Author: Cellar Door

Carneros, California

With Valentine's Day in our sites we start to think about the heartbreak grape, Pinot Noir. Pinot can be a real heartbreaker to the grape grower for it's fickleness but if all the elements come together just right it will make you swoon. One of our favorite pairings for richer pinots, such as this week's feature, is with beef tenderloin or grilled steelhead trout or salmon.

Cuvaison Estate Winery was founded in 1969 and the current winemaker Steve Rogstad joined the winery in 2002 with an impressive pedigree of having worked with some of Napa’s greats included Saintsbury, Spring Mountain Vineyards, Clos Pegase, and Rombauer.

The grapes for the Pinot come from the Carneros region which is the southernmost corner of Napa Valley and Sonoma County. Carneros is characterized by fog and cool breezes from the San Pablo Bay, gently rolling hills and dense clay soils. The morning fog keeps the grapes from heating up too quickly, while the afternoon wind lowers leaf temperature and dries the dew left by the morning fog. Pinot Noir thrives in these conditions.

The 2009 Pinot is a rich full bodied pinot noir with damson plum, strawberry, black cherry and a touch of spice/clove. The wine has firm tannins but a juicy mouth feel which makes it a great food wine.

Cellar Door Price: $42.95

Napa, California

Thinking big in 2012 can means tasting some rich full bodied wines that are ideal for this time of the year. Enter the Saldo Zinfandel from Orin Swift. With grapes sourced from some of the finest growers in Northern California the 2009 Saldo is a deep ruby in color and has bright red fruit aromas with a bouquet of toasty oak and sweet vanilla. The wine is big and has a long finish. Drink now or enjoy over the next five years .

The word "saldo" has many different meanings in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. In Spanish, it mainly refers to "balance on hand", and sometimes it can mean "from here and there." This wine represents the best of the best lots from vineyards all across Northern California.

Wine Maker's Notes: The 2009 Saldo bursts with aromas of ripe strawberry and black fruits with well integrated oak. The entry is mouth coating and leads into a mid palate with structure and good acidity. The finish is bright and long with soft tannins and subtle oak sweetness. Drink now and enjoy over the next five years.

Cellar Door Price: $45.95

Occasionally a wine comes along that makes you just say "wow."The 2010 Anselmi is one of those wines and is a blend of 90% Garganega and 10% Chardonnay. The grapes are grown on a hilltop named Foscarino in Soave in volcanic tuft soils which adds a saline minerality to the wine and the after pressing and fermentation the wine is is left on its natural lees or (dead yeast cells) for six months in stainless steel tanks. Leaving the wine on its lees gives the Foscarino an angelic aroma of the finest sourdough or fresh bread. Layered upon the wonderful toastiness are bright stone fruits, crisp apple, lemon zest and roasted almonds. This a very unique wine and would be fantastic over the holidays or with Christmas dinner.

Cellar Door Price: $31.95

Wondering what to drink on the 25^th? Make your Christmas and Holiday dinner seamless with our assortment of wines that pair perfectly with your holiday feast. Start with festive Bubbles, then enjoy fantastic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with your turkey or ham then finish with some sweet Muscat.

The Cellar Door Christmas basket includes:

• 1 x Evans & Tate Zamphire Sparkling, Australia

The palate is fresh and crisp. Crunchy green apple, white peach and melon flavours dominate with time on yeast lees adding a delicate creamy note and texture.

• 2 x 2009 Joel Gott Chardonnay, California

A refreshing and crisp un-oaked chardonnay from Monterey. Aromas of nectarine, tree fruits and zingy lime.

• 2 x 2009 Waitiri Creek “Drummer” Pinot Noir, New Zealand

Rich on the nose, the wine displays classical raspberry and cherry notes.  The palate displays bramble characters, and some sweet dark fruits supported by oak and an integrated tannin structure.

• 1x Chambers Rutherglen Muscat, Australia

Smoke, roasted nuts, coffee, brown sugar, maple syrup, prunes, honey, fruitcake, overripe orange/apricots, and remarkable spicy characters. Yummy.

• One Cellar Door Gift Bag

Total Price including tax = $161.39

Santa Cruz, California

The David Bruce Winery is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains just above the Silicon Valley. The winery was founded in 1964 by David Bruce and won notoriety at the "Judgement of Paris" in 1975 when the Chardonnay was selected for the famous tasting. The pinot noir grapes are sourced from Sonoma vineyards and the 2008 vintage shows ripe red raspberries, pepper, dark cherries and red currants. This pinot is a great wine to enjoy this holiday season or to gift as a special occasion wine.

Cellar Door Price: $34.95

Adelaide Hills, Australia

Bird in Hand winery was started in 1997 by Andrew Nugent, a young Australian viticulturalist and winemaker. Andrew planted vineyards and an olive grove on 100 acres of land and today produces exquisite wines and olive oil. This cool climate Chardonnay is lively and crisp with apple and citrus notes and a touch of vanilla.

Cellar Door Price: $19.95

Madrid, Spain

The Malvar grape is indigenous to Madrid and not very well known. It is described as a full-bodied variety with the bright flavours of a Sauvignon Blanc and the body of an unoaked Chardonnay. This organic version of Malvar is aged in stainless steel and cement and has tropical fruit aromas with floral and citrus notes.

Cellar Door Price: $15.95

Tuscany, Italy

This wine is produced by Jacopo Biondi Santi, the latest generation of the family that created Brunello di Montalcino. Jacopo's vineyards are located west of the Montalcino area near the coast of Scansano. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, this wine has aromas of intense fruit and sweet violet. It spends 14 months in barrel and has gentle, velvety tannins with a long finish on the palate.

Cellar Door Price: $33.95

Toro, Spain

Dehesa Gago is produced from Tempranillo grapes sourced from the region of Toro, Spain. The grapes are hand harvested and the wine spends four months maturing in cement casks. This is a full bodied, concentrated wine with spice and black fruit flavours and smooth tannins.

Cellar Door Price: $17.95