For all our fans out there that have harassed us for the last six weeks, this one’s for you. We do appreciate the encouragement! Several of you were able to taste this little gem with us about two weeks ago at Wine Styles on Louetta Rd in North Houston.
This wine is a rockstar, with only 374 cases produced, it brings the whole band with it.
We are having a conversation about starting to blog wine again. We want to do it, if people will comment. So, we are going to add a little feature to the bottom of each post – “thumbs up or thumbs down”.
Should we do that or do “spit or swallow” – as [...]
Paul and I enjoyed a bottle of the 2003 Laird Family Cabernet from Diamond Mountain Ranch last night as we talked about business and the historical day, yesterday in America. This was the last release from Laird of this wine as the contract for the grapes ran out. I am finding along with Paul, that [...]
I recently enjoyed this wonderful Barbera from Michele Chiarlo, with Paul during the recent Lakers/Rockets playoff game 5 blowout. Michele Chiarlo acquired the historic Tenuta Aluffi estate in 1995, that has long been considered to be the most exceptional estate for producing Barbera vines in the appellation of Asti. The Tenuta Aluffi estate in 55 acres lying on two superb hillsides at an elevation of about 800 feet above sea level, and is divided into two vineyards of “La Court” and “Il Castello.” The vineyards lie on soils extremely rich in magnesium, calcium, manganese, and iron.
Paul and I really enjoyed a magnum of this wonderful right bank Pomerol-style wine made by famous winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett. The name Amuse Bouche is a French noun meaning “amusement for the mouth”, and that it is The bottle artwork on the offerings is a conversation piece unto itself. The artwork on the 2004 was done by renowned Napa Valley artist Ira Yeager http://www.irayeager.com/.
Paul and I broke out a couple of Pinot Noir’s near the pool, on a really nice H-town afternoon. Hope you guys enjoy the video. The video was edited so if you have any questions please post a comment and we will reply back.
It has been a while since we posted a review on a Cabernet Sauvignon, so I thought I would dig out some notes from earlier this year and share with you. The Captains Reserve Cabernet is only available at the winery or to mailing list subscribers of Rubicon. It is exceptionally well made wine with quality fruit and terrior.
I had this great wine on Friday afternoon at Vintage Park in north Houston with my wife and two good friends in a business meeting( of course…while sitting outside in beautiful weather).
The color is deep garnet, little purple around the edges. The color seduces our group as we talk dull business stuff.
The nose is very fresh, has a berry component with chocolate highlights. Dark chocolate covered cherries describe the opulent characteristics of this nose. Although this wine has fairly high alcohol content, the balance is exceptional. The mouth feel is very nice, subtle, while still being full and weighty. The tannins are like satin and silk on the finish. Yes, we want more but the bottle is done and so is the meeting. Hmmm… A new cult wine?
Recently we enjoyed a wonderful Sunday brunch at The Tasting Room in Houston, TX with some friends and family to celebrate my wife’s birthday. The Tasting Room offers brunch on Sunday’s made by their creative and gifted Chef, Steve Super, and while you are enjoying the wonderful brunch you can linger and listen to the live jazz/classical music. The memorable wine of the day was the 2006 Amon-Ra Shiraz made by winemaker Ben Glaetzer. Ben Glaetzer has a minimalist mindset to making wine doing much of the work by hand, always aiming to preserve the characteristics of the vineyard fruit making elegant wines which are regarded as classics and unmistakably Barossa Valley.
Last night we were privileged to attend a tasting of Meander wines hosted by Cellar-17 in Houston and the distributor of Meander, Red4Wine. Meander is a personal project of winemaker Amy Aiken, who has been crafting wines in Napa Valley since 1989.
Last week Paul and I really enjoyed the 2006 Cuyuse “En Cerise” Syrah. Cayuse was founded in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington in 1996 by Christophe Baron after spotting a plot of land that had been plowed up to reveal acres of softball-sized stones. He became ridiculously excited. This stony soil, this terroir, reminded him of vineyards he had visited in France and Spain. The difficult ground would stress the grapevines, making them produce more mature, concentrated fruit. Christophe Baron had found a new home.
Paul and I were recently invited to a 2004 Barolo tasting hosted at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle restaurant in Houston, TX http://www.delfriscos.com/. The tasting event was sponsored by Kobrand Corporation http://www.kobrandwine.comand Stefano Chiarlo of Michele Chiarlo Winery http://www.chiarlo.it/. Michele Chiarlo was founded in 1956 by the sole and present owners, Michele and Giuseppina Chiarlo.
Paul and I recently purchased three bottles of the 2003 Fleury Passionne at the Culture Shapers charity wine auction held in Houston, TX. Culture Shapers is a group of Houston-area businessmen and women who are dedicated to serving student artists in many ways, including unique visual and performing arts contests. If you attend High School in Harris, Waller, Liberty, Chambers, Galveston, Brazoria, Fort Bend or Montgomery counties – you are eligible to compete for more than $100,000 in cash prizes! The Culture Shapers web page can be found at http://www.cultureshapers.com
The bottle artwork on the offerings is a conversation piece unto itself. The artwork on the 2004 was done by renowned Napa Valley artist Ira Yeager 
