Crooked Can Brewing Co.
Enfield Wine Co.
Haynes Vineyard Old Vine Chardonnay 2012
Really nice wine. Elegant and balanced with a long mineral finish. Shows what restrained winemaking can do with great fruit. Loved it with the Sole and Mac & Cheese, yum! — 6 years ago
Produttori del Barbaresco
Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2011
A pre-tasting of my heavy meat red sauce in order to fine tune the spices and seasoning it before serving for 30 people for our friend’s 60th birthday party tomorrow night.
The sauce is 9 cans of whole tomato’s crushed & drained, 9 can cans of tomato sauce, 3 cans of tomato paste, 6.5 pound whole pork roast braised in diced garlic & olive oil that falls apart & shreds when done, 5 pepperoni sticks sliced, 4 pounds of meatballs (with Italian bread crumbs, garlic salt, coarse black pepper, eggs with warm water) and 14 seasonings & spices slow cooked over 36-48 hours. It’s a blend that once it’s done is magical harmony in the mouth like a well crafted & aged wine.
The wine works well but, I’ll have better pairing wines tomorrow night.
The nose reveals; dark, sweet & slightest sour dark cherries, cherry kirsch liqueur notes, ripe, bright blackberries, baked black plum, ripe, juicy, strawberries, slightly candied black raspberries, blue fruits, mixed berry cola, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, dry stems, soft, leaner, sweet, tarriness, touch of dry herbs with the most amazing, bright, red, dark blue florals, violets and shades of lavender.
The body is medium full, round with great mouth presence. The tannins nicely, rounded, slightly tarry and baby teeth. The tension, structure, length and balance have just started to tango. Dark, sweet & slightest sour dark cherries, cherry kirsch liqueur notes, ripe, bright blackberries, baked black plum, ripe, juicy, strawberries, slightly candied black raspberries, blue fruits, mixed berry cola, medium intensity dark spice with a little palate heat, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, dry stems, leathery, dry tobacco, shades of graphite, soft, leaner, sweet, tarriness, nutmeg, clove, a touch of dry herbs with the most amazing, bright, red, dark blue florals, violets and shades of lavender. The acidity is nicely executed. The long finish is nicely knitted, balanced fruit and earth, polished with soft, brilliant florals and persists minutes.
Third largest Co-op in Europe and they produce some quality wines. Especially, for the volume the make.
Delectable has this @ $99. I bought it at Costco upon release for $28.99.
Photos of, the beautiful, quaint hilltop town of Barbaresco, my meat sauce, their tasting room just to the right at the feet of the clock tower with Gaja just a little further down to the right of there and the best Michelin star restaurant we’ve experienced for lunch. We dined there right after our visit to Gaja. What service, food and a day!
— 7 years ago
Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7
Habanero is Portuguese for Harmony, so throw a couple in the mixBedrock Wine Co.
Ode to Lulu California Old Vine Rosé Blend
Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits
It might shock you, but my favorite rosé is not French but instead comes from California! Blasphemy, I know - but Bedrock's Ode to Lulu is just that good. The difficulty is actually finding a bottle. For the last three years, I've only been allocated a case (or less) to sell here in Denver. It's possible you are one of the select few I've actually told about this wine... If not, now is your chance. This is the first year there's an "okay" supply. It won't last, but you should be able to get a bottle.
So yes, it's not French but it's made in the same style and method of Tempier Bandol Rosé- the most sought after, cult rosé out there. The name "Ode to Lulu" is actually an homage to the 4.5 foot tall, 101 year old woman named "Lulu" Peyraud (born Lucie Tempier) whose father gifted the Mourvedre heavy estate to her and her husband Lucien Peyraud. The wines they would go on to produce from the 1940's onward quite literally defined Bandol and put it on the map as some of the best rosés out there. She's still alive and presumably drinking plenty of wine.
This California-born "Ode to Lulu" is modeled after the great Tempier, but has some unique properties compared to it's French namesake. For one, the vines are EXTREMELY old. Tempier defined itself by focusing on old Mourvèdre and Grenache plantings, but even these French vineyards cannot compare to what Bedrock is working with in California. If you don't know, Bedrock is the winery of Morgon Twain Peterson, son of legendary Ravenswood founder Joel Peterson. Morgon grew up making wine and through his father has cultivated relationships with some of the most important heritage vineyards in California. The "Ode to Lulu" is made from Mourvèdre and Grenache planted as far back as 1888! These are some of the oldest plantings of these grapes around and make for unbelievable wines. Tempier's average vine age is around 40 years old today. Bedrock's is over 3x as old. Insane.
Morgon may be young, but he has a life time of winemaking experience. He started making wine with his father when he was 5 years old and hasn't stopped yet. In addition to absorbing his father's knowledge on heritage vineyards, he is a real student in the world of wine, earning a "Masters of Wine" designation (this industry's highest achievement). I've been drinking his wine for several years and I can say that his wine is made extremely thoughtfully and with expert attention to detail. This is true even with a wine as humble as rosé.
Unlike most California pink wine, Bedrock is not produced by "bleeding off" juice from a red wine. Instead, the grapes are picked early and separately at very low potential alcohols, and whole cluster pressed with low extraction. This preserves the freshness and acidity, creating a wine of clarity. In an old blog post I dug up, Morgon explains this idea:
"I pick at potential alcohols lower on the scale where brightness and lift still exist. This is not to say that fruit does not matter—I use Mourvedre from a block planted over 120 years ago for requisite concentration of complexity of flavor—but like fine champagne, the wonders of rosé lie in its unbearable lightness of being."
I agree with this idea of rosé and I think most people instinctively do as well. It's no coincidence that our best selling bottles come from provence. However, I urge you to pick up at least one bottle of this Ode to Lulu. It's a wine that's close in spirit to the best French rosé but made from vineyards that are American and unrivaled in age.
This is the fourth vintage of Ode to Lulu I've tasted, and I would say that's the most elegant yet. The 2015 was maybe my favorite for it's depth and I picked a few up to age, drinking my last bottle recently... This new vintage is great now, but it will reward with a short cellaring time. Honestly, if you can hide 2 bottles and drink them before fall or into next year, you will be blown away. Bandol rosé is a wine that improves dramatically over the course of 6 months to several years (Tempier Rosé is known to go decades). This bedrock is no different.
I can personally attest to past vintages gaining depth with time. How is this possible? Unlike other rosé which should be drank young, Bandol and Ode to Lulu are made of Mourvedre, a grape that is naturally reductive and resistant to oxidation. Further, the acidity is high and alcohol low. As the acidity starts to fall away, a depth and richness of character will emerge. In fruitier/riper rosé with more alcohol, this richness becomes too sweet and cloying... Not the case here. This keep balanced through time, gaining complexity while remaining refreshing.
You should buy this wine. However, I think there is one more important facet to rosé that I should mention before you do... Rosé is not always about what's in the glass itself. Rosé is really an ethereal thing... It's more so an "essence" of terroir and vintage rather than a sturdy, hard representation like red wine is... Sorry if that doesn't make sense but what I'm trying to say is that sometimes rosé is more about the place and the people you enjoy it with than the exact flavors themselves. Of course, we cannot all visit the picturesque village of Bandol to visit Lulu Peyraud; but I think, with this sunny Colorado weather, we can come close. Perhaps Morgon said it better than I can:
"Proper rosé is refreshing, life-nourishing stuff that revives the soul... I drink as much for pure pleasure as for intellectual stimulation. In the warmer months there is something sacred about a late afternoon meal of cold chicken, fresh garden tomatoes, and rosé. It is one body in the sacred trilogy of rustic simplicity." - Morgon Twain Peterson
#rose #oldvine #lulu #tempier #bedrockwineco — 8 years ago
Clos du Val Wine Co.
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1984
Wine dinner with big group including Butch neighbor Art, Philip and Bewan. Vertical of 2013,1989,1984 and Reserve 1996. ‘13 still young and long aging potential. ‘84 stood out amongst three, ‘89 clearly lesser vintage and heading down. Reserve tastes like a young wine and can feel the tannin. Very interesting growing. — 2 years ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Evangelho Vineyard Heritage Zinfandel Blend
I mean I always say yes to Bedrock! Solid Zin can drink on its own. Great with food! Great bang for the buck! — 7 years ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Old Vine Zinfandel 2016
The ‘17s just arrived so that means it was perfect timing to drink my last ‘16. @Morgan Twain-Peterson says these can age 5-10 yrs, but mine never seem to make it 5-10 months while I let all of the SVs rest in peace. A splash decant really helps the bouquet jump out on these. Rose petal, spice, and dark fruits balanced by wonderful acidity and some light tannin presence. A screaming value year in and year out. — 8 years ago
Badet Clément & Co.
Pontificis Grenache Blend 2015
This wine’s bouquet brings to the fore memories of the sea. Once I take a sip, I picture a tapas restaurant with mahogany paneling, ambience lighting, and linen tablecloths.
At first taste, well-balanced. Perfect rich and tart berry flavors with a hint of natural vanilla and oak. Not too tannic and light & bouncy on the tongue. For me, I would love this with whitefish ceviche, tacos, and/or pasta.
Versatile and affordable.
Reminds me of a platitude I live by in terms of wine (and life), “If it tastes good, drink it.” I can still hear Larry, the spectacled, fourth generational New Yorker yell from behind the counter, bottles stacked on cardboard boxes, of his boutique downtown wine shop on Maiden Lane.
$6.99 — Trader Joe’s — 8 years ago
Mer Soleil
Silver Unoaked Santa Lucia Highlands Monterey Co. Chardonnay 2015
Boys for new job!!! Yay! Not a Chardonnay fan. Can do love this!!! — 8 years ago
Realm Cellars
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
One of the wines I supplied for an annual lunch hosting (co-host this time). I was really hesitant to open this given the fanfare of this specific wine, but also how DrCrane can be an in-between wine for me (so explosive young, shut down at 5-10yrs, re-open 10+). Decanted two-three hours.
Classic deep purple-black DrCrane in the glass. Aromatics are immediate with ripe blue and black fruits, baking spices, mocha and graphite. Just a little bit of high-toned EA to make it pop, along with this roasted character I always get from DrCrane wines. Opulent and polished in every way on the palate, this is a tidal wave of flavor with no hard edges. It’s a towering wine in the sense of so much concentration and depth on the mid-palate, but it’s so incredibly polished at the finish…almost shockingly so. The ripe fruits and the dark chocolate linger longer than any Napa cab I can remember. Iron first in a velvet glove.
No need to worry, these are open for business. Plenty of structure to carry a while, but this window seems like it was made for how this wine is drinking now. — a year ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Evangelho Vineyard Heritage Red Blend 2019
What can I say? Pleasure in a glass. I just really love me my Bedrock Evangelho and this vintage in particular. Intoxicating aromas of cinnamon, cigar box, sweet berry fruit and dried thyme/rosemary/mint. Full bodied and ripe, but really fine, silty (as opposed to silky) tannins give it structure and there is ample acid there providing a punchy freshness. Most surprisingly of all, is this wine’s deceptively light touch. I’m tempted to polish off the bottle in one sitting, but at 14.5% abv that would be a bad idea. Pair with Snoop’s half time show performance (we just won’t tell him that this puts his 19 Crimes to shame) Prior notes apply. — 4 years ago
La Jota Vineyard Co.
Heritage Release Howell Moiuntain Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
the wine is identified.. can you identify the man? — 7 years ago
Cruse Wine Co.
Rancho Chimiles Vineyard Pétillant Naturel Valdiguié
If you can find one of the 962 bottles made of this terrific sparkling valdigue, do what I did and taste alongside Cruse’s still red valdigue. It’s the best way to gain some perspective on this wonderful under the radar Napa variety and the juxtaposition of the two wines helps sidestep the bubbles and expose what is left - just the grape.
The pale salmon sparkler has faint aromas of sour red fruit, hibiscus, and fresh cream. Quite rich with a creamy palette, there are flavors of red berries, green stems, and lots of minerals. Truly awesome. — 8 years ago
La Jota Vineyard Co.
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
I can already tell that my palate is going to need a breather when I get back home: so many big boy reds 😅 Tonight’s pour is luscious and supple with velvety dark fruits, moistened tobacco, smoke, graphite, lavender, and eucalyptus. Looking forward to this opening up. Excellent craftsmanship right here. — 8 years ago
Union Wine Co.
Underwood Rosé Bubbles Rosé Blend
Very tasty for wine in a can — 8 years ago
Freddy R. Troya
Torbreck RunRig Shiraz–Viognier 2021 Barossa Valley, South Australia 🇦🇺
Overview: A monumental Barossa Rhône-inspired powerhouse blend of approximately 98% Shiraz and 2% Viognier, delivering extraordinary depth, concentration, and architectural structure while retaining aromatic lift and finesse. This is Barossa at its most commanding yet disciplined, massive fruit density wrapped in precision, energy, and length. A wine that commands attention, rewards contemplation, and delivers relentless momentum from first sip to finish.
Aromas & Flavors: Explosive black plum, blackberry compote, cassis, and dark cherry saturate the nose, layered with violets, smoked spice, cocoa nib, graphite, and subtle savory meat tones. The palate unfolds in waves of black fruit intensity, crushed stone minerality, licorice, espresso, and warm spice, finishing long, deep, and persistently resonant.
Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, muscular, and impeccably structured with commanding tannins that feel polished rather than aggressive. Immense mid-palate density is balanced by freshness and lift, creating a sense of power without heaviness. The texture is authoritative, layered, and built for long-term evolution.
Food Pairings: Dry-aged ribeye or wagyu. Slow-braised lamb shank with rosemary and garlic. Venison with black cherry reduction. Smoked brisket. Aged hard cheeses such as Comté, Manchego, or aged Gouda.
Verdict: A truly elite expression of modern Barossa Shiraz, concentrated, complex, and unapologetically serious while remaining beautifully balanced and energetic. This is a reference-point wine that delivers immediate impact and exceptional cellar potential.
Did You Know?: RunRig is sourced from some of Barossa’s oldest and most revered Shiraz vineyards, with Viognier co-fermented in the traditional Northern Rhône style to enhance aromatic complexity, texture, and freshness.
🍷 Personal Pick: This wine completely captured my heart 100%, layered, commanding, and dangerously irresistible. One of those bottles that makes restraint impossible and reminds you why great wine can be genuinely emotional. A true benchmark experience.
— 6 months ago