3/2/2018 - sinerivali wrote:

Showed surprisingly well considering the pre-existing conditions: unknown origin (gift), storage, and Lo & behold it’s a twist-off!! Figured it had some spice , so I paired with a pepperoni pizza. After the initial blow off, the spice and balance paired well. Not too heavy on the alcohol nor tannins - but definitely benefited from decanting.

4/28/2009 - sinerivali wrote:

2006 Cerro Sur Napa Valley Red Wine

One of our favorite areas in the Napa Valley is in the hills east of the town of Napa. The rolling hills run through the Coombsville area and rise up to Wooden Valley, then continue east to the Sacramento Valley. This area is unique in Napa Valley, with perfectly drained volcanic soils, a cooling breeze off the San Francisco Bay, and an infinite array of slopes and exposures. Several years ago we were lucky to find a one-acre slope of twenty-seven-year-old Cabernet Franc vines on Rancho Chimiles, a stunning hillside vineyard tended to by surfer/vineyardist Terry Wilson. These old vines are athletically proportioned, balanced but muscular. The wines they produce are similar in character. Whole berry fermentation using native yeasts, French oak barrel aging for 22 months, and bottling without fining or filtration, all help to coax the complex fruit flavors from these mature vines. In 2006 we have again blended in Cabernet Sauvignon from the nearby Coombsville district of the Napa Valley. The Cabernet Sauvignon brings breadth and added fruit density to the wine. The final blend of the 2005 Cerro Sur is 72% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon. In the glass, the wine exhibits aromas of exotic spice, cardamom, blackberry and candle wax. It is explosive on the palate, bringing rich flavors of cedar, fresh-picked summer fruits, chocolate truffles and candied fruitsy.

150 cases produced

4/28/2009 - sinerivali wrote:

2006 La Magdalena Napa Valley Red Wine

The 2006 La Magdalena is only the third commercial offering of this special wine, though 2008 marks ten years since we first made wine from David Abreu’s vineyard at the foot of Spring Mountain. In 1998, we received the first Cabernet Franc fruit produced from a new planting that David had established from various selections of what could be our favorite Bordeaux varietal. We have made this wine every year since. The 2006 La Magdalena is a blend of 58% Cabernet Franc and 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, both from this same vineyard. Inspired by the wines of the Right Bank in Bordeaux, the wine exudes aromas of blackberry, lavender, plum, sandalwood and graphite. On the palate, intense ripe fruit character join with notes of sea salt, fresh cut cherries, and raspberry clafouti. The finish is long and silky.

187 cases produced.

4/28/2009 - sinerivali wrote:

2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Only our second commercial offering of Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2006 is a rich, deeply structured wine that captures the power of this regal variety, grown in its favorite place in the world. The wine is a blend of fruit from two great appellations – St. Helena and Coombsville – with a touch of Petit Verdot to add depth and power. A quarter of the fruit is fermented in barrel, to round the tannins and add richness to an already-hedonistic wine. Lifted aromas of smoke, cassis, black licorice and espresso are immediately present. Broadly-textured, the fruit character spreads across the palate, bringing an array of flavors ranging from berries and cream to sage and gravel. This is a wine that is both ageworthy and accessible.

80 cases produced.