The Desert Wine Guy - 2005 Iron Gate Tempranillo - Paso Robles

                                                        

   Today's wine came from a short day trip my daughter and I took to Cedar City Utah. Being that most people haven't discovered that wine grapes can be grown in the Desert yet, there aren't too many wineries around the Las Vegas area. In fact Iron Gate Winery (http://igwinery.com/) is the only Winery in Southern Utah. Going to Cedar City is a pleasant trip though and my "Travel Partner" and I hopped in the car and went straight up Highway 15 North to check out the Iron Gate Winery.  Groundbreaking for the Iron Gate Winery itself was in January of 2012 when the new owner added a very small Production area on to what was already an existing "Historical" cottage. The place is very small and set in a beautiful area. While it is small it does get the job done as you will soon see.

2005 Tempranillo - Paso Robles

    When you arrive at the Winery you might be a little surprised, I have to tell you that I was. If you are expecting to walk through or at least see an actual Vineyard or two you will be surprised to discover there are none,  as I said I know I was. It turns out that none of the wines made at the Winery actually come from grapes grown on property (Estate Wine). The grapes are sourced from California, Washington State & Oregon. The only grapevine we saw was a small wild vine growing to the left of the building and you really had to look hard to find it. It was growing almost like a weed would. The Winery is also actually in a residential neighborhood so when you follow your G.P.S don't think it's broken and a repair is needed you actually are at your destination. Like I'm sure many people do you will think that the country house up front is the Winery, it is not, it is actually a Bed & Breakfast that is on the same property (which according to Trip Advisor is supposed to be fantastic by the way). The actual Winery is the building in the back. Drive your car on the path to the left of the Bed & Breakfast and head to the back building. My Daughter and I went in the middle of July and the weather was beautiful and the front of the property is decorated by super nice plants that unlike Vegas actually grow beautiful flowers. We also enjoyed the Apple Tree that is on the property and although the apples are small they were delicious. The Winery itself produces a regular as well as an Off-Dry Riesling, A Sauvignon Blanc, a regular as well as a Reserve Chardonnay, A Roussane, a Cabernet Sauvignon, a tempest, a Syrah, a Mourvedre, a Late Harvest Zinfandel as well as our review wine, a Tempranillo. This I must admit is a lot of different varietals and shows a great degree of confidence and (one would presume ) talent by the Wine Maker. So how does our Tempranillo (which is my favorite wine by the way) showcase the varietal? Let us find out right now.
   The first item of business is to inform you that this wine must be decanted. To drink this wine before Decanting it for at least 2 hours of letting it open up is a disservice to this wine and to the varietal itself. I made the mistake of drinking the wine just shortly after it was opened and I am glad I drink slowly. I am going to do something that I have never read of a reviewer doing before. I am going to first include in this article my thoughts on the wine BEFORE the wine had a chance to "open up" and develop. Normally the review you read here is based upon the wine having fully opened enough to express itself. There are times I will start the wine and put some notes down on paper. Somewhere along the way I will enjoy noticing the wine evolve into what it was meant to be. Way back (before The Desert Wine Guy came to be) I never believed that a wine could "open Up". I just thought that was wine snobbery talk....that is until I experienced it for myself first hand. This review should be taken as a little lesson for those of you who are just discovering the world of wine. There are beliefs or thoughts or myths about wine that have permeated into the wine world that actually have no basis in reality. Let's get onto the review now but remember that the first chapter notes were written down BEFORE the wine had a chance to develop. With time things change let's see if that applies to this wine.
   This Tempranillo poured a medium Purplish in my glass with a Bouquet of Oak, Cassis and Black Current. As for putting all these flavors together in way so as not to overpower one over the other that was done nicely but the flavors in combination were weak to say the least. You could tell that the wine wanted to express itself but that simply wasn't happening. The problem was there was no depth to the wine. A Tempranillo is supposed to be a deep, Peppery, rich wine, unfortunately at the time of opening and shortly after that this wine had neither of these characteristics in enough force to matter. On the Palette the wine did have the taste of Black Current and Cassis but as already said not in enough amounts to make a difference. There were very slight Tannins noticed but overall it ended up slightly on the watery side which really helped to put a damper on the Tempranillo varietal. This is NOT what this varietal is supposed to be. At this point in the review if the wine stayed where it was and (I had already learned that a wine most times will "open up") I would have assumed the wine was bad and the review was going to reflect just that and as such I would NOT have recommended it. Thankfully wine does develop, Open Up most of the time and this particular wine was no exception. At the time of opening the wine I would have rated it an 85 on The Desert Wine Guys point scale. Let's see what development can do for a wine.
   Now lets get to what is my final review, the review meant for readers which is what you guys normally would see when reading  this blog. This review was done around 2 hours into the bottle being opened and this is the minimum amount of time I would recommend you wait before drinking it. The wine is definitely not for the faint of heart. Strong Cassis and Current are now joined by a beautiful Tobacco/Peppery flavor. The Oak in the wine stands out as well.  The Pepper in the wine along with the Tobacco  shows what a medium in body Tempranillo can taste like when done correctly. The Tannins in the wine also do increase ever so slight and end up being strong (although not to strong) enough and to the point where they assist in the opening and developing of the wine into something worthwhile to drink.  The wine still remains a medium in color Purple in the glass but adds more red to itself. While I would not say this wine is a classic example of a Tempranillo by any means, overall I would say that this is a decent example of how the Tempranillo varietal can show off it's characteristics if given half a chance. By the way, don't be alarmed when you see something clinging to the inside wall of the bottle, this wine is also unfiltered as I learned when I noticed that there appeared to be stains inside the bottle. I E-Mailed and sent pictures (see below) to Doug who is the wine maker and he was nice enough to respond and inform me that what I was seeing was actually some grape skin and that it was due to the wine not being filtered. I actually think that was a nice touch to the wine. In the end this wine ends up being given a Desert Wine Guy rating of a 90 which is a big difference from the undeveloped  raw rating of an 85.

Unfiltered Tempranillo

   Let's wind things up here with a summary of the wine as well as an unexpected lesson (which was an after thought once I started writing this article) that I hope those new to wine will take and learn from. First the summary. Although as I said, while this is not the perfect example of the Tempranillo varietal it IS a good one. The characteristics of this wine, although not as strong as I prefer are pretty good and the wine is well done enough for me to recommend it. The price of $23 is slightly high but then again that is the price the Winery is selling it for, usually a retail store, especially a big box store will usually have a lower price. If you like a medium depth red with Tobacco and spice then you will appreciate this wine.
   Now for the lesson I promised. Those of you just starting off should be willing to experiment, experience, ask questions, watch, listen and learn, respect nature and the soil and you will open up yourself to a whole new world ,the world of wine. It is an exciting world (in my opinion), I think to begin learning about the wine itself, then move onto learning about the vines themselves, then design your very own Vineyard. When you finally get the courage to put your plan into action do your part in the construction of that Vineyard. Then finally, plant and watch your grapevines grow. It is cool to watch your first bunch of grapes for the new growing year develop. It is great to learn about the characteristics of the grapes you are growing also. Then Finally after all this has sunk in.....make your first bottle of wine. I will let you know how that last part feels as soon as I experience it myself. In the meantime bring a small bag for the Apples and visit the Winery. While you are there say hello to Tony (who was awesome) if he is there and tell him The Desert Wine Guy said hi. Tony was behind the counter when my daughter and I visited and I was nice enough to participate in a video about the winery. You can see that video here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9brGmzOoOJU).

                                              

Doug - The Winemaker

                                                                                                                 The Desert Wine Guy


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The Desert WIne Guy - Review Of The Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar

The Lazy Dog Restaurant And Bar

   The other night my Wife and I had the opportunity to visit the Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar (https://www.lazydogrestaurants.com/location) which is located in the downtown Summerlin mall here in Las Vegas. There are also have locations in Texas and California by the way. They also claim to have a "scratch Kitchen" which they say means "we make everything inside of our building". Looking at the outside of the restaurant I was excited to see if the inside and the food was as inviting aa the outside was.
    When we first walked into the restaurant the area where you check in had a nicely lit decorative background. The two Hostesses who greeted us were extremely friendly and seemed to have genuine smiles as well. My Wife and I  were also seated politely and courteously. We were in our seats no longer than 5 minutes when our Waiter, Dave came to the table to take our drink orders. My wife ordered a soda and I ordered a Guinness. I was unfortunately informed that due to a beer change over (I'm assuming from Winter to Spring or Summer) there was no Guinness and that they no longer carried it. They also didn't carry any dark beer. Dave sincerely apologized and when I asked him how a particular beer

Inside Front Entrance

that I had never heard of before tasted that I happened to see on tap he took the time to described it and very quickly asked me if I would like to try a sample. When I responded that I would like that Dave immediately went to the bar and returned with a sample for me to try. I eventually decided on a different beer but the thoroughness with which Dave carried out this drink order was impressive. Drinks were taken care of and Dave left for a short few minutes and returned to see if we wanted any appetizers. My Wife and I decided on the Chicken Lettuce Wraps for $10. The order took about 7 minutes to arrive. The chicken part of the meal was presented on a

dark Brown bowl which was than placed on a White plate. Displayed on the White plate was four large leaves of Romaine Lettuce, A nice portion of Japanese Cucumber Salad and a small cup of Sweet Sesame Soy Sauce. It was nice how the Lettuce was shaped into a sort of gully where you could put the chicken as well as the other food items that came on the plate. It made for very efficient and neat food placement. The Lettuce itself was crisp and fresh. Looking for what I wanted for my main entree gave me the opportunity to study the menu. The menu showed a very good and varied selection of food. There was a nice selection of salad type items along with a good selection of appetizers. The main entrees ranged from Meat to fish to chicken with a nice selection of each type. The drink menu was separate and there also was offered a good number of beers, wines and mixed drinks. The drink menu was rather impressive and there was something for everyone to choose from. Dave gave us just the right amount of time to decide without us feeling rushed on one hand or forgotten about on the other. I decided on the Fish & Chips and my Wife ordered the Cast Iron Idaho Trout. Having time to enjoy a nice beer and look around the restaurant I was rather impressed once again. The bar was stocked very nicely with all types of liquor. It is beautifully lit and decorated and had a good amount of T.V to watch sports. As for the seating in the restaurant there were also various types of that as well. Just outside the bar where kids can sit as well were nicely made fancy bar type cushioned chairs.

Bar Type Seating Area

The tables were the bar type as well as being higher off the ground than regular tables but were not simply your run of the mill average bar table and chairs. These items were made of quality materials and fit in nicely in this upscale restaurant.  The other seating in the restaurant was regular tables and booths that were designed for two people as well as regular sized booths for larger party's. All furniture was of high quality. Everything in the restaurant was also spaced nicely apart and did not give you the feeling of being on top of the other customers. Out back there was a large patio that also kept the nice spacing between customers and also at the same time provided that sense of privacy you might want with a date or even with simply your family. The back Patio is also where you are allowed to bring your Dog which I think is super nice especially at a business named Lazy Dog. The restaurant was well lit with different shades and colors of lighting. I will also say that whoever designed the interior knew exactly what they were doing with lights, fixtures and interior design in general. I also noticed that while all the staff was busy they all appeared to be happy and get along with each other as I watched their interaction among themselves.The restaurant was staffed perfectly as well.

Lettuce Wraps

Fish & Chips

   We waited about 15 minutes for our food and when it arrived the presentation as was with the appetizers was awesome and very professional in appearance. My wife's trout was served on a cast Iron platter and had Walnut Butter with a half of a charred Lemon and Grilled Asparagus, Red Peppers and sea roasted potatoes. My wife said that the Trout was cooked to perfection and the vegetables were done just right. Her overall opinion of the food was (in her words) "excellent". There were no complaints from her at all about anything. My fish and Chips were served on a nice plate with a wax paper type lining that was placed just right and had equal amounts of paper hanging over the edges which while not really important did show that the paper was

Cast Iron Idaho Trout

placed with

Bar Area - Liquor

some thought in mind, once again very nice presentation. There were four fairly nice sized pieces of fish that were battered and at least on the outside looked like they were cooked for the proper amount of time. There was a nice sized helping of Cole Slaw which was placed on a leaf of Iceberg Lettuce. The French Fries appeared also to be cooked for just the right amount of time with the perfect brown color. The portion was just right as well. Taking a piece of the fish revealed that it was cooked just as well inside as it appeared to be on the outside. The fish was tender and not greasy. The batter was not thick at all and each piece of fish was just that, fish. As far a Dessert goes my Wife ordered the White Chocolate Brownie which was a fairly large and shaped like a circular Brownie with a large scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream on top. I assume I don't have to tell you that the Dessert tasted as good as it looks in the picture. We both shared it by the way.                                                            

White Chocolate Brownie

Bar Area - Beer

   If there are two things that I feel I must complain about, one was the bathrooms and the other was the prices. Let me start with the bathrooms first. I purposely went to the men's room to see if the attention to detail in the decor, food, service and the building aesthetics was matched in the bathroom. Here I was disappointed. The fixtures in the men's room were clean and the bathroom did appear to have been cleaned recently in some aspects. The issues were that one paper towel dispenser was completely empty and there was a nice size amount of water just before the sink with soaked paper towels laying it. There was also soaked dirt or grime in the corners that I thought were very visible and nasty and should have been cleaned. As for the women's room my wife told me that two out of the three toilets were out of service. She reported no other issues. Now onto issue number two. I felt that although the food was incredibly good that the prices were on the high side. The name of the restaurant as well as the casualness of the atmosphere I don't feel warrants the prices being so elevated. The restaurant is however located in a very exclusive part of Las Vegas (Summerlin) and I think that has a lot to do with their ability to get away with the elevated prices. As an example the Dinner my wife and I got with tip was $80. I do feel that $16 for Fish & Chips and $17 for Trout is rather pricey. While the restaurant might appear by it's name to be casual dinning the prices dictate otherwise.One last thing on the price of their food. According to Chris Simms, founder and CEO “We started Lazy Dog with ambitions to be a neighborhood restaurant where parents could take the kids but also sit back and enjoy a great meal and cold beer,” Well I guess you will have to judge for yourself if that particular goal has been met or not.

Outside Patio Area

  I would like to make a special section here on the service that I experienced as well as witnessed while observing the staff at work. Let me start off by saying that David was phenomenal. His service was impeccable. My Wife and I can't say enough great things about him. I don't think that anyone could have asked for a better Waiter. David was attentive and professional although I wish he would have smiled a little :) Having watched the staff work and interact with customers I will say that whoever is managing the restaurant is doing a great job and fostering an environment that is productive to both the employees as well as the customers which in total means the company.

Cleanliness Issue Under Men's Room Sink

   I guess the question comes down to would my Wife and I come back again? The answer is most definitely yes but due to the cost of the meal it would have to be once in a great while or be reserved for a special occasion. Overall I highly recommend eating at Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar.














                                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

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The Desert Wine Guy - Can I Grow That Plant In My State - Using The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone guide

   Lately I have been getting some questions on what type (varietal) of grapes or species of plants in general for that matter are best suited for growing in a particular area of the country. Rather than answer everyone individually I figured I would simply write a very short article on the subject and include some graphics that will help you all in determining for yourself what you need to know. I recommend that you are still in doubt as to whether to plant a certain plant that you ask your local plant store (not Walmart) since they will only carry plants that can grow in your area. As with anything there are no "cut and dry" rules when it comes to planting either. O.K folks let's get into this. Instead of answering each persons questions individually  As always what ever questions you have on grapes or other plants please don't hesitate to contact me  (desertwineguy@gmail.com). While I am in no way an expert on these things I will research an answer for you and I WILL get back to you.

   To start off this article I have to tell you about one of the most important things you will need to know and that is that you need to discover what "Plant Hardiness Zone" you live in? There is something called the "USDA Plant Hardiness Zone". Here (http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/phzmweb/interactivemap.aspx) is the link to that page. Simply click on the area you live in and you will know what zone you are in, it's that simple. By the way I live in zone 9a but the state of Nevada actually ranges from 4a-10a. That is 13 different zones. The zone is based on the average low and high that your particular area (zone) experiences. There are some minor issues with the zones but for the most part the zones are reliable. Please note that if you are up for moving your potted plants everyday you can get around some of the zone issues. As an example let's say that you grow a potted plant that needs three hours of daylight at a maximum of 85 degrees. You can grow still that plant in Las Vegas and in the Summer as well but you will simply have to move the plant either inside or into the shade at a certain time each day and in THIS case I would therefore use the zones as a guide only for plants rooted into the ground. Another drawback is that the USDA map doesn't account for the beneficial effect of a snow cover over perennial plants, the regularity or absence of freeze-thaw cycles, or soil drainage during cold periods. And in the rest of the country (west of the 100th meridian, which runs roughly through the middle of North and South Dakota and down through Texas west of Laredo), the USDA map fails. Once again I would suggest using the zone map as a guide but it shouldn't take the place of you using the knowledge of your particular micro-climate and your particular situation. For me the zone guide really helps because I go to California a lot and of course there are really cool looking plants that I see there but knowing the zone in which I live, I can't grow them. I am too busy during the day to be moving potted plants back and forth so I have to settle for plants that have flowers that probably wouldn't be worth bothering with in other parts of this state or in other states in general. For those of you interested in grape vines or fruit trees here (http://www.aaronsfarm.com/Grape-Vines-s/1824.htm) is where yours truly goes for his vines. The prices are very reasonable as well considering my local plant store here sells a single Cabernet Sauvignon vine for $25 (yep).
   Well I hope I have helped you guys out and shed some light on what you most likely can and can't grow for your area. Please share this article with you friends who love the garden or are thinking of growing grapes yourself.

                                                                                                                  The Desert Wine Guy

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The Desert WIne Guy - The Wine Label, A Mystery No Longer

 
   Today I want to take a little break from reviewing wines and talk a little bit about the information provided on the front and perhaps, back labels of the wine bottle. I have included explanations of the major elements of the labels and a couple of the obvious terms. For some people the wine label(s) can be so confusing and that can cause them to simply stop looking or wondering what the words on the label mean and simply pick the type of grape they prefer. This is unfortunate because there is a lot of useful information on the label that can help or assist you in narrowing down a possible wine for purchase. Let's do a little looking at an actual wine label and learn what a label can inform us about. Lets go ahead now and begin with what is known as the "Vintage".

American Wine Label

   Vintage - The vintage (single vintage in this case) is simply the year that the grapes were grown & harvested. Vintage is important because there are some years where growing conditions are better than others. From whether there was too much rain or rain at the wrong time to cooler or hotter that normal temperatures. The vintage can be used to sometimes perhaps exclude a particular wine depending on your knowledge of the particular weather history of the area in general for a particular area. Does the vintage guarantee that a particular winery had a good or bad year? The answer is no, it does not. Talking in general terms here however it can help in the general inclusion or exclusion of a particular wine. A wine can be up to 5% mixed vintage and still be considered a "single vintage". In some countries that number can go as high as 25%. There is also the term known as "non-vintage" which in general simply means that the particular grapes in the bottle were made with grapes from multiple harvests or different vintages. Just as the vintage of a particular wine does not guarantee or ensure a good or great wine, it also does not guarantee or ensure a bad wine either.

Front Wine Label

   Region / Appellation - The region / appellation that a wine grows in is very important because there is simply some region / appellations where certain grapes grow much better than others. There have even been court battles over names such as "Napa" being used on wines that are not grown in the Napa valley because the simply word Napa means so much to American wine lovers. Whether it be the weather, Terroirs / soil (Rutherford Dust), climate or even tradition these factors can make a huge difference in the outcome and most times the price of the wine. These are all factors in the making of the wine. If the grapes grown do not grow in great soil or do not receive enough or perhaps too much sun or there is too much wind at certain times in the area normally during the process of the flowering of the grape vines you will perhaps start off with an inferior base for you to form what you hope to be a superior wine. This does not sound like a great or advantageous position for a business to be in. This also does not sound like a finished product that I would wish to purchase because an inferior base will almost always makes an inferior product. Once again as with vintage, while a lesser known region / appellation does not necessarily always mean an inferior wine using generality's you could say that the wine varietal (or grape) in question might not be worth the $100 for instance that the winery is asking. An example of what I am saying is that the grape known as Cabernet Sauvignon loves the sun and heat so this grape might not grow or produce great grapes in an area of the country that does not get a lot of sun and heat. If a particular wine needs to reach a certain Brix (sugar) level that is caused by heat but is grown in a cooler region that particular wine will struggle or perhaps never reach the required Brix level.  There are certain wines that can only be grown in certain region / appellations for instance Burgundy can only be grown in the French region / appellation of Burgundy. A Champagne can only come from the Champagne region / appellation of France.

Government Warning

   Grape Varietal - The grape varietal or name of the grape is usually prominently displayed on the front label. Who would buy a wine without knowing what type of wine they were buying. You might not like a Merlot and the bottle in your hand might actually be a Merlot but if you didn't know the varietal you might buy a wine you won't enjoy. If you don't know what you have in your hand than why spend the money. On the other hand if you do love Merlot that you would be much more likely to buy Merlot if you knew it was indeed a Merlot. Foreign wines usually will advertise or promote a wine based upon appellation rather than grape or varietal type.  
   Producer - The producer of the wine is the winery who made the wine. As an example if you buy a wine and it says "Peju" on it than Peju is the producer. The producer does not necessarily mean that the grapes in the wine in the bottle are grown at the Peju vineyards / winery however. There are a lot of winery's that do not grow any grapes themselves for instance I.G Winery in Cedar City Utah (http://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-desert-wine-guy-day-trip-to-iron.html) but buy grapes from vineyards and than actually make the wine at their winery. When we buy the particular wine (Peju in this case) we are hoping that they purchase the best grapes that they possibly can.  

Napa Valley Wine Appellations

   Estate Bottled - Estate bottled wines are done completely on site. This means that the winery grew the grapes of the wine in it's own vineyards. This includes the fermentation process as well as the bottling of the wine.
   Reserve - A reserve wine is a very vague term in the United States. While reserve could mean that the wine is made from superior grapes or perhaps a small vineyard in particular and some can be produced in a very limited quantity the word "reserve" itself rarely guarantees that the wine is anything special and is probably used for marketing purposes and therefore it's only purpose would be to have you believing that you are purchasing something special which in turn means the winery can boost the price of a wine that would normally be sold otherwise very inexpensively.
   Fanciful Name - This name is used also for marketing purposes and probably also doesn't mean anything substantial. A great example of this is shown in my last wine review (http://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-desert-wine-guy-2014-wilson-creek.html) where the "fanciful name" is "Double Dog Red" and is actually an excellent blend of both Cabernet Sauvignon & Petite Syrah.

Fanciful Name - Double Dog Red

    Sulfate Declaration - Sulfates or Sulfur Dioxides are a preservative and used to prevent oxidation and to keep a wine fresh. Sulfites are measured in parts per million or "ppm". Organic wine can also have Sulfites but is limited to 100 ppm and usually runs around 40 - 80 ppm however under the current USDA standards organic wine can only have "naturally occurring" sulfites of less than 10 ppm. A non organic wine on the other hand can have as much as 350 ppm. There are many people who are allergic to Sulfites and there is a theory that some parts of a hangover might be based upon the fact that a person might be exhibiting an allergic reaction.
   Alcohol Content - This is the level of Ethyl alcohol in the wine.
   Government Warning - Alcohol is considered a poison and can lead to among other diseases liver failure and abuse over long periods can also be fatal. Alcohol also poses other health risks if not drank in moderation.
   I hope I have been able to make your next purchase of wine a more informed purchase and that you are more knowledgeable and less confused the next time you are out looking for that special bottle of wine.

                                                                                                                   The Desert Wine Guy

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The Desert WIne Guy - 2014 Wilson Creek - Double Dog Red

2014 Wilson Creek Double Dog Red

  
   Folks today I have the privilege of writing a review of a wine that simply exceeded all my expectations and I think will exceed all your expectations. Who would have thought or believed that a wine from Temecula California would reach the score that it did on The Desert Wine Guy Rating Scale. Folks today I am writing about a wine here that simply is phenomenal and truly worthy of notice. In my opinion all wine reviewers need to take notice of this wine. What wine is that Desert Wine Guy? Folks the wine I am talking about is the 2014 Wilson creek (http://www.wilsoncreekwinery.com/)  Double Dog Red. So let's get right into this review because when you are done reading this review and learning about this fascinating wine I want you to go buy two bottles and put one away for your retirement or a Son or daughters Wedding, yeah it's that good.

Wilson Creek Winery

   I usually don't make mention of the labeling of a wine bottle but in this case I had to make an exception because the labeling of this wine really advertised the wine that the bottle held. Classy, Top Notch, Executive Board, Presidential. These are descriptions that I feel fit the labeling of this wine and scream a big, loud description of what you will find in the bottle. Lettering of a standout Bronze and a crisp stark White on a Black background implore you to open the bottle and see what awaits inside. To me it was like a Genie asking you for your wish and your wish is to drink a bottle of wine that is the end all be all of wine. Yes people this wine is simply that good. Let's move on and get into the heart of this article so you can read about this wine.
   Let's get started right away by stating from the get go that this wine while being a blend of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Syrah is mostly dominated by the Petite Syrah varietal. This is not a drawback as I feel that it tones down the Cabernet a good amount.  Here is a wine that is also slightly on the semi mellow side yet not what I would consider "mellow" or "tame" in ANY way whatsoever. With a good amount of spice on the the finish that also lingers on the back end of the Palette . A very nice and enjoyable level of Cassis here as well that when combined with the level of peppery spice will also help this wine Cellar for a while and still remain enjoyable for a few years to come. On the first taste of this wine there is a sort of Black Pepper / cranberry note that is shared incredible well between the two varietals. A Cherry note comes along for the ride but doesn't necessarily sit only as a passenger because it will at times take the drivers seat and you will welcome the change of direction that these notes have to offer. This isn't some cheap Cherry that you will find in some cheaply made wines that is used to cover for deficiencies in the wine making process, no this is a deep and semi dark Bing Cherry such as you will taste at the produce of your local Supermarket that actually just now as I write this review is ending it's season here in Las Vegas. A serious Chocolate note is displayed here as well that when combined with all the other deep notes really adds a smoothness and richness here that is awesome. Is this wine "fruit forward" ? Well...yes and no. There is some notes that will lead your Palette to that

lusion at first but it is not so predominate that it will scare away those who do not appreciate that particular note.  To add to this there is a sort of Pomegranate note as well which is fairly prominent in it's own right. To add to all this incredibleness is a note of caramel. O.K so right now I'm thinking simply.... WOW!. A semi-rich, semi-fruit forward wine exploding with  awesomeness just like I love. Now after reading all of this are you thinking that you know what the rating I am putting on this is? You might be right ........but than again you might be wrong, we will see, I guess it all depends on just how much you follow and know The Desert Wine Guy. Moving on here this wine is a sort of bowl of dark fruit you are drinking but with the sugar level toned down to just the right amount as to not offend you (it's a fine wine after all, not a candy bar) and at a ripeness level that you have only experienced at a farm where you can pick and choose the most perfect fruit. Well now your thinking "what more can this wine display?" Well I must tell you that I am not  done just yet as there is also a note of Molasses in this wine which is where the wine seems to also get a tad bit of its sweet side note from. What a wonderful note this Molasses is, it adds a sort of dark sugar to the wine that really sets this wine off and in my opinion puts this wine over the ninety (92) point mark.
   Here is the wrap-up Ladies & Gentleman. Serve this wine at a formal get together or event and watch how your guests eyes open up and the questions begin. I can guarantee you that if you provide the proper presentation and pour of this wine and simply allow you guests to taste it without telling them the price you paid for it they will leave thinking you opened a wine that has been aging at least ten (10) years and was rated at a 92 upon release with the guarantee of elevation if drank within 8-10 years. Now that is a strong statement coming from me. Why do I feel this way you ask? Well I can tell that this wine was put together with grapes from a season where the grapes were had presented with the best growing conditions. The entire process from beginning to end had to be Superior and ultimate care had to be taken in the entire process and it absolutely shows in every way. To me each sip was an exceptional treat. Between the label that screams Presidential Inauguration and the contents of what is in the bottle, this wine is a must have and for that reason I am placing it at 94 points on The Desert Wine Guy Rating Scale. By the way this is the second highest rated wine I have ever reviewed with the first being the 2011 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon (http://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2014/05/2011-peju-cabernet-sauvignon.html) which I put at 96 points.

                                                                                                               

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The Desert Wne Guy - 2012 Wyndham Estates Cabernet Merlot

2012 Wyndham Estate Cabernet Merlot

                                                          
    Today I have the pleasure of reviewing the2012 Wyndham Estates Cabernet Merlot by Wyndham Estates (http://www.wyndhamestate.com/) which is located in Australia. This wine has a kind of strange name since usually the Vineyard will pick one varietal or another to classify their wine under but I guess it doesn't matter in the end as long as the wine is well done.
   The Vineyard & Winery is named after George Wyndham who planted the first commercial Shiraz Vineyard in Australia back in 1830. Today the Vineyard has Steve Meyer as it's chief Winemaker and I want to share a little snippet of what I thought was nice from the short "about me" on the website "...Playing dad to his young daughter Stella after work might be eating into his golfing time, but he is still finding just enough hours in his busy weeks to jam with his three-piece acoustic band unusually named “Colonel Mustard” (a key player in Cluedo)". Having to spread time between my children, work and the Vineyards (Angel Vineyard & Mirror Image Vineyard) I can relate here. This particular wine goes under the "BIN" (no explanation given) label of Wyndham Estates wine and is from "multi-regional blends" of which they claim they use only "Australia's premium viticultural regions". This label is designed to be "Generous & intense yet soft, approachable and easy to drink". How does any of this really matter? Read on and you will see. The wine is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot and  comes from South Eastern Australia. The wine is kept in French Oak for approximately 12 months prior to blending leaving an Alcohol level of 14.2 percent according to the Vineyard.

Steve Meyer - Chief Winemaker

                                           

   Lets open up this review by discussing just how this wine pours as well as just how it is on your Palette. In the glass we have a wine that is on the pour a dark Red Berry / Blackberry color in color which fits in nicely with how it approaches the pallet which is a Blackberry at first tasting followed closely behind by Current spice and Oak and then finishing in Dark Cherry followed by the wonderful Tannin's.. All of this equates to a smooth finish with those Tannin's being very smooth indeed. The feel they give to the wine has them well situated in this red wine blend. Moving further into our tasting now. The wine is very tasteful with the Blackberry and Dark Cherry mixing nicely with the Current and has the perception of consistency in the way it reveals it's flavor. There are no fluctuations at any time of how the wine hits your palette as well as your other senses. One thing in particular that I like is that the Oak never disappears as it does in some reds when they open up and is there for you to enjoy throughout the bottle and seems to add a sense of power to your glass as you sit back in your easy chair and relax from the busy week. Don't get me wrong here. The Oak is never overpowering or offensive in the first  place so there are no worries there. This wine can make even the cheapest of wine glassware seem as if you are drinking from the best Riedel glassware. Once this wine is opened and you take the first taste there will be no more memories of work or stress on your mind. Your thought will travel to exploring this wine. The balance in this wine between characteristics is done very nicely and it is something you will continue to experience throughout the bottle. The tannin's help this wine finish strong and as I have previously said are not what I would consider overpowering but they are definitely not weak either, you will notice they are there and you will appreciate them.
   let's sum this all up here because I think I have another bottle in the wine Cellar calling my name. This wine still has plenty of years left on it if you wanted to purchase a few bottles (as I did) to put away in the cellar or wine refrigerator which I highly suggest you do. In closing this is a very nicely crafted wine and a pleasure to recommend.
   On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I would not hesitate to give this a 92 point rating.

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The Desert Wine Guy - 2011 Sultry Cellars (Cellar 433) "Crop"

  How many of you guys know that the state of Arizona has been making a name for itself in relation to it's wines over the past few years? For those of you who aren't aware of Arizona and it's wine here http://www.vvwinetrail.com/ is all the information you will need to know (until my article comes out that is).  For right now however I will simply tell you that there is what is known as the "Verde Valley Wine Trail" which consists of the small towns/cities of Cottonwood, Sedona and Jerome Arizona. These three places are at the heart of the Arizona wine craze. You need to visit the wine trail because you are missing out on some great wine. The only negative to the Verde Valley Wine Trail is the Summer months where temperatures can really get up there. On the day of this review (June 26, 2015) was started the temperature in Sedona was 99 degrees. By the way it was 108 in Las Vegas on the same day in case you are interested. To the best of my knowledge all the grapes for the wine trail are grown in Wilcox Arizona where it was 91 degrees on the day of this review. Since I have had this article on hold for about 1 month I am also able to give an update now as of July 24, 2016. Yesterday I went with my family to Jerome and the temperature was 96 degrees with a Humidity level of 20%. Coming from las Vegas where the current temperature is 103 the Humidity is currently 14% (but normally runs about 6%) Jerome was VERY uncomfortable to say the least. I am sure you can probably already guess by now that today's wine review happens to be on a wine from Arizona, Jerome Arizona to be exact. Today I will discuss my review of the 2013 Sultry Cellars (Cellar 433 https://cellar433.com/category/jerome-winery/ ) "Crop". For Red wine lovers who like a nice peppery Syrah this area is a must because there is something in the Arizona soil that seems to naturally gives their Reds a Black Pepper note that I myself love. Let's move ahead now and see what I thought about this wine from Arizona.


   The 2011 Sultry Cellars "Crop" is a wine that I bought a few years ago and simply forgot about. Like all the wines I get from Arizona I purchased them at the actual winery's themselves and enjoyed a tasting of them before I bought them. This wine is no exception so I already knew going into this review that I did like the wine but did I did not remember any more about the wine than that. On the nose this wine started off really nice with a simply outstanding and totally expressive bouquet that wonderfully displayed it's many different tropical notes. If you love Apricot than your in luck here with the bouquet because there is heavy Apricot fruit on the nose followed by Peach. Both of these on the nose sent a message of sweetness to my mind. The other notes that followed up which was of Pear and a juicy Peach and Nectarine just reinforced that sweet, tropical sense. I didn't really mind that sense of sweetness however because that didn't mean necessarily mean it translated to actual sweetness in the the wine. The Bouquet in this wine is loaded with fruity notes galore and they are all displayed on the Palette as well. There is a noticeable hint of Alcohol here that appears to be used to open your Palette for what is to come next. As for the appearance of this wine in my glass the color was slightly muted and exhibited a medium Golden wine with some Yellowish hues to it. Here is a wine that is a blend of 50% Chardonnay & 50% Sauvignon Blanc and has the characteristics, Bouquet and Palette wise of both wines mixed into one. If you want to enjoy or talk about a White wine blend that explodes with an incredible Bouquet and coats your Palette incredibly than look no further. There is also an every so slight Palette note of acidity here but  not overbearing or "in your face" so to speak. To me all the notes seem to come together at once very nicely. We are talking about notes of Apple, Apricot and Peach that makes for a wonderful introduction to this wine. Secondary or lesser notes of sugary Peach and Nectarine shine thru. Perhaps unusual for these varietals is the fact that I did not notice any Grapefruit at all. To me that is good because I actually don't believe that a Grapefruit note would have been too welcome here. This wine is wonderfully bright and semi-sweet on the Palette. A wine that screams "It's summer and I'm headed to the pool", loudly and clearly.
There is a hint of acidity as well here that brightens this wine in your mouth and puts a dryness on the back Palette and on the finish. On the sides of my Tongue I picked up a slight tartness that I also really liked. On the bottle of this wine it says "Oak aged over 18 months". It does not state the type of Oak however and why doing the tasting I did not sense any Oak at all in my mouth. This might be because the Oak was either old or had a lower "toasting" level. Going back to the "sweetness" note for a minute and bringing this article to a close I will say that while as I stated I really didn't mind it much but I do have to say that I do think it was slightly over the top but not nearly enough to make this wine anywhere near undrinkable. I do believe however that it was enough however to deduct 2 points from the overall rating on The Desert Wine Guy rating scale. 
   Overall I must say that I thoroughly enjoy the wine and with the exception of a small amount of over the top sweetness I think the wine displayed itself really nicely.
   On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I give this wine 89 points.

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The Desert WIne Guy - A Day Trip To Iron Gate Winery In Cedar City Utah

Iron Gate Winery

   I am not sure how many of my readers live in or near the Southern Utah area in but I have a little winery to tell you about. The name of this winery is I.G (Iron Gate) Winery (http://igwinery.com/) and it is without question worth a visit. The winery is located in Cedar City and is about 2 hours North of Las Vegas. If you were ever in the market to explore a "Boutique Winery" you would do well to start here, the IG Winery is a classic example of that terminology. The winery grows no grapes of their own and when I was there that day I learned that the Winemaker/General Partner Doug McCombs and the Winery Manager Tony Dinges had just recently came back from the Napa Valley where they purchased quality grapes for their wine production. The winery is actually located in a residential neighborhood as well and as you drive down the street you might pass it by if not for the flag outside. There is a Bed & Breakfast out in front and the Winery is located in the back there is a small amount of parking there or simply park in front. To me this makes the winery appear really laid back (which it is anyway) since it takes away the hustle and bustle and feel of a commercial operation. A couple of block away is the main street in Cedar City if you want shopping however.

Tony Dinges - Winery Manager

Iron Gate Winery Tasting Room

   The day I was there I had the privilege of meeting Doug and his friend Todd Thompson as they were in the tasting room and off to the side creating blends of wine on one of the tasting tables. I have never experienced the process of blending and I had these wild fantasies of just how a blend is created. The truth is that the wine makers become mad Scientists with beakers of all sizes in their work area. One table held these beakers and the other held numerous wine glasses which were placed on a solid White paper as they compared the color of the different blends to see which one was most appealing. It was really cool to see just how casual Doug and Todd were at this blending process. It was simply two friends with obviously superior wine knowledge sitting at a table and trying different combinations of varietals and amounts of the different varietals to see which blend not only tasted great but also had the Bouquet and the visual appearance they desired.  Check out the pictures to see what I mean. Why I thought there might be more to the process I am not exactly sure. I guess I got caught up in the wine mystique. I would be remiss if I didn't tell you guys that Doug and Todd were both extremely friendly and willing to talk with me about what they were doing as well as wine and the industry in general. One other interesting item to point out is that Doug actually lives in Las Vegas and grows his own wine grapes here as I do. Doug also told me that it seems that the wine he has made with the grapes he has grown in Vegas seem to produce a very "cardboard" tasting wine. That to me was interesting as well because up until that point I had yet to talk to anyone who had made wine from grapes grown in Las Vegas. Tony who is the Winery Manager was very efficient in his job although honestly I feel that he could be a little more personable, he seemed as if he was all

Tools For Creating A Fantastic Blend

business and very little play which is a put off. There was one table outside that required his attention and I in no way was (or am) saying that because I am The Desert Wine Guy that I require nor did I demand his undevoted attention , I would NEVER do that I am not all that important. I am just a legend in my own mind :)

Inspecting Color Of Blends

    As I previously said the winery is very small since it truly is a Boutique winery. When you walk into the building you immediately face the tasting counter. To the right of the tasting counter is a small area where you can purchase T-Shirts, hats and cups with the IG Winery logo on them. To the left there are a few tables to enjoy your wines tasting at and the backdrop of these tables is the actually cellar where the wooden barrels of aging wine are separated only by a couple of plate glass windows. I found this very interesting and actually amazing that such a small operation could make such wonderful wines. I ended up purchasing three bottles of the 2013 Syrah, Madera at $25 a bottle. I also tasted the Cabernet Sauvignon and let me tell you it had a bouquet that I have never experienced in a wine before. Talking to Doug I learned that the bouquet of his wines is very important since it is part of the wine experience. This is amazingly evident in all of his wines. The one wine that I did not care for is the Tempranillo which is unlike the Spanish expression of the varietal in that it lacked any pepper. If you are a true fan of the mentioned Spanish expression of the wine than I would not suggest it.

Winemaker Doug McCombs Helps Create His Masterpiece

   The winery also has what looks like a nice Bed & Breakfast right on the property and surrounding the property is an awesome display of plants and flowers that are native to the area. These are not the Desert flowers that those of you familiar with the area might expect, these are real Green plants with real big and colorful flowers. The Bed & Breakfast also has a great Apple Tree for shade in the Summer and in the Winter it produces the BEST tasting apples as well. This leads me to the only drawback that I experienced at the winery BUT it is not the winery s fault, it is the state of Utah's fault. There was recently a bill passed that anyone under the age of 21 cannot SEE wine poured. Yep, you read that right, they can't SEE wine poured. Therefore because the winery is so small no one under 21 is allowed in. Mrs. desert Wine Girl and the kids were nice enough to lay on the grass under the Apple Tree and enjoy the weather which that day was great.
   In closing I would absolutely recommend  a visit to the Iron Gate Winery in Cedar City Utah. If you are lucky you may even run into Doug.

                                                                                                              

Doug & Todd Discussing The Final Blend

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