Wine Each Week – 2015 Neyen

Most of Chile’s best reds are actually a blend of Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon. This far south of the equator, these two grapes seemed destined for each other. For the 2015 vintage the blend is 55% Cabernet, the rest Carménère, from over 100 year old vines farmed with organic practices. The result is a velvety wine with mild black cherry, blueberry, blackberry and sweet vanilla-oak, caramel. Whereas the oak is noticeable (14 months barrel aging), it nevertheless does not pull focus from the fruit, nor the mild tannic structure or acidity. This wine is also appealing because if you love Cabernet, but don’t want a massive California-style slap in the face Cabernet, the Carménère here mitigates the Cabernet quite well, restraining it and providing a very pleasurable drinking experience.

ORIGIN: Apalta, Chile

ALCOHOL: 14%

PRICE: $59.99 (750ML)

SCORE: 92 POINTS

NEYENWINE

Wine Each Week – Pahlmeyer 2016 Napa Valley Red Wine

30 years and Pahlmeyers’ Proprietary Red keeps impressing.

Comprised of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec, this has been a stalwart wine from Napa.

There’s a brambley berry quality about this with notes of boysenberry, lingonberry, blackberry and blueberry. There are also notes of violet and rosewater, bark chocolate with a very subdued, yet judicious, use of oak. Aged for 20 months in mainly new French Oak, this is that kind of wine you can drink on its own without food because it is so complete in and of itself. The tenants are still there but are also subdued and the acidity creeps around the corners of the tongue. There’s a smoothness, a seamlessness that typifies this wine, something you should expect to be elegant, lithe and graceful, and indeed it is.

ORIGIN: Napa, California

ALCOHOL: 15.1%

PRICE: $200 (750ML)

SCORE: 93 POINTS

Pahlmeyer

Wine Each Week - 2016 Marques Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon

Good Cabernet Sauvignon need not be expensive Cabernet Sauvignon. This is why the Chilean region is gaining so much popularity; you can still find immense quality at reasonable prices. Case in point, the Marques Casa Concha delivers both. There are notes of blackberry, blueberry, soft notes of black cherry and elderberry, hints of vanilla and a deft acidity which is exactly what you want with a food wine. It’s comprised of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with 5% Syrah and 4% Cabernet Franc blended in. The grapes were harvested in April of 2016 and after fermentation it was aged in French oak barrels for 16 months. Solid winemaking, a solid wine, this delivers exceptional quality.

ORIGIN: Maipo Valley, Chile

ALCOHOL: 13.5%

PRICE: $24.99/ 750ML

SCORE: 91 POINTS

Marques Casa Concha

Wine Each Week: 2016 Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon

As you traverse through your wine life you realize there are a handful of producers who, over the course of your tasting their wines for years, perhaps decades, actually never seem to fail. Such is Spottswoode Winery in Napa Valley. I’ve had the pleasure of tasting their wines for years, meeting with winemaker Aron Weinkauf at their Napa Estate, and the truth is there is never a bad wine from their portfolio. Their secondary label, Lyndenhurst - a reference to the property being named such for a time back in the early 1900’s, provides the quality of the Spottswoode wines at a lesser cost.

This is a seamless wine, embracing all the elements of great Cabernet, wood, fruit, acidity, soil and a deft touch of winemaking know-how. It is both elegant and gently aggressive. Comprised of Cabernet with small amounts of (in descending order) Petite Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. It offers black cherry, black berry, light blueberry, rose water, sandalwood, raspberry, vanilla, cedar and a hint of tobacco. The tannins and acidity support the structure of the wine without compromising it. This is a wine that commands attention but not in a bellicose way, rather it nods and smiles at you from across the room, drawing you close for a personal conversation. 1,826 Cases.

ORIGIN: Napa Valley, California

ALCOHOL: 14.5%

PRICE: $85/ 750ML

SCORE: 92 POINTS

SPOTTSWOODE

Aron and I at the Spottswoode Estate

Wine Each Week - July 4th Edition: Louis M. Martini 2016 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon

I am impressed. I have had this wine throughout multiple vintages and it literally never fails to impress for the quality compared to its price. And what better way to celebrate the Independence of the U.S. than with a wine made in the USA that over delivers? In fact, I doubt you can find a Cabernet at this price and at this level of winemaking. Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley has long been its fruit source and it’s mainly Cabernet, with smaller amounts of Petite Sirah, Petite Verdot and Merlot. You get rich blackberry, blueberry, cassis, black cherry, with back notes of molasses, leather, and tobacco. The 2016 is exceptionally balanced between acidity, oak, tannins and fruit, offering structure to hold up to a variety of foods, or work on its own. In short, simply the best Cabernet you can find for $20, Sonoma or otherwise. It’s that simple.

ORIGIN: Sonoma, California

ALCOHOL: 14.7%

PRICE: $20/ 750ML

SCORE: 93 POINTS

LOUIS M. MARTINI

Wine Each Week: Mercer 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon

Washington State is like that middle child, ignored by siblings California and Oregon but quietly going about making a name for itself. There are terrific wines coming from all the regions here including Horse Heaven Hills. The Mercer family has deep roots here – pun intended – and were the first to plant grapes in 1972. Their 2016 Cabernet is soft and viscous; luxurious even. But this inexpensive wine offers blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, huckleberry, notes of moist earth, mild oak, mild tannins, and very light raspberry. Frankly is should cost twice as much as this is a very generous wine on the pallet and offers a very pleasant seamless drinking experience. Comprised of mainly Cabernet, there is also 14% Syrah, 5% Petite Verdot, 3% Merlot and 1% Malbec.

ALCOHOL: 13.9%

PRICE: $19.99/ 750ML

SCORE: 90 POINTS

MERCER

Wine Each Week: 2016 Amici Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

I gotta say, I love a good California Cabernet, and California Cabs come in a dizzying array of styles; some austere and tight, others, jammy and alcoholic, most rather forgettable. But Amici strikes the correct balance. It represents what Napa Cab should taste like while presenting solid structure and a pleasant drinking experience.

You’ll find notes of blueberry, black cherry, blackberry, cedar and vanilla, cigar box, with back notes of plum, herbs and wildflowers. 
Comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, with 6% Malbec, 6% Merlot, 3% Petite Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, it’s aged for 20 months in 70% new French oak barrels, which might sound like a lot of wood, but it merely supports the fruit. The Amici is that tried and true Cabernet, one that will always be in style.

ORIGIN: Napa Valley, California

PRICE: $50/ 750ML

AMICI CELLARS

Chappellet Hill Country

Chappellet is well known in Napa. Now in their 51^st year, this family-owned winery still turns out an impressive portfolio of wine. And just as Napa is synonymous with Cabernet, Chappellet is synonymous with Pritchard Hill. Named for homesteader Charles Pritchard who in the 1890s was growing Zinfandel and Riesling on this spot, Mr. Pritchard had no idea he was growing the wrong grapes in these alluvial soils. It’s Cabernet that shines light a light on this hill. In 1967 Donn and Molly Chappellet bought property here, in part based on the advice of André Tchelistcheff, then at Beaulieu Vineyard, and since then have been working Cab here.

Their 2014 Signature Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is comprised of predominantly Cabernet with 9% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc and 4% Merlot. Upon initial opening…it needs some air time, hang time, a bit of time where the oxygen affects the wine and brings out a deeper resonance. So yes, taste it, but let the glass alone for a while – I suggest a decanting time of at least 30 minutes. Once done you easily pick up notes of blackberry compote, blubbery pie, boysenberry, side notes of cedar and mint, with back notes of eucalyptus and sweet resin, cocoa and anise. The acidity and tannins are fully integrated so that when you drink this, it’s a comprehensive mouth feel. So, let this grow on you, slowly. Wines like this need time to develop in the glass, and that is one of the reasons of making a wine like this. Time. Time and the willingness to explore.

ORIGIN: Napa, California

PRICE: $65/750ML

ALCOHOL: 14.5%

SCORE:  93 POINTS

The Donn Abides – The Passing of Donn Chappellet

I didn’t know Donn, at least not personally. We had never met. He lived in Napa, and I in Santa Barbara. He started a winery and I started wine writing. My most recent mention of Chappellet wines was May 13th, in a Tweet about the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, which hit over 1,000 impressions. Donn Chappellet passed away on May 22nd at age 84 – too young by my estimation.

I have included Chappellet wines in a variety of articles; for The Hollywood Reporter, IntoWine.com, and most recently for Planet Experts about wineries that support earth-friendly practices writing, “In Napa, Chappellet Vineyard began in the early 1980s (long before the term ‘sustainable’ was even used), to plant cover crops for soil conservation and erosion prevention. In 2012, their 102-acre vineyard earned its organic certification from the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). Chappellet has a 20,000-square-foot solar photovoltaic system that generates 100% of the winery’s energy needs. They also installed a state-of-the-art water processing system that allows the winery to return nearly 100% of their processed water (about one million gallons each year) to the vineyard for irrigation.”

I included Donn in my IntoWine.com’s Second Annual “Top 100 MostInfluential People in the U.S. Wine Industry,” listing him as #94, writing, “Chappellet was the first winery to pioneer high-elevation vineyard planting, establishing mountain-grown Cabernets as some of California’s most coveted wines. The winery has also served as an incubator for some of California’s legendary winemaking talents, including Phil Togni, Joe Cafaro, Tony Soter, Helen Turley, Mia Klein, Cathy Corison and current winemaker Phillip Corallo-Titus. Chappellet has been lauded by every major wine magazine.”

“Dad was the kindest, most thoughtful person,” son Cyril Chappellet said in a press release. “He was our rock, our mentor, and an inspiration, not just to our entire family, but to so many others as well. He was also humble beyond belief. Despite everything he accomplished, he never took the credit. He always preferred to give others the stage. Along with my mom, my dad created the foundation that our family has been building on for the past 50 years. He believed that the best was still yet to come for Chappellet. Now it is our turn to honor that dream, and his wonderful legacy.”

And what better words can be said of someone’s passing – the idea that the best is still out there, perhaps just beyond reach, but likely within reach of another generations. If you haven’t had any of Chappellet wines, do try one, from their Chennin Blanc, or Malbec, Petite Sirah or Chardonnay to the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon ($60), and raise a glass to a man you never met, one who made the world better in a number of ways you never knew about – something we can all strive for. Godspeed Donn.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider donating in the name of Donn Chappellet to the Wildlife Rescue Center of Napa County or to the St. Helena Hospital Foundation.

Wildlife Rescue Center of Napa County

PO Box 2571 Napa, CA 94558

www.napawildliferescue.org

St. Helena Hospital Foundation

10 Woodland Road

St. Helena, CA 94574

https://foundation.sthelenahospitals.org

Sonoma’s Celebrity Wineries - Of Emmy’s, Grammy’s & Writer’s Block

It's nice to be a celebrity - people treat you well, you own nice things and have the money to do most anything you want, say like, starting a winery. Sonoma seems to have a lock on celebrities-turned-vignerons. A visit to this bewitching wine country shows the diversity of celebrity styles and their wineries from theatrical to tranquil amid the rural setting of the Sonoma countryside.
 
What a Fool Believes

Inside the BR Cohn tasting room

The Doobie Brothers have sold over 40 million records with hits like China Grove, Listen to the Music, and, What a Fool Believes. But their success in large part came because of Bruce Cohen who is the Doobie Brothers’ manager. But Bruce Cohn was not just about music. He bought land in Sonoma, built a house for his family and raised his kids in what is now the winery tasting room for BR Cohn Wines. In addition to an outdoor grassy amphitheater where music is played all summer long for the last 27 years, there are 13 gold and 11 platinum records that stud the tasting room walls, signed guitars and photos. BR Cohn also produces olive oil from trees on their property. “Our olive trees are the largest and oldest picholine olive trees in California,” Bruce’s son, Dan Cohn, tells me. You can sample wines like Zinfandel, Barbera, and Cabernet, and olive oil, and both will be music to your ears.

An Offer Your Can’t Refuse

The Author at the Godfather desk at Coppola Winery

With wineries in both Napa and Sonoma, Oscar winning film director Francis Ford Coppola turned to winemaking after filmmaking. His Sonoma property is a palatial estate and in addition to an onsite restaurant and tasting room, Coppola has a mini-museum with props from some of his well-known films including Apocalypse Now, Dracula, Tucker; The Man and His Dreams, and his iconic American gangster film, The Godfather. Surfboards used in Apocalypse Now hang from the ceiling, the black veiled costume worn by actor Gary Oldman in Dracula sits encased in glass and the Tucker car gleams in the center of a room flanked by a circular staircase and the iconic Godfather desk and chair sits atop a staircase illuminated by amber lamps. There’s also a collection of Coppola’s five Academy Awards. Coppola produces a lot of wine including a series called Director’s Cut, which includes Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.

Animating Wine

Tasting at Lasseter Family Wines

If Pixar movies like Toy Story, Cars, and Monster’s Inc. - all helmed by John Lasseter - are up your alley, then you might think the Lasseter Family Wines tasting room and wines are consistent with high energy comedy and spectacle. Well, it’s the exact opposite. The Lasseter tasting room is actually a bit subdued, a non-Hollywood counterpoint to places like Coppola and Cohn. Though architecturally beautiful and comfortable with sleek clean décor there is very little Pixar memorabilia displayed here. There are a few wine glasses with etched logos of Monsters Inc. and other Pixar movies but you won’t see much else. Open by reservation only, this is a sit down wine tasting with a small plate of food, made to accentuate the wines.
 

Calling the Wild

The Remnants of Jack London's Wolf House

Though he died in 1916, author Jack London (White Fang, The Call of the Wild), was one of the foremost celebrities of his day, authoring over 24 novels and dozens of short stories. He built a 15,000 square foot, four-story stone and wood home he called Wolf House, deep in the forests of Glen Ellen. Weeks before he was to move in his massive residence mysteriously caught fire and was destroyed, only the stone and brick chimneys standing like mute sentinels as witnesses to history. To this day no one knows who started the fire; was it an accident, did his wife set the blaze, were locals intolerant of this unsightly structure in their backyard, did London himself set the fire to cash in on insurance money? These are viable theories, but the truth is still as elusive as the smoke that rose from the ashes nearly a hundred years ago. You can visit JackLondon State Historic Park, as I have many times, and the burned out shell of his home. A half-mile walk along a dirt path takes you to moss-covered stone walls surrounded by pine trees; at once both eerie and calming.

The Supporting Characters

Having penned movies as diverse as The Karate Kid, Taken, and A Walk in the Clouds, screenwriter Robert Kamen has written his passion for wine in the form of his own tasting room just off the Sonoma Square. His vineyard sits stop a long circuitous dirt road, overlooking San Pablo Bay, which I visited with Robert a while back. In addition to Cabernet, and Syrah, he offers a wine called Writer’s Block, a blend of Petite Sirah, Cabernet and Syrah.

The Author flanked by Kate MacMurray (L) and Gina Gallo (R) at MacMurray Ranch

Though it’s only open to the public once a year during the monumental Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, MacMurray Ranch was once the apple of actor Fred MacMurray’s eye. MacMurray (Double Indemnity, The Absent Minded Professor, TV’s My Three Sons) started raising shorthorn cattle, actually competing against my great uncle (affectionately called Uncle John O and a hell of a guy!). MacMurray had visions of turning his ranch into a working winery - something that eluded him before his death, however his daughter, Kate, eventually accomplished this and she graciously showed off the ranch to me. The Gallo Family purchased his property and still works with Kate MacMurray to make exceptional wine including Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. If you attend Sonoma Wine Country Weekend in September during the grand tasting at the ranch you’ll notice two redwood trees planted by hand by Fred MacMurray in 1941 at the entrance to the original 1840s barn.

Ultimately Sonoma is about the wines first, and celebrity second. Sonoma is a slice of quintessential California and a place of relaxation, regardless of whose name is on the bottle. So come enjoy California at its best - a mix of star power and intoxicating grape juice. 

A Fifth for the 4th - Hand Made Hooch in the USA

What makes America great is the potential for discovery, a willingness to explore and delve into the unfamiliar. Our forefathers were not shy about ignoring boundaries and seeking adventure. Since George Washington made whiskey, let’s celebrates the founding fathers with wines, spirits and beer you can only find in the USA. This is all American made booze - under the radar, small batch and relatively unknown. The flag used as a backdrop once flew over the Kennedy White House. So go forth and drink your Independence Day!  (NOTE: This article originally appeared in The Hollywood Reporter).

Ale: AleSmith Brewing Co. San Diego is home to more military bases (seven, count ‘em) more than any other county in California, not to mention the rest of the U.S., and that means there are a lot of people who crave beer. But not just any beer. AleSmith, located in San Diego, excels at barrel-aged brews. Their Wee Heavy is a Scottish ale aged in bourbon barrels, full of toffee, caramel, with notes of hops, roasted rye, brown sugar and a whiff of the bourbon casks. This is a very complex aged beer that offers up a boatload of scents and aromas with a not so wee heavy mouth feel. ($30, alesmith.com)

Cabernet Sauvignon: Frank Family Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Patriarch. No mater where you go Cabernet is king, and Rich Frank (former President Walt Disney Studios, producer Royal Pains) knows how to assemble various parts to make a compelling whole. His motivation was to honor his dad, World War II veteran Hy Frank, who landed on Omaha Beach four days after D-Day, then drove support vehicles for General Patton’s Third Army. Frank presented the first release of Patriarch to his father on his 98th birthday. There are just 500 cases of this stunning wine. It’s smooth as velvet, seductive, a seamless mix of light oak, black berry, a near cranberry, supple pepper spice and black cherry with an earthen back note and mild acidity. This is the patriarch of Napa Cabs. ($225, frankfamilyvineyards.com)

Carménère: Niner 2012 Carménère: The Niner family from Paso Robles is not only helping to define the Paso wine scene, but they are making unique and cool wines like Carménère, though just a mere 138 cases. Like many of our Founding Fathers, owner Richard Niner was a farmer, originally in West Virginia, then migrated West ending up in the Paso Robles region where he planted Carménère on Bootjack Ranch, a plot of land that was once an ancient seabed. With a judicious oak treatment this wine results in black cherry, black berry and blueberry with hinter notes of cinnamon, vanilla and spice on the finish. ($60, ninerwinery.com)

Gin: 209 Gin. San Francisco is one of the most beloved cities in the U.S. and was actually the capital of California for a brief four months in 1862. The 209 Distillery located at Pier 50 offers a sweeter profile than most gins and is ripe with citrus and mint, all the better to make your cocktails more complex. And this is a flavor powerhouse; more potent than most gins on the market so a little goes a long way. Using in part juniper berries from Italy, lemon peel from Spain, and Coriander from Romania, it’s ultimately all American. They also make a Kosher iteration for Passover. ($35, distillery209.com)

Merlot: Buty 2012 Conner Lee Vineyard Merlot & Cabernet Franc. Washington was admitted to the Union in 1889 but was known to have grapes in the ground in the 1820s. Second only to California in terms of wine production the Washington wine scene is rapidly evolving and doesn’t want to play second fiddle, and this wine is one of the reasons why. Taking Merlot and Cabernet Franc and blending them is nothing new; what is new is the expressiveness of the mere 315 cases this 2,000-foot vineyard produces. Sure you get the bramble, black cherry, pomegranate and blackberry you’d expect, but you also get a delightful acidity you don’t often get from red wines. This Buty is a beauty, and California may want to check their rear view mirror. ($45, butywinery.com)

Nebbiolo: Wofford Acres 2013 La Mancha. The Sierra Foothills was where gold was discovered in January 1848 and is the birthplace of California wine, though Spanish missionaries were making wine in the 1790s. Theses days the new rush is on wine and some are as elusive as gold. Wofford Acres La Mancha from El Dorado is only 113 cases, and is a blend of Nebbiolo, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon resulting in pomegranate, huckleberry, plum and cedar with enough bright fruit and acidity to ensure it goes with any meal. There’s a pleasant rustic quality to this meaning it’s not a polished Napa wine, this is a tad rough around the edges, just like our forefathers, and the 49ers after them. ($35, wavwines.com)

Pinot Noir: On Point 2013 Christinna’s Cuvee: With only 198 cases of this wine you’ll be hard pressed to find a Pinot Noir of this quality and value. Hailing from the Anderson Valley in Mendocino, itself a slice of American life in that the region had its own micro language called Boontling (“frattey shams” meant grape vines), this Pinot Noir is supple, soft and with a enough acidity to make it stand up to picnic foods. Earthy spice, bright strawberry and dark cherry meld for a seamless wine that is on point as to how Pinot Noir should be. In spite of the oak barrels and the Pommard clone being undeniably French, Mendocino makes this a truly American iteration with a forward, lively wine. ($36, fulcrumwines.com)

Roussanne: Adelaida Vineyards 2013 Version White. The tiny region of Adelaida, originally settled in the 1890s by Mennonite farmers, is inside the larger Paso Robles region, and is making its mark with Rhone grapes. Here a blend of Roussanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc showcase the best of the area: soft tropical fruits, honey, mango, apricot, sweet resin, and lemon verbena bookended by judicious new French oak. White Rhone blends are not favored by many people in part because people haven’t tried them, but since this is all about discovery, all the more reason to seek this sleek wine out. ($35, adelaida.com)

Riesling: Left Foot Charley 2013 Missing Spire. This patriotic beauty hails from, ahem, Michigan. Surprised that Michigan is making wine? Well, fasten your seatbelt - wine was first made in 1679 when French explorers noticed grapevines growing along the Detroit River. Today the state, and regions like the Old Mission Peninsula, is home to over 100 wineries. Left Foot Charley, and this region as a whole, excel at making both dry and sweet iterations of under appreciated Riesling. This lightly sweet version is packed with subtle tangerine, peach, lavender and honey. It’s a beautiful example of just how compelling a balanced Riesling can be and will cause you to rethink the grape. ($18, leftfootcharley.com)

Sparkling: J Vineyards Brut Rose. There’s nothing more festive for the 4th than bubbles, and pink bubbles at that. From Sonoma’s Russian River Valley (so named for the actual Russians who attempted a foothold in the Northern Sonoma region specifically at Fort Ross) this dry sparkling rose is comprised of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The strawberry, lemon cream, raspberry and tangerine notes and deft carbonation make this a poised wine, perfect for your picnic - think fried chicken and potato salad - and just a hint of sweetness which results in a beautifully balanced sparkling wine that even a comrade would crave. ($38, jwine.com)

Syrah: Presidio Winery 2011 Artistic License: America was predominately agrarian when the country was founded and farming is still the backbone of this country feeding an astounding number of Americans and dozens of other countries. The beauty of this small lot wine is the fact that it puts nature and farming first. Made from certified organic and biodynamic grapes, this farm-friendly Syrah is rich with boysenberry, blueberry, black cherry, and a spicy earthy undertone that carries though the entire palate. Soft charred oak from resting in barrel for 24 months while hanging out in Santa Barbara completes the package. ($39, presidiowinery.com)

Vermentino: Tessa Maria 2014 Vermintino: She’s the granddaughter of actor Fess Parker (TVs Daniel Boone, and Davey Crockett, how much more American can you get?) and continues the wine tradition with her own label out of Santa Barbara, now the third generation of Parker’s to make wine. Her 2014 Vermentino is a discovery of happy proportions and she bottled just 138 cases. This wine is ripe with honeydew, tangerine, lemon-lime, butterscotch, and honeysuckle. All stainless steel fermented and aged, there is no oak treatment, so this is a delightfully light, crisp and very refreshing wine that will make you salute. In a historical twist, the fruit comes from Camp 4 Vineyards, owned by the Chumash Indian tribe. ($24, tessamariewines.com)

Vodka: Loft & Bear. When you think of vodka you think, Russia, probably Poland, but not Los Angeles. However LA was lively during prohibition, from parties on Catalina Island, and scores of Angelinos flocking to Tijuana to get their booze fix, to bootlegging happening in plain sight near City Hall. There are still miles of tunnels underneath the dirty LA streets where illegal booze flowed freely. Today downtown is hip and above board and Loft & Bear Vodka honors LA’s past with this vodka made from winter wheat, and Northern California water. Sweeter than typical vodka this offers a smooth and viscous palette weight with a citrusy heat, a clean nose and refreshing feel, and it’s distilled in a downtown loft. ($35, loftandbear.com)

Whiskey: Jack Daniels Sinatra Select. Frank Sinatra was known to favor Jack Daniels as his social lubricant, so this iconic American distillery decided to honor the Chairman of the Board with his very own whiskey. Made in “Sinatra barrels,” (they have deeper grooves cut on the interior of the barrel allowing more extracted wood and whiskey interaction) this special bottling leaps out on the nose with caramel, clover honey, tangerine, brown spice and is super smooth with a viscosity other whiskies can only hope for. There’s the faintest whisper of a citrus bite on the end, preceded by cedar, sweet resin, mint and a rustic woodiness. Start spreading the news. ($185, jackdaniels.com)

Zinfandel: Dueling Pistols: No, it’s not the name of a band, it’s a reference to a famous duel between then Vice-President Aaron Burr and Federalist Alexander Hamilton on July 11, 1804 in Weehawken, NJ. The Veep shot Hamilton dead that day but by today’s standards Veeps do not wield such unrestrained power, with the exception of Julia Louis-Dreyfus. This blend of Zinfandel and Syrah from Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley is way more easy going than either of the duelers and it offers notes of cedar, blackberry, blueberry, anise, and black cherry with mild tannins and a temperament that is smooth and forgiving. ($35, http://terlatowines.com/new-wines/california/federalist

BBQ, Cabernet & Loose Change

July is here and there's nothing more American for the Fourth of July than hard working Americans finding something of value, say, like the Louisiana Purchase. Deals like that are hard to find, however “value” doesn't equate to cheap, it means the price is commensurate with the quality of what you purchased. As a wine writer, I've had my share of wines in the $200-$300 range that are not worth it. Less rare is a wine that is inexpensive but has amazing quality. But it does happen, and happens here with the Concannon 2013 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon. Concannon has been around since 1883, and they have helped establish multiple clones that are widely used in California. This wonderful wine is earthy black cherry, rustic red raspberry, plum, judicious use of oak, which frames the fruit but does not overwhelm it and a surprising acidity, perfect with anything on the grill. What is worth celebrating is that the Concannon family has turned out such a superior wine at this price. Honestly - and I don’t say this often - it’s worth way more. So get your grill on this holiday (I grilled up Santa Maria Tri Tip with this beautiful wine) and make sure you try this Cab while celebrating. www.concannonvineyard.com

ORIGIN: Paso Robles, California

PRICE: $20/ 750ML

ALCOHOL: 13.9%

BOOZEHOUNDZ SCORE:  90 POINTS

New Year’s Resolution: 12 Months – 12 Cabernets

With every year that passes we set out new goals, new challenges and new experiences for ourselves. But often that doesn’t translate to our wine habits, which can get old and tired. So for Cabernet Sauvignon lovers, here’s a road map for a new Cabernet Sauvignon to try each month from various places, each with its own unique quality and character; a road map that will entice your senses and open you to new wines you may never have considered. (NOTE: The original holiday version of this article was published in The Hollywood Reporter-DEC/2014)

Amici Cellars 2011 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon: From Calistoga, winemaker Joel Aiken has a pedigree worth toasting. He made the BV Georges de Latour, one of Napa’s most iconic wines for a quarter century. Now he crafts killer Cabernets from choice vineyard sites around the Napa Valley. Once poured you’ll find flavors reminiscent of violets, oak and vanilla, blackberry and blueberry. This is a smooth drinking wine that makes you realize how approachable a high end Cabernet can be, without all the fussy tannins and aging time. ($125, amicicellars.com)

Barons de Rothschild Lafite Reserve Speciale Pauillac 2010: Bordeaux is not Napa. That might seem obvious, but many people expect Bordeaux to drink like Napa Cab. The differences in this wine are obvious from the subtle and nuanced flavors to the berry notes of black cherry, and blackberry. However the earthiness, acidity and quiet nature of Bordeaux is a counterpoint to aggressive American Cabernet’s. This is a terrific example of reasonably priced Bordeaux, and a wine meant to work with food. ($49.99, finewinehouse.com)

Beaulieu Vineyards 2009 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: Long used as the go-to juice for the Emmy Awards Governor’s Ball and a benchmark of Napa Cabernet since 1936, this BV is as smooth and suave as George Clooney himself. There is upfront acidity, black cherry, huckleberry, blackberry seamless oak and vanilla and a textural weight all delivered with a silky and smooth wine that makes you wonder why all wine can’t be this tranquil and creamy. ($80, bvwines.com)

Clos Pegase 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon: With renowned architect Michael Graves behind the design of this Napa winery facility, their Cabernet should be just as world class, and it is. Ready to drink now this 2011 Cabernet is very accessible for everyone and presents black cherry, rhubarb, plum, blueberry, mild acidity and though still a young wine, it is nonetheless quite structured and amiable for your dinner table. ($50, clospegase.com)

Frank Family 2012 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon: Though owner Rich Frank is producer on the hit TV show Royal Pains (he was former Chairman of Walt Disney TV) he also produces wine from his northern Napa Valley property. This lithe, supple wine is replete with mild notes of blackberry, blueberry, cedar, and black cherry, balanced and structured with soft delectable oak, acidity and tannins showing the firm control of a veteran producer. ($50, frankfamilyvineyards.com)

Hourglass Vineyards 2012 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: Like a classic timepiece this wine, grown on the slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains, exudes black cherry, lavender, blackberry, cedar, soft but noticeable minerality and a touch of caramel. The tannic structure is evident but not overwhelming and a brief decanting will enhance the floral aromas. Easy to drink, it might be gone in a few minutes if you’re not careful. ($125, hourglasswines.com)

Jordan 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon: Though Napa gets most of the Cabernet attention, Sonoma too has its own choice spots in which to make excellent Cabernet. Served at several of the Academy Award Governor’s Balls in the 1990s and served at the White House in 1988, this current iteration is all cassis, bright cherry, blueberry, with a mild acidity and oak program balanced along with tame tannins which makes this an easy drinking wine with a bit of heft. ($53, jordanwinery.com)

Justin Vineyards 2011 Isosceles: Paso Robles has long been a producer of Cabernet and it is this wine that actually put this region on the map. The current vintage celebrates its 25th anniversary of this now iconic wine with rustic dark red fruits like rich deep black cherry, black currant and ripe blueberry. The judicious use of oak is tempered by a befitting acidity and an easy drinking quality. ($70, justinwine.com)

Kimmel Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon: From Mendocino comes this delightful wine full of rhubarb, blackberry and dusty black cherry with a touch of oak, mild acidity and mild tannins. Owner Jim Kimmel (not Jimmy Kimmel) employs certified sustainable growing practices, which shows that great wine can be made in a responsible, yet tasty way. There is a nose of sandalwood, cedar, cassis, black cherry, dark chocolate and a whisper of dark spice. ($48, kimmelvineyards.com)

Mastroserio Winery 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon: When gold was discovered in El Dorado County in the Sierra Foothills in 1848 signaling the gold rush, wine was not in the mix. But when the gold ran out, pioneer-entrepreneurs planted grapes. One of the better Cabs to come from this region is this lush rich Cab heavier on its barrel fermentation program, which results in lots of cedar, resin, blackberry, black cherry and dried chervil with a surprisingly buoyant acidity. ($50, mastroseriowinery.com)                        

 

Pepper Bridge 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon: Walla Walla Washington is the source of the fruit for this earthy Cabernet with plenty of rustic cherry and blackberry, blueberry fruit, minimal tobacco and aged oak - a combination of new and used French oak to be precise. 2011 was a cooler season in the state therefore there is less bright crisp fruit and more of a dense and dark nature to this wine for those who crave a more mysterious and brooding wine. ($60, pepperbridge.com)

Spottswoode 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon: One of Napa’s premier under the radar producers, Spottswoode goes about quietly making first-rate wine. Their Cabernet opens with rich black cherry and a nose of oak and vanilla and a slight cocoa, but is rewarded with decanting time to reveal, cedar and ripe blueberry, roasted oak and the flavors smooth out with a mature ripe red fruit note, changing the complexity to a velvety, deep berry. ($150, spottswoode.com)