wine Enthusiast (March 2020), 94 pts
Betz Family La Serenne Syrah is 100% Syrah
La Serenne is the most reflective of the site/vintage dynamic of our three single-site 2012 Syrahs. Lovers of this wine know that its source, the Boushey Vineyard, is the highest altitude of the three vineyards and is typically the latest harvested. This cool site was accentuated by the cooler season and the results reflect the seriousness of this vineyard and its care.
An extraordinary, nearly impenetrable black purple color leads to a concentrated, inky aromatic impression: smoky black cherry and wild blackberry dominate, but a litany of supporting aromas is already emerging: smoke, violet, mushroom, roasted meat, Chinese 5 spice and minerals. It has a full attack on entry and a big, rich mouthfeel that goes on and on.
Review:
Aromas of blackberries, black raspberries, violets, black and white peppercorns and stones. It’s medium-bodied with fine, tightly knit tannins. Seamless and transparent with a silky texture. Very bright and pure with layers of wild berries and minerals. Tar and dark tobacco, too. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 95 Points
Betz Family Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot
Review:
"This is a wine for the ages. Aromas of thyme, the blackest of cherries, licorice, bay leaf and spice are followed by outright delicious, plump fruit flavors. There's a whole lot of primary fruit, with ample structure to hang it all on, along with plenty of depth and intensity. The finish is near endless. It flat-out impresses, with remarkable intensity. Best from 2028 to 2038. - SEAN P. SULLIVAN."
- Wine Enthusiast (September 2021), 95 pts
"A firm, polished red with aromas of blackberry, iodine, tobacco leaf, cocoa and cedar. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins. Structured, layered and focused. Lots going on, with a long finish. Try from 2023."
- James Suckling (May 2021), 95 pts
"Incorporating 10% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot from a mix of sites in the Columbia Valley, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Père De Famille reveals a healthy ruby/purple hue to go with beautiful cassis fruits interwoven with notions of dried rose petals, violets, cedary spice, and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied, reasonably well concentrated, yet elegant and beautifully balanced, it opens up nicely with time in the glass and will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 20 years."
- Jeb Dunnuck (May 2021), 95 pts
Daou Vineyards 'Bodyguard' Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Conceived by brothers Georges and Daniel Daou, Bodyguard Chardonnay is a wine of uncommon opulence. The 2020 vintage offers fragrant aromas of golden apple, buttered toast, honey and lilac. Subtle notes of Bartlett pear, star fruit, hibiscus and nutmeg round out the elegant, floral bouquet. The texture is smooth and silky, cascading across the palate with enticing flavors of spiced pear, Granny Smith apple, golden kiwi and honeysuckle, all underlain by mouthwatering minerality. Secondary layers reveal nuances of white peach and toasty oak, hazelnut, honeydew melon and citrus zest. A crisp, clean finish shows remarkable length with lingering notes of lemon curd and pineapple.
Review:
In comparison to some of the brand’s other offerings, this is an affordable way to check in on the Daou experience. Savory aromas of coffee bean meet with lush purple fruits on the nose. The palate is rounded in texture, with rich flavors of dark berry, cappuccino, milk chocolate and caramel. *Editors’ Choice*
-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
True to its name, Inkblot Petite Sirah is dark and inky in color with huckleberry, Maraschino cherry and cedar on the nose. Rich and weighty, this full-bodied wine reveals flavors of boysenberry, dark chocolate and peppery spice carried through by a long finish with smooth, polished tannins.
Review:
Find rich, robust notes of overripe blackberry, black plum and blueberry—reminiscent of mixed-berry pie—alongside integrated oak notes and plush, mouth-coating tannins. For lovers of big, bold wines, this sip is for you.
-Wine Enthusiast 90 Points
Zanon Petite Sirah Family Vineyards is made from 100% Petite Sirah.
Zanon Petite Sirah is a delicious version of a distinctive varietal grape. This deep dark purple wine shows aromas of blueberries and plum. Complex flavors of blueberry, plum, and black pepper with vanilla and soft oak mingle in the background. Well-structured with firm tannins and the ability to age over many years, there is really nothing ‘petite’ about it! It is 100% Petite Sirah.
The Petite Sirah vineyards are located on the hillsides in the scenic and bucolic setting of the historic Dry Creek Valley. It has been grown side-by-side with Zinfandel in the Dry Creek Valley for over 100 years.
Pairs with roast beef, prime rib, hearty sauces, bold cheeses.
Zanon Wine Portfolio is the creation and vision of Columbus, Ohio resident Scott Zanon, who spent 16 years in the wine industry.
2011 was the first vintage with 400 cases produced and all for the State of Ohio. The wine was introduced in February of 2014. You will notice the Dry Creek appellation prominently displayed on the front label. In his eyes, Dry Creek Valley is the best spot in the world to grow Zinfandel…period. The 2013 bottling debuts the words “Old Vine” on the front label as the vineyard source is 40+ years old. The newly released 2016 vintage represents the fifth vintage and production continues at around 400 cases.
Today, all the fruit comes from a four generation (92 years), family owned winery (Pedroncelli Winery).
Mortet Bourgogne Rouge Charmes de Daix is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir
Fresh and fruity wine displaying red and black fruits flavors (cherry). Well balanced, a good structure and a nice finish.
The wine is produced from 6 different parcels (1 hectare total), planted on clayey soils and chalky rocks sub-soils. The age of the vines varies from 10 to 40 years old.
Yield: 50-55 hl/ha.
Manual harvest with a selection of the grapes; sorting table; 100% destemming; maceration for 15 days, cold stabilization for 4-5 days; racking twice a day. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks for 4 months. M-L. Aging in oak barrels for 11 months.
Ricudda Chianti Classico Riserva 100% Sangiovese.
Deep ruby red color.
The wine shows an intense and persistent bouquet, with notes of berries and spices such as licorice and black pepper. Well-harmonized hints of oak.
In the mouth, it is well structured and balanced, complex, persistent with notes of red fruits and spices such as black pepper and licorice.
Pair with grilled red meats, steak, game of hair and feather, stewed and roasted, aged cheeses hard like pecorino.