2010 Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes
2011 Owen Roe Syrah Ex Umbris
2012 Meiomi Pinot Noir Meiomi
2010 Celler de Capçanes Montsant Mas Donís Barrica (Old Vines)
2010 Loring Wine Company Convergence Russell Family Vineyard
2010 Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes – $23.74
The Two Hands wines have been favorites in my house for several years. The Garden series wines are usually excellent, but have escalated in price. To me, the second level of the Two Hands wines are the real sweet spot in their lineup. These level offer high quality wines at relatively bargain prices.
This wine has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a dark, inky, purple color. The burly nose has blackberries, smoke, dark chocolate, plums, meat juices, black pepper, Asian spices, minerals, melted licorice, charcoal, and fresh wild flowers. The wine is medium to full body with solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity. On the palate there are loads of spicy, smoky, meaty berries with plums and dark chocolate coming in on the back end to add even more depth. The finish is long, juicy, and flavorful. A seamless, balanced, full flavored Shiraz with no rough edges. Enjoyable now and for the next five years. (94 pts)
2010 Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes
2011 Owen Roe Syrah Ex Umbris – $29.99
This wine has 14.1% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a deep maroon color. The awesome nose has blackberries, kirsch, dark chocolate, minerals, dark roast coffee, candied violets and a touch of underbrush. This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins and good acidity. This wine is loaded on the palate with up front fruit, minerals and dark chocolate with coffee and some earthiness coming in on the back end. The finish is very long and again shows a nice blend of fruit and savory elements. This wine has exceptional balance and is built to last in the cellar for several years. This is very enjoyable today but will be even better in a few years. (93 pts)
2011 Owen Roe Syrah Ex Umbris
2012 Meiomi Pinot Noir Meiomi – $21.99
The grapes for this wine are from Monterey County (35%), Santa Barbara County (34%) and Sonoma County (31%).
This has 13.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color. The ripe and giving nose has black cherries, warm baking spices, blueberries, mint, wild flowers and a slight earthiness. This has medium body, silky smooth tannins and decent acidity. On the palate this is full of rich fruit and spice with a touch of mint coming in on the back end. The finish is fairly long with rich fruit carrying the load. This has a touch of residual sweetness that makes the wine a nice stand alone glass of wine with friends. (88 pts)
2012 Meiomi Pinot Noir Meiomi
2010 Celler de Capçanes Montsant Mas Donís Barrica (Old Vines) – $12.82
This is a blend of 85% Garnacha from 70-year-old vines and 15% Syrah from Spain’s Montsant region.
This wine has 14.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a synthetic plastic stopper.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a deep purple color. The enticing nose has black berries, cherries, baking spices, candied violets, white pepper, crushed stone minerality and some subtle earthiness. This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity. On the palate spicy berries grab your attention initially, slowly allowing minerals and white pepper to sneak in around the edges. The finish has nice length with a nice candied floral note entering the picture. This is a stunning bottle of wine for a touch over $10. (92 pts)
2010 Celler de Capçanes Montsant Mas Donís Barrica (Old Vines)
2010 Loring Wine Company Convergence Russell Family Vineyard – $66.33
This is one of the non Pinot Noir wines Brian Loring has produced. Thus far, every one I have tried has been outstanding. This wine is 75% Grenache and 25% Mourvedre from Paso Robles.
This wine has 15.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a deep ruby red, much lighter at the edge. The very pleasing nose has blackberries, cherries, earthy underbrush, minerals, plums, baking spices, mint and some dried herbs. The wine has a full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity. The palate is loaded with spicy, juicy berries, but it’s not all about the fruit, there is also nice minerality, dried herbs, and earthiness coming in on the back end adding depth and complexity. The fairly long finish is a nice continuation of the palate with some additional baking spices, mint, licorice and dried herbs kicking into high gear. This is on the young side, but absolutely delicious today. (93 pts)
2010 Loring Wine Company Convergence Russell Family Vineyard
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Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts
Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:
Snooth
SPRING TIME IS FOR PAIRING – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks
http://www.snooth.com/articles/spring-time-is-for-pairing/
Balzac
Balzac Communications & Marketing – News & Views
http://balzaccommunications.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/y/948F113D27729D90/DF475947E7F379DE2A1BF84ACBDD178B
Snooth
WHAT WE’VE BEEN DRINKING – News and Reviews from Around the Blogosphere
http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-we-yve-been-drinking/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4idw7a
Snooth
WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN FEBRUARY 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks
http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4DCh5L
Crave Local
California Wine Reviews: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyard
http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/california-wine-reviews-cline-cellars-and-jacuzzi-family-vineyard/
Crave Local
Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com
http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/sample-boutique-wines-at-affordable-prices-with-tastingroom-com/
Remember to support your local wine store!
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Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines. I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar. I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com. Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear. There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.
Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase. I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive. I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount. Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges. None of the prices include the sales tax.
All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.
Cheers!