The Desert Wine Guy - My Review of Naked Wines

   Today I am doing a review of the online wine club, Naked Wines (https://us.nakedwines.com//). I don't know about you guys but I absolutely love searching for and tasting wines from small or "Boutique" wineries. By the way for those who are wondering, any winery which produces less then 50,000 cases of wine a year is considered to be a small, or Boutique winery. This is where a wine club such as Naked Wines, comes in. From what little I know about wine clubs in general it seems that they all for the most part deal with wines from Boutique wineries that most people have probably never heard of and would continue to never hear of if it weren't for these wine clubs.

Winemaker - Matt Parish

Now, let me say something here, simply because a winery is small does not mean the wine(s) they produce is in any way bad, they are just very simply from small wineries and therefore probably don't have the money for advertising and hiring fancy Public Relations companies to help in promoting the wines they produce. In today's review of Naked Wines, some of the questions I will try and answer are how is their Customer Service? What are the prices like? If I don't like a particular wine can I get my money back and, do I have to actually join the club in order to make a purchase? In the end I will determine based upon all the different factors presented whether or not I can recommend Naked Wines to you. Let's go ahead and get started now.

2017  Matt Parish - Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

    On December 30th I sent out an email to Naked Wines inquiring as to whether or not they would be interested in participating in my review of various wine clubs. The following day I received a response back from Micaela Green who is the "Community Manager for the marketing team", saying "We'd be happy to have you review a sampling of our wines." A few days later I received a half a case of wine for review in the mail. For those of you who are interested, I also did a video of the box opening of the wines here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI3PburklPA) on my YouTube channel.
   My initial thoughts - The outside of the box was pleasant looking and when the box was opened I thought the bottles were packed very securely in order to ensure they arrived intact. The one thing I was a little disappointed in and that I did miss was that there were no Tech Sheets from the wineries or the club itself which in my past experience with wine clubs are usually included. These Tech Sheets would describe the making of the wines and contain information such as is the wine blended with any other varietal?  Did the wine sit in oak or Stainless Steel and if so, what kind and for how long? Where were the grapes grown etc;  I have to say that even though it does not appear the company spent tons of money on a super fancy, wonderfully designed box, that is fine by me as I don't need a pretty box, I need good wine and in reality therefore would much prefer them offering that rather then offering fancy Cardboard. I guess all of this this should really come as no surprise though because the company themselves says that they do not invest in "Fancy packaging and other things you can't taste." They are indeed transparent and I can't fault them here. 

Typical Money Wasted For Marketing Of A Wine

   Customer Service - From my very first email all the way to my last email I had been in contact with Micaela and she has been absolutely wonderful to deal with. Micaela has answered all of my emails in a timely manner and made herself available to me even up to the point of her inviting me to actually give her a call to discuss any other questions I might have. While I never did call her, to her credit she continued to allow me to pepper her with emails and she continued to answer them. I also have to say that Micaela appeared extremely enthusiastic in her responses. These emails with Micaela are my only experience as far as the companies Customer Service goes. While on one hand I admit that my Customer Service interactions with Naked Wines was rather limited on the other hand that is a good thing as there were no issues for me to complain about. I would say that as far as Customer Service goes Naked Wines passed with flying colors.

Naked Wine - 2017 Stefano Di Blasi - Toscana

    Who is Naked Wines? - Naked Wines is a U.K based company which was founded in December of 2008 by Rowan Gormley. In 2015 the company was bought out by a Brick and Mortar store named Majestic Wines (https://www.majestic.co.uk/) which is also located in the U.K. The company was just again recently sold and was purchased by an equity firm named Fortress (https://www.fortress.com/businesses/private-equity) and therefore the companies wine section is back to being an online only business.
   Naked Wines Business Model - Here is how the wine club works. In order to actually join Naked Wines you just agree to have them debit a minimum of $40 a month from your account and at that point you become an "Angel" which is what they call a club member. There are no membership fees and you can stop (leave the club) or even increase this deduction at any time. The money they debit can either accumulate in your account without a cap or you can use it immediately to purchase wines or other items that the company offers.

Majestic Wines Storefront

  
By the way, you do not have to belong to the club in order to purchase wines from them however if you choose not to belong you will pay retail price for the wines. Naked Wines says that they take the monthly debited amount and invest it in small Winemakers and small vineyards in order to fulfill these talented peoples dreams to create great wine(s). In their own words they invest in "Winemakers who have a proven track record of making great wines." Some of the Winemakers are fairly new to the actual wine making business but have been in the wine industry for a long time but the other people they work with have worked for big time prestigious wineries at one time and decided for whatever reason to back off so to speak and move towards creating their own wines only on a much smaller scale. In Naked Wines own words again, their Winemakers create "indie" wines.
   Pricing, Winemakers, Selection - What is their pricing like, who are their Winemakers and how is their selection? Once you become an Angel you get to purchase some great wines at great prices. As an example take the 2017 Matt Parish, Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa valley for instance. As an Angel you would pay $21.99 which is a complete steal. If you were

Winemaker - Ondine Chattan

not an Angel you will pay $41.99 for the wine. Go on ahead and research this wine for yourself just as I did and you will see that it does indeed sell for at least $40 elsewhere. Just to reinforce my earlier statement that the club deals with some big time Winemakers I will talk about Matt Parish for a minute. Matt oversaw the wine making of brands like Beringer, Stags’ Leap and Etude decided to begin his own label thanks to Angels. In case you have never heard of Matt Parish (neither did I) here (https://www.vivino.com/wineries/matt-parish) is a page from an unrelated and reputable wine site concerning Matt's wines and how they rate. One more example of a great Winemaker and a great wine as well as one which is available for purchase at Naked Wines is the 2018 Ondine Chattan, Mendocino - Sauvignon Blanc. The wine costs $12.99 for Angels and $14.71 for non Angels. The wine is made by Mrs. Ondine Chattan. Who is Mrs. Chattan, perhaps this (https://webpages.scu.edu/womenwinemakers/view.php?id=34) will help explain exactly what her background in the wine industry is. I will tell you though that Mrs. Chattan worked for such wineries as Ridge Vineyards, Cline Cellars, and spent decades running famed Healdsburg winery Geyser Peak. I happen to know so much about these two wines because I received them as part of the six bottles sent to me and I also reviewed them.

Actual Naked Wines Customer Case Wine List

Both of these wines I thought were simply stunning. For those of you who follow me you already know that I am not easy on the wines I review and I call em as I see (or taste) em, free or not. Now as far as wine selection goes there are plenty of wines to choose from and this page (https://us.nakedwines.com/wines/index) on their website will show you just to what extent you can fine tune how you search for and choose those wines so you can get exactly what you are after. As an example you can pick a wine based upon it's Alcohol percentage, the style, ratings, country of origin of the grapes & even by the Winemaker. These are just a few examples and I have to say that almost any way you can think of searching for a potential wine is accommodated here. The only varietal I did not see was Champagne although they do sell sparkling wine. Naked Wines also allows you to purchase future vintages, yeah, that's right, you can purchase vintages which haven't even come into being yet. Let's talk about their many different options for purchasing a case of wine. There are also many different types of cases of wine you can purchase (https://us.nakedwines.com/cases) and again they are really diverse in their options to choose from and if you don't see one that you like you can even create your own.

Naked Wines Office Space

Here is an example of some of the different cases available. One case option is the "Cabernet Around The World" which consists of six bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon from countries such as Chile, Argentina, Africa as well as the state of California. The cost is $68.99 plus $9.99 for shipping. That's a total of $78.98 for the case or about $13 per bottle. One of the wines currently being shipped out in that particular case is the 2017 David Akiyoshi, Cabernet Sauvignon and from the few reviews I was able to come across the wine is supposed be very good indeed. Let me go ahead and talk about one more case for you. How about the "All American Sauvignon Blanc 6 pack"? In this current 6 pack offering is that 2018 Ondine Chattan Mendocino, Sauvignon Blanc which I talked about earlier. As an added bonus, for every case you buy Naked Wines throws in an extra bottle of wine for free (Bakers Dozen).

No Club Membership Needed

   What Else - Becoming an Angel also allows you to join in on the different groups (https://us.nakedwines.com/groups/list) they offer. In these groups you can talk with other Angels as well as the actual Winemakers and compare notes on the wines or just chat with them and yes, the Winemakers DO actually answer as they are appreciative of you purchasing their wine(s). There is a group dedicated to helping you pair your wines and even a group for posting and talking with others while you are drinking (oh boy). If you don't care for the established groups you can even create one of your own. If their wines weren't enough, Naked Wines also has a little gift shop where you can buy wine related items as well as items unrelated to wine such as the Bahue Valle, Olive Oil. By the way, if you are an Angel you pay $13.99 for this Extra Virgin Olive Oil. If you are not an Angel you will pay $26.99.
   Let's talk about shipping now as this is where online retailers usually get you. Naked Wines charges you only $9.99 to ship any amount of wine up to $99. If you order $100 or more shipping is free. That means as an example you can order six wines and if the total is less then $100 the shipping cost is $9.99 to have them delivered to your home. I don't know about you but I think that is an absolute steal! I get e-mails all the time from the likes of Napa Valley wineries such as BV or Peju about their great deals on wine and most times the sale prices are indeed very good however when you add in the shipping costs I can get the wines cheaper at my local store or live without that wine.

Another Naked Wines Office

   Now that you know about the good things concerning the club I want to talk about the only negative comments that I have been seeing on line. Keeping it real as always, there seems to be a lot of complaints concerning peoples accounts automatically being debited monthly and them saying these debits were done without their permission. To Naked Wines credit I saw every complaint addressed by the company and the customer told that they should check their Spam Folder and that their account has been closed and all monies refunded. People also said that they used the Voucher and somehow got signed up for the company. Here is my take on these issues. As far as being able to purchase wine as a NON Angel or using the Voucher I provide below and NOT joining the club goes, I looked all over their pages and I did NOT see anything which said that when you do order as a non Angel and/or use the Voucher as a non Angel that you are agreeing to a monthly deduction of any amount of money unless of course you sign up for that. What I did see specifically (see photo) see as a matter of fact is that you DON'T have to become a member in order to use the Voucher they are offering up. The companies exact language in reference to this is "No membership is required — you are not required to join any type of wine club to redeem!" I have two other items of interest with the first being how can you the pay non Angel price and someone claim that you joined the club? The last item that I thought should be included in my review is the fact that during my research I also found (https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Naked-Wines-Reviews-E667926.htm) that people working for the company loved working there and felt they were treated with dignity and were valued as employees.

Naked Wines Founder - Rowan Gormley

   Now it is time for my overall opinion on Naked Wines. Wine lovers I have to tell you that I have completely bought into Naked Wines business model as I find it to certainly be cost effective for me as a Customer to purchase what turned out to be great wines at great prices and I also truly believe in what they are doing with the small Winemakers & vineyards. After researching the club and tasting all six of the wines sent to me I have to say that without a doubt, I am for the most part very impressed. I say most part because five of the wines were very impressive and only one was something I would never purchase. If I had purchased the wine however, I could return it for another though. Here is my recommendation to you. I highly suggest that you join the Naked Wines, become an Angel and enjoy the wines they have to offer. I would also certainly use this (https://us.nakedwines.com/desertwineguy) special Desert Wine Guy Voucher for $100 off of a total of $160 or more in order to get a feel for the (indie) wines Naked Wines deals with. Remember you do NOT have to join in order to use the Voucher. I think you will be just as impressed as I was and come back for more great wine. One last item of note. I currently belong to two different wine clubs and so it is not financially feasible to join a third however if I do ever decide to drop one I would become an Angel in a Heartbeat.

                                                                                                                  The Desert Wine Guy



www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/


www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf


https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos


https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy

 

 

 

The Desert Wine Guy - My Review of Cellars Wine Club

   How many of you guys are getting tired of receiving mail talking about "the best wine club you can join"? I'm sure you know the mail I am talking about, the ones who offer you twenty wines for $30 PLUS free shipping? Well, if you're like me you probably get a lot of this type of mail. The other day I was sitting in front of my computer reading one of those particular mailings when it dawned on me, are these clubs really any good and do they offer up good wine for a decent price? Right then and there I decided that was a great idea to blog about. I immediately sent out e-mails to different wine clubs letting them know that I was looking for them to participate in my review which would rate their club overall. Five clubs responded back. One club the Plonk Wine Club said they "......aren't looking for a review at this time." and while I was a bit surprised, I do appreciate them taking the time to get back with me. The second club which semi responded was the Wall Street Journal Wine Club. They responded with an automated e-mail saying that "Due to very high volume, our email responses have been delayed. We apologize but promise we will get back to you within 72 hours." Well, 72 hours came and went and no one got back with me. As a matter of fact as of the date of me writing this over thirteen working days have passed and they still have yet to get back with me, so much for their "promise."  Because of this I would not recommend you do business with them as they are unreliable.

Don't Pay Full Price For Wine

   Now there were three wine clubs who were actually interested enough to send out wine in order for me to review their club and I want to talk about the first club right now. The club I am going to discuss today is the Cellars Wine Club (https://www.cellarswineclub.com/90-point-wine-of-the-month-club.aspx). Cellars was sent my e-mail on December 30th and the following day I received a response back from Tom who loved the idea of a review being performed on the company and the wine. After researching the company profile I found out that there is a Tom Bauer who is the company Vice President. After getting in touch with Tom that belief was confirmed as it was indeed Tom Bauer. Tom gave me the opportunity to choose from one of their many different levels of the club and I picked their "90 Point Club" which they say is wines rated 90+ or more by the likes of Wine Spectator & Robert Parker. I let him know as well that I would like one red wine and one white wine. Tom responded back saying that he will have the wine to me by the end of next week. The very next day I got another e-mail from Tom stating that the wine shipped that day and provided me with a tracking number from FedEx. Today, the 7th of January I received the wines but before I talk about them here is some information on the club in general.
   There are a total of twelve different sub clubs to choose from. You can go anywhere from the "Bottle Club" where you get one bottle of wine for $29, all the way up to a case of wine. As an example the "90+ Point Case Club" offers you a full case of wine (12 bottles) delivered to your door on a one time shipment or up to 4 times. Each shipment would be quarterly. The cost for this club is $369. Shipping is included in the price for all the clubs. Here (https://www.cellarswineclub.com/best-wine-clubs.aspx) is a link to all the different sub clubs they offer. There is no membership fee and they offer a money back guarantee on all their wines.

Hall, Merlot Tasting Notes

   Today I posted the unboxing video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU_zwf8jE5o) I did. During this unboxing video which is available on my  YouTube channel I did the usual introduction of the wines and talked in general about the wine club. While doing this video I also talked about what I consider to be an issue that stems from lack of attention to detail by one or more of the clubs employees. I am assuming that the issue probably occurred while picking the wines for boxing. Let me go ahead and tell you what disturbed me. The wines come with individual Tech Sheets from the wineries themselves as well as one general information from the club which includes tasting notes as well as some technical information concerning the wines. This information sheet is put out by the wine club themselves. I would normally say that this was great and helps those of us who like to dig a little deeper into what we drink to learn more about the wines. This information sheet is where the first problem occurred appeared. The first problem that showed up was that the Tech Sheet as well as the general information sheet were both for the 2014 vintage of the Hall, Merlot however I actually received the 2012 Hall, Merlot, interesting huh? This means that all the information given in reference to the 2014 Merlot which I did NOT receive is of course not valid for the 2012 vintage that I DID receive and therefore are of no use to me as a wine reviewer nor as a consumer as wishing more in depth information on the wine they are drinking. In order to get that information we would have to go out of our way and research that wine ourselves and we shouldn't have to do that, that is not cool as that is the very purpose of those sheets. Now for some good news. I immediately contacted Tom and he very quickly got back with me and apologized saying that there was a case of loose bottles in the Warehouse and the wrong wine was picked out and that there would be a bottle of the 2014 sent out immediately. I received the correct wine two days which was great. Now I have to say really quick that while the vintage mix up certainly wasn't something that was a good thing I did originally think at the time that the rapid response by Tom to correct the error did show that the company was pretty responsive to the customer and I told him so in an e-mail. It was a mistake which was remedied. Now, I did say originally Right? As I sat down with the 2012 I now received and prepared to do a review on the wine I began to look a little further into the Tech Sheet (https://na87.sales force.com/sfc/p/#40000000IZGT/a/400000004Opf/bUNP_h6zWleah_1HZiUcNZCLk14p7BqUrlUpO06jNVU) for the wine and I noticed there were MORE glaring errors when the Tech Sheet was compared to the information sheet and this I can only attribute to sloppy employee performance, lack of attention to detail and overall poor customer Service, now I could no longer let things slide. The information sheet which I said came from the club itself along with the wines continued to provide more inaccurate information that would have never been written if the clubs employees had simply been paying attention to the information they had in their possession or even perhaps simply cared. This information sheet written by the club itself says that the 2014 Hall, Merlot is a blend of 97% Merlot & 3% Malbec however according to the Tech Sheet (from the winery itself) said the wine is 100% Merlot. There were unfortunately even more mistakes. The Tech Sheet from the winery said that the wine sat in 45% new French Oak and the information sheet from the club said it sat in 40% new French Oak. Are you ready for another one? The Tech Sheet from the winery said that the wine aged in French Oak for 20 months while the information sheet from the club said it was aged for the wine aged 18 months in French Oak. All this from a wine club that's supposedly devoted to wine education. All around the club seemed to be rather sloppy in getting the information about their product accurately relayed to their consumers. This is not good.

Bottle, Tech & Info Sheets

   Now for what I thought about the wines. Let me first talk about the 2012 Hall - Merlot for just a second. While I won't get into a full blown review of the wine as I will be doing a separate review on it, I will say that this was the best tasting Merlot that I have ever had the privilege of reviewing, flat out. This is a serious wine with an ultra intense dark depth to it as well as deep Tobacco notes, Black Spice, good acidity & ripe red fruit. This wine was a winner. As for the 2014 vintage the wine was also amazing and presented itself much more like a Cabernet Sauvignon with the spice of the Tempranillo varietal thrown in. Both wines were delicious and worth their prices. Now as far as the second wine goes, this is the Lu & Oly - White Blend. The wine presented great acidity and sharpness. The wine was brilliant in the glass and showed nice complexity although it was perhaps a bit overbearing on the Palate. Let me be clear here, I had no issues with the wines themselves, they were very good wines.

Tom Bauer - V.P Cellars Wine Club

   Now let's look at the numbers to see if financially a consumer would benefit going through the Cellars Wine Club or if they would be better off buying the wines on their own. If you break this down I received two wines shipped for $79. I bring to your attention again that the club say that shipping is free, they even have a page dedicated to it (https://www.cellarswineclub.com/Dont-Pay-Full-Price-For-Wine.aspx). Now, the Hall - Merlot retails for $40 and the Lu & Oly - White Blend sells for $28. All together a consumer would pay a total of $68 for both wines. If you look at the picture above you will see that the company advertises "don't pay full price for wine" yet according to the numbers I am actually paying more then full price for the wines. I don't see how I am making out by joining the club, sorry.
   In the end, here is my take on all of this. While Tom was very responsive in correcting first issue issue I am afraid that I have to say that the company overall failed to follow through on its promises that you don't have to pay full price for wine and that they are devoted to wine education. The company is not detail oriented at all and fails to provide accurate information on their product(s). Allow me to ask you a question. If as a consumer you go for your first time to deal with a company and on that very first dealing with that company they make so many mistakes on important things, are you going to go back when there are other companies who will provide just as good a product for cheaper? Folks, I am sorry but I cannot recommend Cellars Wine Club. While the wine was very good indeed and I appreciate Tom sending me the wines, I feel I have been jaded. I had to do way too much investigation and correction on their product to make me comfortable.As someone who is looking for more then just good wine from a wine club I simply don't feel confident that Customer Service is up to par and that can cause numerous big time issues down the line perhaps even with billing. I shouldn't have to worry if  a correction would have been as quick if I wasn't in touch with the Vice President of the company and doing a review on his company, of course that I have no way of knowing.

                                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy

The Desert Wine Guy - 2016 Kenwood Vineyards "Six Ridges" - Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2016 Kenwood Vineyards "Six Ridges" - Cabernet Sauvignon

   Today I was driving around town aimlessly and relaxing (yeah I tend to do that :) when I realized that I was in the same area of town where I discovered the small Liquor store that I purchased the absolutely incredible 2014 Pine Ridge Vineyards - Cabernet Sauvignon (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2019/11/2014-pine-ridge-cabernet-sauvignon.html) at. As I stated in that particular review, finding a wine from that vineyard was just nuts as I have never seen Pine ridge Vineyards wines sold anywhere other then the winery itself and yes, that includes the big box wine & spirits stores as well. Since I was so close to the store I figured I would stop in and pick up a bottle of wine for today's review. I was originally looking for a white wine (perhaps a Sauvignon Blanc) from the Pine Ridge Vineyards but that was not to be as there were none available. After doing some wandering around the store and looking at what they had to offer on the shelves I finally decided on this particular wine which is the 2016 Kenwood Vineyards "Six Ridges" - Cabernet Sauvignon (https://kenwoodvineyards.com/wines/six-ridges-series/cabernet-sauvignon-2016). Let's get into this review now guys by finding out a little about where this wine comes from.

   The grapes for this wine are from various AVA's in California such as the Dry Creek Valley AVA which has 9,000 vineyard acres and over 70 wineries, the Russian River Valley AVA which has 15,000 vineyard acres and the Alexander Valley AVA which has 15,000 vineyard Acres & 42 wineries. There are grapes as well from the Sonoma Valley as well as the Sonoma Coast. You can see that this wine is really a hodgepodge of sorts when it comes to its origins.
   Before I really get into the wine I have to make special mention of the Kenwood Vineyards website and tell you that I loved it's completeness and the overall way it was designed. The website is broken down in so many different ways and offers so much information about the winery and its different wines. The site appears to be up to date as well which is not all that common. I love the graphics used for everything and the fact that there are seven different lines of wine they create with each having its own page. These guys make so many different lines of wine including single vineyard.
   So this wine cost me $20 but sells for $35 at the winery, it is also Cork sealed thankfully. The wine comes in at an unusually high Alcohol percentage of 14.8% and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The wine was racked twice prior to its aging in oak for 20 months. I think this is all pretty impressive beginnings for a (supposedly) little $20 wine.

   Lets get into how the bottle of this wine attempts to sell itself. One of the ways in which a wine attempts to sell itself is by its label. Guys, I have a confession to make here, I am partial to darker wine labels in general when it comes to my red wines as it seems that I find myself being almost lured to these bottles. Look at the picture above, do you see the striking appearance the bottle has? If you study the front label you will notice that there are actually two labels on the front of the bottle and I want you to see just how clean they each are in appearance, I love it. Once again here is a bottle where the fonts/scripts used as well as their colors just make this bottle come across as if it holds a fabulous and prestigious wine inside. If you have ever heard of the term "striking" before, this is what is meant by it. Here is also a wine who's back label is impressive as well. The way the information is presented along with a drawing of a map of the area is nice. I have to also say that I am impressed at the thought and energy that went into the design of all three labels.
   As I move onto the Bouquet now I want to tell you that I am getting rather big time notes of what is certainly giving the impression at least that this is going to be a rather big,bold wine. To start off with here I am picking up rather deep, smoky notes of Prune, Blackberry, Tobacco & Molasses, to a lesser extent I am getting nice oak as well. This is really a beautifully expressed Bouquet. All of the notes appear to be working together extremely well in creating a Bouquet of what appears at the moment to be a moderately black fruit/spice dominated Cabernet Sauvignon. I guess would be a good time to tell you as well that there is a good bit more then just a hint of spice that I am getting on the Nose. To me the spice note is rather deep in the Nose and while you may have to take a second to pick it up I guarantee that you will appreciate that you took that extra second to enjoy it. All of these notes are seeming to offer up the promise that there is more to come as I get to the Palate, so much more. Now, I have had a few wines in the past where their Bouquet impressed me only to end up being a wine which failed in the end, I hope this is not the case here. As I close this paragraph out, I for some reason feel strangely as if I am being lured in to reviewing a "sleeper" of a wine, a wine which has managed to have flown below the radar so to speak perhaps for reasons I will mention in the closing paragraph. I guess only time will tell.

  Let's go on ahead and actually take a look at the wine now and see if it can continue on its road towards impressing me. As I sit here and stare at the wine an almost pure Blackberry darkness seems to grip me visually as the wine sits in my glass.There is perhaps a slight hint of an ever so slight lighter Black Cherry tint or hue in places yet for the most part the wines seriousness does indeed continue here as it did on the label(s) and the Nose. Guys, one final thought here and that is I have to say that I believe I am looking a fearsome red wine to say the least. As for legs there are many and they are thin and slow dripping.
   As far as the wines Palate presentation goes folks, I guess I should tell you that prior to beginning this paragraph I have taken the liberty of sipping a bit on this wine. I have one very simply word to say.....WOW! Opening up the Palate is a pretty serious and effective black/Cinnamon spice which just never seems to quit and is expressed absouletly wonderfully throughout the entire tasting. This black/Cinnamon spice manages to follow along with the rest of the notes and presents itself with a uniquely rich depth of flavor, a presentation of a quality spice that you get only from the glass bottle of McCormick spices and not the plastic ones. If you have ever tasted the difference between the McCormick spices in the plastic bottle and their version in the glass bottle you will know what I am talking about as far as potency and quality goes. Following this up are the big time notes of Tobacco & Cigar Box (yes both) which both present a bit more then slight yet once again super effective bit of earthiness to the wine.

So far guys you are getting only a bit of what I am tasting, just wait. Here is your fair warning guys, this is a wine folks with as big a deep, dark presentation on the Palate as there is on the Nose, that's saying a lot. As I continue now there is an ominous Palate presence of a straight forward ripe Blackberry note here as well and I also must mention that there is the slightest hint of Brown Sugar which is presented by this fruit as well. Cabernet Sauvignon lovers, this expression of the varietal is deep with dark black fruit flavor and amazingly manages to pull the Palate in many different directions yet so effectively brings it all together into complete Palate focus as well. Folks, I have a feeling that this is a wine which is only beginning to show its power and its Palate presence. Now dear readers, this is not what I would consider an overly "chewy" wine but beware as it does present fairly big time Cassis that envelopes the Tongue to a good extent yet does not load it down to where it dominates or distracts from everything else the wine has to offer. Yes, at times this Cassis can present itself with a bit of chewiness of sorts but I like that in my reds and it doesnt overwhelm. This Cassis note brings a feeling to the Palate of a roughness or a slight coating onto the Tongue but again, no worries as it is a slight coating and againg is not overpowering nor does it attempt to lead the way or take dominance of the wine. Overall the Cassis simply presents itself for what it is and what it is is classic. As I sit back in my chair right now and think about what I have tasted so far, my mouth is feeling enveloped and certainly saturated with all of the amazing notes this wine obviously loves to present. I want to now tell you about some rather serious Blackcurrant folks. Blackcurrant in a serious red has the ability in my opinion to really create a huge sense of depth to a wine. This particular wine offers no exception as there certainly is a big, deep, rustic Blackcurrant note that is layed just straight up on your Palate. There is thankfully no sweetly bright or fruit forward notes to this wine as the wine is not meant for or designed for people who are looking for these things in their wine. If that is more your style I think there is a sale on Barefoot at Walmart for those of you who prefer that expression of a red wine.

Let me go ahead right now and talk about a note of Prune that lies in wait for you as I found it located around Mid-Palate. This note is also not presented in a strength to where it will not destroy or subdue any other notes that you are enjoying yet it certainly is present to the point of being able to be appreciated and enjoyed. This note comes along at just the right time so that the wine seamlessly maintains its wonderful Palate presentation and there is no dropout of the wines flavor nor its superiour complexity. The fruit of this Prune is ripe and juicy and manages thankfully to avoid any hint of undue sweetness which might hurt this wine and cause it to drop out of its current classification of superior crafting into the classification of being just simply an "okay" wine. I will admit that it is perhaps a tad bit to early to put my worries of overdone sweetness aside as the wine still has the potential to develop into something unwanted but if the wine keeps going like it is I will go as far as to say that I think it is headed to my cellar but we will see. Adding to all of this is a smoky oak type note that is perhaps presented with a bit less power then the other notes but still refuses to go unnoticed. This smoky oak note is just beautiful placed in the body of the wine. Being the very nature of oak it doesn't have to be strong to make an impact in a wine. If there are those out there who fear the "Oak Monster" is going to present himself in this wine, have no fears as that never even comes close to happening. While I am at it let me also let you know really quickly that there is also no ugly jamminess presented by this wine. To me jamminess in a wine just kills it and relegates the wine cwrtainly below 90 points almost automatically. Let's discuss Tannins, you know, that feeling of scraping a wine off of your Tongue. I already mentioned the Cassis and how it presents itself, I also hope I alleviated any fears that the wine is one which brings a cotton taste to the Palate. Here I talk about another note which could bring the threat of the same thing. Let's talk Tannins for a minute. As with the Cassis so it is with the Tannins. These Tannins are not what I would consider to be soft yet once again here is a note which only continues in adding a big sense of depth and big time fullness to the Mouth. These Tannins do build up a bit more onto the Tongue but still and all the wine holds its own very well here as well. The Tongue while coated just a bit is still left more then capable of tasting everything the wine throws at it. While you will feel the impact of these Tannins you will not be reaching for the Tongue to scrape it off :) Please also do not fear that the Tannins & Cassis together create a wine which might be considered or might be called "gripping" as they are not as neither overwhelm. Since I am talking about the Tongue it is a good time to talk about some Black cherry fruit. This Black cherry is ripe and incredably presents a bit of acidity as well. Overall the fruit is at a medium presentation on the Palate but the wine wouldn't be the same without it as that acidity just raises this wines overall presentation.  For a second now just think about that Cinnamon note again, how do you think this Black cherry tastes with it? Yummy.

  
   Okay folks, I think I have said more then enough. This is a big wine, a big, juicy, black fruit filled, aggressively sassy and Palate dominating, Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a Cab that is Old School and was created for those who know what the varietal is supposed to taste like when done correctly. This is a Cab that I would expect to pay a lot more for and come from the Rutherford AVA, it is that good. I for one do not consider this wine to be smooth in any way as it is all about being in your face. As I stated earlier, the wine cost me $20 but I'll go as far as to say that for even $100 it is literally a freaking steal. I am not really sure how or why this winery sells this wine for such an inexpensive price but I am also not going to argue about it either. The wine acts as if it has some sort of a pedigree of some kind that it has to live up to and it offers up no apologies or excuses for what it is. As I close this review out I have to say to you guys that I am shocked we have not heard anything about this wine in the so called "professional" wine reviewers. How could a wine as worthy as this stay undiscovered? Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that there is no mention of the "Napa Valley" in the wines description. Perhaps it is because the winemaker isn't as well known in the industry or perhaps it's because the winery refused to pay enough money in order to be pushed or talked about in wine magazines, I don't know.

While what I just said might be perceived by some as controversial but I say it simply is what it is. Whatever the reason, there is no excuse for this wine not to be recognized for what it is and what it is is a truly great wine. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine 94 points folks. I think that you absolutely must buy a bottle and try it as for me I am adding two bottles to the cellar to age.


                                                                                                                   The Desert Wine Guy


www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy

The Desert Wine Guy - Todays Thoughts - New Vineyard Update

   Folks, today I have finally had enough, enough of the big wine corporations who insist on not responding in any way to those of us who spend time reviewing their product. To me it is actually simply a matter of courtesy. I am pretty sure that I am not the only person with a wine Social Media site who feels this way. Aside from that topic, I am also going to talk a little bit as well today about the start of my new vineyard here in Citrus County, Florida. So, where do I begin? I guess I'll begin first by talking about the so called "professional" wineries/vineyards who make it a habit to not respond to their customers and fellow wine industry folks (in this case a reviewer). While I can only speak for myself here, I believe that there are many other people out there like me who spend their time for free, reviewing wine and attempting to educate others in that area and we deserve to be acknowledged. As of the writing of this blog I have 2,187 people who follow me on my Desert Wine Guy Facebook channel (https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy) and perhaps you are one of those followers, if you are I certainly thank you. For a guy who dedicates a lot of time to this venture I think that is pretty good and I'm happy, it is a labor of love :) You might ask, what prompted this little essay?  The other day I completed my review of the 2016 Joseph Carr - Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-desert-wine-guy-2016-joseph-carr.html). I absolutely loved the wine and felt it earned a 95 point rating. I sent the review to the media rep for Deutsch Family Wine And Spirits and....Crickets, no reply. Now keep in mind that I got the wine directly from this rep because of an inexcusable fault in their Cork on a bottle. I ask you guys, don't you think that I should get a response? I don't know guys, I believe that if you are selling a product you need to be communicating or acknowledging your customer base especially if you are a media rep, that's all. I don't like companies in general which feel they are so high and mighty that they no longer need the consumer in order to remain at the top of their game or even in the game. Guess what, you do need the consumer and the people who (when warranted) push your product. If the lack of response was limited to that one particular winery then I could perhaps excuse it away as an isolated occurrence but it is not, it seems to be a systematic problem. I have had this same problem with Peju and a few other big wineries as well.
When I spend my money on wine whether it be $10 or $100 and also take the time out of my day to write a review and send it to you as a representative of a wine company, I expect you to at least acknowledge me. I never ask for anything other then the winery keep me in mind the next time they send out wine for reviews. I don't think that is too much to ask but perhaps I am wrong here and if I am please do tell me. In closing I will leave you with this. There is no such thing as "too big to fail"

   Okay, I feel better now. It is time to talk about the latest news concerning the new vineyard I will be planting here in Citrus County, Florida. Today I broke ground on that particular vineyard as I put in five poles to begin my rows of grape vines and in time I will be at the stage of planting the vines, I will keep you updated. Speaking of planting the vines, there is a big problem that Florida has when it comes to growing the wine grapes that we are use to enjoying. The species from which most wines we enjoy are made from is known as Vitis Vinifera. It seems unfortunately that Florida and a few other states near Florida are hotbeds for a disease known as Peirce's Disease which restricts the vines water usage and eventually kills the fruit and the plant. Another problem with grapes and plants in general here is Fungal infections. I have found from doing my own my own research that attempting to grow Vitis Vinifera is a losing battle and one that is simply not worth fighting. Now, that doesn't mean that there are not grapes to grow here as the Muscadine Grape seems to absolutely thrive here in Florida. I am not a lover however of the Muscadine vine itself and I am also looking to an extent to push the envelope. After doing my research I discovered that there are grapes which are considered Pierce Disease resistant as well as being resistant to Fungal infections as well. One of those grapes and the one I will be planting is the Black Spanish Grape also known as Lenoir. So far I have only gone five rows wide so as to keep costs down in case these grapes fail to thrive for some reason. I put a spacing of five feet between these rows as I expect these vines to grow vigorously and expand out. As for spacing between vines themselves I am looking at 5 feet between each one as well. I am happy that I still have a good chance at growing wine grapes because it is a passion of mine and also keeps me outside in the fresh air moving and exercising. I have also learned one other bit of information that I am very excited about and that is I will be opening up a whole new world in the cultivation of grapes here in Florida as the only vineyards (?) which are currently in existence here grow Blueberries. Yeah, I know guys, terrible huh? Let me give you a little background on the the Lenoir Grape. It seems that the Lenoir varietal was an accidental crossing of both the Vitis Berlandieri and Vitis Aestivalis species.The wine is currently grown mostly in Texas where it is used as a blend for Port wine or it is blended with Ruby Cabernet to make red table wine.

   Well guys. that is all I have to say today. It is now almost 6 PM here and the temperature outside where I am writing this has dropped to 59 Degrees so it is indeed time to head inside until tomorrow when I will hopefully make some more headway on the vineyard. Than you guys for listening to me complain and I hope you enjoyed the news on the vineyard as well. 

                                                                                                                  The Desert Wine Guy

www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy

The Desert WIne Guy - 2016 Joseph Carr Cabernet Sauvignon - Rutherford, Napa Valley

  Hello everyone and welcome once again to The Desert Wine Guy wine blog. Today I will be reviewing the 2016 Joseph Carr, Cabernet Sauvignon - Rutherford, Napa Valley. Before I begin with this review however, there is a small story I would like to tell concerning how I came to be in possession of this wine and one which started off due to an unfortunate incident. On November 27th I attempted to do a review of the 2015 Joseph Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-desert-wine-guy-2015-josh-cabernet.html) but unfortunetly when I went to remove the Cork I discovered that the end of it looked as if it were cut or was starting to separate almost as if the cork were created in layers. I decided to review the wine anyway hoping that it wasn't ruined or that any particles had made their way into the wine itself. Taking the wine to my Loft to begin the review and as I poured the first glass I noticed small particles of the Cork were indeed clearly visible. Fortunately there was not too much and they thankfully were not present in the second pour. I was rather disappointed to be honest yet completed the review but afterward decided that it indeed bothered me enough to where I had to E-mail the winery. I sent the E-Mail along with photos of the Cork and particles in my glass to Mrs. Karen Brennan on November 27th. Mrs. Brennan is in charge of media inquiries at Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits http://www.deutschfamily.com/the-deutsch-family-our-brands/) which is a Wine & Spirits importer and distributes both the Joseph Carr line of wines as well as the Josh Cellars line as well. On December 5th Mrs. Brennan responded back with a heartfelt apology and an offer to replace the wine with two other bottles as well as an invitation to pick what I wished from their Website. On December 13th I received the wines but due to work had to wait until the 15th in order to perform this review. As I opened the box I noticed that there were two bottles of the 2016 Joseph Carr Cabernet Sauvignon - Rutherford, Napa Valley as well as two bottles of the 2016 Joseph Carr Napa Valley, thank you again Karen. Well, now it is review time so let's get to it.

Joseph carr

   Let me fiirst discuss a little bit about this wine. The wine was aged in 100% French oak, 60% new, for 18 months and all of the grapes for this wine are sourced from the Rutherford AVA of the Napa Valley. From what I have researched, the wine appears to be 100% Cabernet Sauvignon as well. The Alcohol level in this wine is rather high as it is at 15.9% and the wine sells for around $40. One last note concerning the Alcohol percentage. I did pick up a bit of Alcohol when I initially tasted the wine but it wasn't something that I found distasteful and it seemed to disappear for good after a short time of the bottle being opened.
   Let's move on to the label of the wine as I must tell you that I was rather impressed with it. Here once again is another wine (or bottle) worthy of mention as far as the labels appearance goes. I remember removing these bottles from the shipping carton and thinking "wow, these look super sharp". I'm now in my Loft and am still thinking the exact same thing, wow, this bottle looks visually very impressive. The label certainly strikes me as classy, serious and appears to at least try to convince the consumer (in this case me) that it holds a prestigious, well crafted and expressive wine. Here is also a wine label where I must point out to you the Fonts used and their placement. I have to also point out to you as well the placement of the words themselves on the label, all in all the total package is striking and a class act. Let's see now how this wine itself shapes up in the visual presentation department now.

   Super Cab! What does that mean there Desert Wine Guy? What that means is that after having looked at the wine in my glass it sure is coming across as if it also takes itself VERY seriously and is asking.... no, demanding that you to take it VERY seriously as well. What does very seriously look like? A deep Garnet liquid is what I see staring back up at me from within the glass. You can forget about the bottom of the glass as it might as well no longer exist because you certainly can't see it. This is perhaps the darkest red wine that I have both observed and reviewed in quite some time. Totally consistent in it's striking color from the edge to the center, this wine is continuing the pattern of what I am calling a "Super Cab". As far as the legs (Gibbs-Marangoni Effect) while they are not thick they are numerous and they just line up on the sides of my glass. I have to tell you guys that I have never seen this type of wonderful overall complete visual presentation in a wine before. I must move on now to the actual tasting of this wine because I must know if this wine can continue its impressive presentation unto the Palate. I certainly hope it can.
  Well we are here Cabernet Sauvignon fans and I don't know about you but I am just dying to know how this wine tastes. The first item of interest that I want to tell you is the fact that the wine is indeed incredibly juicy and at the same time, has an awesome, (thankfully) non fruit forward, non sweet........plushness to it. This is not the new age expression of the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal, this wine is Old School all the way. Next up I must tell you of the note of SUPER lush Blackcurrant, wow! Up front and prominent yet certainly not in any way overpowering. This Blackcurrant seems to be almost the backbone of this wine and everything else manages to so wonderfullyand  nicely ride on it that is certainly totally fine with me. The Blackcurrant presents an earthiness here as well which is unmistakable luxurious. Now we should discuss the note of Blackberry. This is not the same Blackberry note which we have all experienced in red wines which brings along tons of sweetness and tries to overpower or dominate everything in its path, no way.

This Blackberry note is presenting itself to the utmost level of superior flavor and unsweet ripeness. The note also works together with the other notes which this wine exhibits. Now, keep in mind that this is most assuredly because the Blackberry knows it's rightful place among the other notes. When you taste this wine (and you MUST) you will know right away what I am talking about and why this note is also so very important to the overall greatness of the wine. The Blackberry note coats the Palate and doesn't leave it, it is as if the note latches onto that fabulous Blackcurrant and just doesn't let go. I think that another ultra strong plus for this wine is that this wine exhibits an incredible note of  that “Rutherford Dust” that many so called soil experts claim does not exist. Let me tell you guys something, if you have ever tasted a wine made from red grapes grown in the Rutherford AVA (especially this one), you already know without me having to tell you that it does indeed exist and this wine is proof. Moving on now I want to talk about the Tobacco note that appears almost immediately on the Palate and amazingly continues through till the Finish. This note just presents a feeling on the overall Palate of longevity and just incredible mouth feel as well as a Palate  fullness as well. As with all the other notes there is no slacking off of this note as it carries itself throughout the wine. Want to know some more? I will tell you that there is the most incredible note of Smoke that I have ever tasted. Yes, you read that correctly.

The note is right up there with the other amazing notes and as with those others it is not anywhere near being overdone or dominating.  Do you wish to talk about a balanced Finish? Readers, I really can't say enough about the Finish on this wine just massive and bursting with flavor. There is no fall off or notes that disapoint. Around Mid-Palate the wine exposes an underbelly of Tannins that present again a plushness of sorts with a wonderful overall Tongue/Palate sensation. I don't believe that I have ever used the word "plushness" to describe a wine prior to this review but it is truly an appropriate time to use it as it. Continuing along here is a note of some Leather. Here is a note which is again not overdone but brings a strong sort or "sense" rather then a taste to the wine although please don't get me wrong here as there is certainly a bit on the taste end as well. This leather note is simply at a perfect presentation level and I think you will appreciate it. Go ahead, ask me if there is any Acidity. Thanks for asking as there is and it appears on the front end and lingers until Mid-Palate or perhaps just slightly after. the Acidity is what I would consider to be "firm" yet it is not harsh. There are no notes in this wine that I would not consider to be either at or near to being a top tier presentation in my opinion. Now, do ya love a Clove note in your Cabs? I hope so as it is on the opening of this wine and is one of many notes which aid in carrying the Palate all the way through to the Finish.

So the wine soaks in 100% French oak, 60% new, for 18 months huh? Does this make any impact on the wine? Folks, you betcha it does, a big one. French Oak presentation is super smooth on one hand yet super flavourful on the other, the French Oak is presented well and is able to intermingle to assist in the creation of a delicious level. Here once again is another note that presents itself on the opening and continues strong all the way to the Finish.
  So, I think I have talked enough here and so it is time to wrap this review up. This wine was a delight to drink. Whether you are sitting around by the fireplace this Winter or enjoying a special occasion, this wine demonstrates why the Cabernet Sauvignon when done correctly is indeed the King of red grapes. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this wine was selling at the winery for only $40 and I have to say that it is worth every penny. On The Desert Wine Guy Rating Scale I give this wine 95 points. An incredible, truly delicious and enjoyable wine.
   Before I go I must comment on one last item. Yes, as I said earlier I did receive this wine for free but remember that I do not depend on this blog for a Penny so what I am telling you is indeed my real feelings no matter who makes a wine or how I get the wine. By the way, excellent Customer Service as well.

The Desert Wine Guy

www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy

The Desert Wine Guy - 2014 Pine Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon

  As a great New York Yankee was so fond of saying, "holy cow!". Guys, please forgive me as I pause for a second to take this wine all in as right now all I have to say is indeed, "holy Cow". Okay, so I'm back now but please indulge me for a second as I give you a brief description of my surroundings as I begin my review of this wine, after all wine is about having a good time.  As many of you already know, my family and I just recently moved from Las Vegas to Florida. In my old home in Vegas I had a wonderful Loft where I would do my wine reviews and I will miss it as that was where The Desert Wine Guy got his start. Well with this move there is no longer a Loft to use as my office but there is a .......movie theatre instead. Yes, I said a movie theatre. I am talking the screen, the curtains, the chairs and the sound system as well. What makes this review even more "holy cow' is that I am watching The Cure on the big screen AND I have the privilege of reviewing the 2014 Pine Ridge, Cabernet Sauvignon (https://www.pineridgevineyards.com/wines/appellation-collection/napa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon/) as well. Yes, the theatre is incredible. Yes, The Cure rocks on their new 2 - Blu-Ray anniversary set but the real news here is certainly the wine. Let me go ahead and get into this review now by telling you how I first discovered the Pine Ridge Vineyards & Winery and then discussing how I came across this particular bottle.

  Around 6 months ago Mrs. Desert Wine Girl and I took a trip to the Napa Valley and our first stop was a winery that I had never heard of before, that winery is Pine Ridge. The tasting fee there is $50 but if you buy two bottles that is wiped out. I have to tell you that after tasting their wine I did indeed buy two bottles and therefore paid no Tasting Fee. So I am here in Florida now and the other day my Wife was getting her nails done so I decided to take a walk around the Shopping Center and I happened to come across a small liquor Store. I honestly wasn't expecting to find anything special there so I was really floored when I saw this wine on the shelf let alone the price at $55. Now I am talking about a small liquor store in a small city, where do they come off carrying this wine? I have been to a few mega wine stores that almost rival a Walmart but I have never found anything from Pine Ridge Vineyards for sale. When I saw this wine on the shelve I grabbed a bottle and after paying for it I almost fled from the store for fear of the guy behind the counter saying it was a mistake and never should have hit the shelves. Now, here I am, reviewing the wine.

  The Pine Ridge Vineyards was started in 1978 by Gary & Nancy Andrus. At that time the Vineyard was only Fifty Acres and was located in the Stags Leap District of the Napa Valley. As of this date the winery owns five different Estate Vineyards with one being of course in the Stags Leap District AVA and the other four being in Howell Mountain, Oakville, Rutherford, & Carneros AVA's. The total Acres has also jumped to 160. This particular wine I am reviewing is made from a combination of Estate Vineyard sites throughout the Napa Valley Stags Leap District as well as the Oakville & Rutherford AVA's. All of these AVA's are simply top notch so there should be no surprise that this wine rates incredibly high in the end.
  The wine comes in at a higher then normal 14.7% Alcohol and is of course Cork sealed. The wine also sat in 40% new American Oak for 17 months before being placed in the bottle. This wine is also a small blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc & 2% Merlot. The wine sells for $65 at the winery. For those of you whom are interested, here (https://www.pineridgevineyards.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/CSN-14.pdf) is the Winemakers Notes on the wine.
  On the Pour this wine was just amazingly ultra beautiful and simply fascinating to look at as it proudly presented itself as an ultra serious, dark Burgundy which was consistent throughout the glass with perhaps just an ever so slight lighter shade Burgundy on the very edges. As I continue to pour the wine and check out my glass I will tell you that simply massive amounts of ultra thin legs are cascading down the sides of my wine glass. I have never seen a wine put on such an awesome visual display such as this wine is putting on right now. When using a piece of white paper held beneath the wine you can simply forget about seeing any writing which might be on that piece of paper because it isn't happening guys. Looking straight down the middle of the glass I get confirmation that without a doubt, this wine is ultra amazing in color presentation as well as its appearance of seriousness, WOW!

  Moving now to the Bouquet of the wine I want to tell you that a straight up, in your face note of Baking Cocoa just envelopes and assaults the Nose. While this note is indeed very up front and powerful it amazingly manages to leave room for everything else the wines Bouquet has to offer. How about a serious Caramel note which is so wonderfully interweaved with that Baking Cocoa and the next note, one of Blackberry that is super well placed. Oh....my....goodness folks, the Bouquet of this wine simply rocks without any doubt. This has got to be the most beautiful red wine Bouquet that I have ever enjoyed to this date, flat out. Topping off the Nose presentation is two big notes, one of Boysenberry and the other of Cinnamon. Both of these notes are presented beautifully as well.In total I am in awe at how amazing this wine is showing itself off.
  Now we get to the Palate presentation of this wine. Now of course you know that I couldn't wait and have already tasted this wine (a few times) and I must begin with the fact that the massive note of Baking Cocoa that the wine presented on the Nose translates right on over to the Palate and is presented here just as strikingly as it was on the Nose. This note is interweaved with a nice serious depth of Chocolate and both together are creating an absolutely fabulous initial Palate presentation. A pretty serious Black Pepper follows these notes up super quickly and my Palate is being overwhelmed in a good way with just massive & intense flavor. Here comes the dark fruit as mouthwatering and juicy ripe Blackberry and tar notes also jump out at me and attempt to envelop the entire Palate. This Blackberry & Tar and also bring with them a big, bold mouth feel. A deep note of that Boysenberry that I picked up on the Nose translates on over to the Palate as well. This Boysenberry is not shy but does not look to overwhelm the Palate as it presents a good bit of flavor and intensity yet understands its place in the wine. The wine has more so don't think that I am done just yet folks. I have to mention that the wine also presents a note of Clove which appears just after the Opening on the Palate but prior to what I would consider to be Mid-Palate. This Clove doesn't allow for any down time between the Baking Cocoa, the Chocolate and the vibrant Black Pepper.  The Palate presentation seamlessly flows from one note right into the other without any pause in between. This wine folks is big, juicy and massive and that is no exaggeration. Now, what would a serious Cabernet Sauvignon be without at least some nice tannins? Well folks let me answer that for you, it would be nothing. This wine has Tannins, pretty serious Tannins at that and they are not looking to play any games here. These serious Tannins only add to the Palate presentation and awesomeness of the wine and to my (and your) enjoyment of it. Now of course there will be many who say that the wine is obviously not ready to be enjoyed as the Tannins are still fairly straight up in your face but I say to those people, put yours away, I'm enjoying mine right now. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that there is a big earthy note on the palate to go along with everything else the wine is presenting and it is where that legendary "Rutherford Dust" comes into play. There is also some of that American Oak present but it really is more on the Finish of the wine and really doesn't make too much of an impact yet does squeak out just enough to be noted. Allow me to go ahead and throw in a big time note of dried herb now and you've got a great idea of exactly of what I am tasting here. Let me go ahead and wrap up this review now because I have to sit back and enjoy the rest of the bottle and The Cure of course.

  As I get into the wrap up I must issue a warning. This is an incredible Old School Cabernet Sauvignon. This is not the Millennial (grape) juice that is being largely produced today and passed along as Cabernet Sauvignon to the less Vino educated consumer. This is an extremely concentrated & very serious wine and one not for the weak of heart or those who believe that a Cabernet Sauvignon should be sweet or fruit forward as it is neither of these. If that type of a Cabernet Sauvignon is more your speed there is a bottle of Two Buck Chuck waiting for you in Walmart and I strongly suggest you develop your Palate. No guys, this is a real Cab and one meant only for real Cab lovers. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I must rate this wine at 96 points. This is a super fantastic wine, an incredible wine and one also capable as well as worthy of being stored for many years in your cellar. I highly recommend you run out and buy at least three bottles of this wine and enjoy one right now.

                                                                                                                  The Desert Wine Guy



www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy

The Desert Wine Guy - 2015 Charleston Peak Chardonnay

2015 Charleston Peak Chardonnay

   For today's wine review I decided to stay rather close to home. About an hour+- from Las Vegas is the little (but growing) city of Pahrump, Nevada. Pahrump has the same climate as Las Vegas which is very dry and very hot. They also have the same type of soil which is loamy/sandy & rocky. You can probably guess that Pahrump is also a Desert. There are two different Wineries located in the City of Pahrump with one being the Sanders Family Winery (http://sanderswinery.com/) which is owned by Jack Sanders and the other being the Pahrump Valley Winery (http://www.pahrumpwinery.com/) being owned by the Husband and Wife team of Bill & Gretchen Loken. This winery is also where our review wine comes from. Judging from their website the grapes for this wine are grown at Queensland Vineyard (http://queenslandvineyardbnb.com/) which is located in Dyer (Northern), Nevada. Now that we know a little about where the wine comes from, let's move to the review and talk for a second about the label on this Southern Nevada wine.

Gretchen Loken In The Pahrump Valley Vineyard

   The bottle labeling is very clean and presented the wine nicely. The Mountain on the label represents Charleston Peak here in Nevada, hence the wines name. I like the colors used on the label as they go very nicely with the color of the wine as presented sitting in the bottle. Let's check out the Bouquet of this wine now.
   The Bouquet is rather fruit forward and possess just a hint of Butter on the nose. Notes of Honeysuckle, Jasmine and Oak are really dominating here. I am getting a rather large sense that this is going to be a rather sweet Chardonnay.
  On the Palate now I unfortunately must begin with the fact hat there is a rather forward buttery note which is certainly caused by Malolactic (secondary) Fermentation. This buttery note is really rather strong and therefore noticeable. The note is more than just a bit over the top in my opinion. That note of Honeysuckle that I mentioned on the Bouquet is also very apparent and is on the back end of the Palate and also of course, not shy by any means. The wine also mixes in a note of sweet Pear that presents itself as almost overly ripe and somewhat sugary yet still in all helps to create a decent Palate feel. Speaking of notes which also transfer over, let's continue now with the note of Jasmine that also meshes decently with the other notes which I have so far picked up on the palate. There is a problem here however as this Jasmine note is very strong and helps to push this wine towards being over the top unfortunately in the sweetness area in my book. A note of super sour Apple comes forward in an underlying yet not strong note which also brings a change (or deviation) from the overall sweetness that seems to be starting to dominate this wine. There is the slightest bit of Acidity present in the wine that might at first go unnoticed unless careful attention to the wine is paid but certainly nothing to make a change in the direction in which the wine is unfortunately headed. So there you have it folks. Yes, this is a rather short review but there really is not much to talk about here. It is time now to move to my final notes on this review so let's go right ahead and do that.

Pahrump Valley Winery

   This wine truly express the fact and without any reservation that it is truly a hot weather Chardonnay. Over the top, tropical notes galore are exposed to the Palate. An over the top Butterness is also evidenced by the wine and can probably be blamed on the the fact that it was aged aged for five (5) months in Oak, unchecked. I can tell you for sure that there is no doubt that the wine was aged in Oak as it is unfortunately very evident. Also very evident is that the wine is over the top in it's sweet notes. Overpowering Honeysuckle & Jasmine truly dominate this wine in abundance.
   Let's go ahead and put this all together now.. Is the wine a bad wine? In my opinion, it is. Are the grapes grown in a hot climate? They sure do appear to be. To me this is not a well made Chardonnay. Does this Chardonnay hold in any way to it's varietal characteristics? The answer is no. Will the average Chardonnay lover enjoy this wine? That all depends upon their taste preference and their knowledge of what the varietal is supposed to taste like. I can put a Wine Cooler into this bottle and I can enjoy the wine as I enjoy a good Wine Cooler once in a while but that doesn't make it a decent or good Chardonnay. Did I enjoy the wine? That answer is no. I do not like the overly sweet components in the wine. This is a white wine that carries some characteristics also of being syrupy sweet. At first, the wine was just bearable but shortly after taking a few sips it exhibited the fact that it is clearly over the top in it's sugary notes. I was initially going to give this wine 85 points which is not good but I am going to have to change that to and even lower 83 points which is pretty bad. This can be a good pool wine for the hot Summer months so don't completely discount it but as far as a Chardonnay goes, yeah, not. Before I go I want to say something about the Pahrump Valley Winery. I have had some very good wines form the Winery in the past but like even the best Winemakers, at times even they create wines that just simply do not seem to work. Keep this in mind if you have an opportunity to visit the Winery.

                                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy