4 May 2022 2019 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Los Amigos and Limerick Lane

2019 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Los Amigos and Limerick Lane

May 4, 2022 By

I’ve been a huge fan of Limerick Lane Cellars (www.limericklanewines.com) wines for many years. This boutique Sonoma wine producer makes some of my very favorite California Zinfandel and this bottle was outstanding. I love their motto “while we lack pretension, we are very serious about our craft”.

I was fortunate enough to visit Limerick Lane in 2019 and their place is intimate, tranquil and just magical. The tasting room is mere feet from the vineyard and we had an opportunity to spend time in the field and on the patio after our tasting.

We enjoyed this Russian River Valley wine on Easter where I served grilled lamb chops and it was an amazing pairing.

At this price point for such a delicious wine, I’m sorry I only have two bottles left in the cellar. Only 325 cases of this wine were made, so if you can get your hands on some, do it. I can’t wait to taste the newer releases.

Looks: Inky dark red in the glass

Smell: Inviting dark berry and cherry with some mocha and herbal (sage?) notes on the nose

Taste: Ripe strawberry and raspberry with some peppery notes on the palate

Texture and Finish: Medium-bodied, with great acidity on the long finish

Pairings: Grilled beef or lamb. Would be great with skirt steak tacos

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Old vine Zinfandel

Region: Sonoma County, CA

Price: $48

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: United States, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , , , , , ,
31 October 2018 Farmhouse Wines by Cline Family Cellars

Farmhouse Wines by Cline Family Cellars

October 31, 2018 By

About Cline Family Cellars

Cline Family Cellars is a family-owned and operated winery in Sonoma, California grounded in sustainability and passion for winemaking. One of the winery’s labels is Farmhouse, which I’ve tasted and thoroughly enjoyed.

Fred Cline founded Cline Family Cellars in Oakley, California in 1982, initially making wine from Mourvedre, Zinfandel and Carignane vines, some dating back to the 1880s.

In 1989, Cline acquired a 350-acre horse farm in Carneros and moved the winery operations to Sonoma County. Known as one of the original Rhone Rangers, Fred Cline planted Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. Cline now also cultivates Pinot Noir, Merlot and Chardonnay in Sonoma County.

Grounded in Sustainability

Cline Family Cellars uses natural and sustainable Green String farming methods and its aim is to nurture the land and creating wines that reflect the region’s ecosystems. Developed by Fred Cline and soil manager, Bobby Cannard, the Green String farming method is a system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. These methods minimize pollution from the air, soil, and water, and optimize the health and productivity of soil, plants, animals and people.

The Farmhouse names comes from the school house situated at Green String Farm in Petaluma, California. The school house houses the library and study room for students who come from around the world to learn Green String’s method of sustainable farming.

2017 Farmhouse White ($15)

I paired this lovely light-to-medium bodied wine with spicy Thai food and it was a great match with just a tad of sweetness on the finish. The wine is bright and crisp with nice ripe citrus aromas and flavors. Farmhouse White is a blend of 45% Viognier, 40% Palomino, 11% Muscat Canelli and 6% Sauvignon Blanc.

When selecting grapes for this wine, we were particularly conscious of the intensity of the fruit, the acid balance, and the characteristics each varietal offered to the blend as a whole. The final wine delivers bright, crisp flavors of tropical fruit and lime with a fresh, clean finish.

Color: Straw yellow

Aromas: Tropical fruit, sweet lemons/limes and honey

Body: Light to medium

Flavors: Meyer lemon, Asian apple, tropical fruit

Finish: Bright acidity, clean/crisp

2017 Farmhouse Red ($15)

I paired this rich medium-to-full bodied wine with my very beefy Texas chili and it held up nicely to the spice. While it’s very food-friendly, I had a glass before dinner and it was enjoyable on its own with smooth tannins and great fruit.

This easy drinking red blend, 48% Zinfandel, 39% Merlot, 5% Mourvédre, 4% Syrah, 3% Grenache and 2% Petite Sirah, is medium-bodied with boysenberry, tobacco and black-pepper flavors.

The wine has smooth tannins and luscious fruit.

Color: Dark purple-red

Aromas: Dark juicy berries, chocolate-covered cherry

Body: Medium to full

Flavors: Raspberry/blackberry, ripe cherry, black pepper, black licorice

Finish: Rich and flavorful with nice acidity

These affordable well-made wines are readily-available, so add a few bottles to your cellar for drinking anytime.

These wines were provided to me for sampling and I am adding them to my repertoire as they’re truly enjoyable.

Filed Under: Grenache, Merlot, Mourvedre, Red Wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah / Shiraz, United States, Viognier, White Wine, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , , , ,
27 June 2018 Limerick Lane Cellars Tasting Room Visit

Limerick Lane Cellars Tasting Room Visit

June 27, 2018 By

About Limerick Lane Cellars

Limerick Lane Cellars is a 30-acre estate located in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley, just south of Healdsburg. While the area is renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Limerick Lane grows and produces world class Zinfandel and Rhone-blends.

Limerick Lane was originally planted in 1910 by the Del Fava family, immigrants from Italy. It’s now thought to be one of the top areas for Zinfandel in Sonoma County. Limerick Lane is now owned and run by brothers Jake and Scot Bilbro, the sons of Chris Bilbro who owns the acclaimed Marietta Cellars. Scot is the primary winemaker and Jake is charged with sales of the wines.

The Limerick Lane vineyards are rocky and well-drained and rocky – ideal for growing Zinfandel, Syrah and Grenache, the core wines at the winery. 

About the Tasting Room

View from Tasting Room

We made the lovely drive to the Limerick Lane tasting room located amid the vineyards right in the heart of the Russian River Valley, only three miles from downtown Healdsburg. The staff was beyond friendly and shared a wealth of knowledge with us that included a walk through the vineyard, directly outside the tasting room building. Tasting notes about the wines we sampled is below.

The tasting room is open daily from 10am – 5pm and absolutely worth a visit when in Sonoma, this was one of our best tastings in Sonoma. 

About the Wines

2017 Limerick Lane Rosé ($28)

We loved this rosé and picked up a case for summer parties. It’s not a saignée of Pinot Noir or Zinfandel – the grapes are grown and picked specifically for this wine. It’s 62% Syrah and 38% Grenache. The nose on this lovely salmon-colored wine is citrusy. On the palate, it tastes of sweet strawberries and juicy sweet lemons. There’s great, food-friendly acidity on the finish.

2015 Limerick Lane Russian River Zinfandel ($42)

This estate Zinfandel is Limerick Lane’s flagship wine. It’s inky in the glass with big dark berry aromas with mocha notes. Flavors are of juicy red berries with peppery/chocolate notes. It’s big and rich in the best possible way with a long, tannic finish.

Limerick Lane Rosé

Limerick Lane Rosé

2015 Limerick Lane Rocky Knoll Zinfandel ($60)

This Zinfandel is blended with small amounts of Petite Sirah, Mourvedre, Carignan and Syrah. 12 barrels produced. Big aromas and flavors of dark berries on this rich, opulent wine. Great acidity on the long finish.

2015 Limerick Lane Headpruned Block Syrah ($50)

100% Syrah. Limerick Lane claims this is quite possibly the one and only acre of headpruned Syrah in all of California. Only 8 barrels of this amazing wine are produced, so sipping it outside the tasting room is pretty unlikely, unless on the allocation list. Floral aromas with peppery notes. Juicy dark raspberry on the palate on this well-made, rich wine.

Limerick Lane Cellars – 1023 Limerick Lane, Healdsburg, CA 95448.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Syrah, Rose, Blush Wine, Syrah / Shiraz, United States, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , , , , , ,
1 July 2014 WITS Virtual Wine Tasting 2014

WITS Virtual Wine Tasting 2014

July 1, 2014 By

WITS WinesI’ve explained the concept of virtual wine tasting in other posts and I enjoy participating in a few of them each year. Last night was the Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS) and a virtual tasting hosted by my friends at WineTwits of six California wines.

For those of you who are new to virtual wine tastings, this is what it entails:

  • Get a bottle of the wine varietal or brand being featured in the virtual tasting.
  • Invite fellow wine enthusiasts to join you to share the tasting, or simply snuggle solo in your pajamas in front of the computer.
  • Swirl, sniff, sip then share your wine thoughts with other global tasters using the designated hashtag on Twitter and Facebook!

The virtual tasting was well-attended and the wineries whose wines we sampled were very active with the virtual tasters. Cheers to Kendall-Jackson, Jamieson Ranch Vineyard, Franciscan Estate, Wente Vineyards, Garnet Vineyards and Renwood Winery for interacting with us to the extent they did. I’ll follow up and connect with dozens of new wine friends today as a result of last night’s tasting.

Here are my tasting notes from the featured wines:

2012 Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay

For those of us who enjoy moderately-oaky Chardonnay, this is a nice option. 50% of this wine was barrel-fermented in French oak and the other 50% was fermented in stainless steel tanks creating a wine that’s not overly oaky/buttery and has some fruit freshness to it.

Aromas of Asian apple and lychee jump out of the glass. In the mouth, the 2012 Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay is medium-bodied with Meyer lemon and tropical fruit flavors. Finish lingers with some oaky notes and a nice level of acidity.

Pairings: Roast chicken, salmon, pasta in light creamy sauce

Style: White Wine

Grape Type(s): Chardonnay

Region: Livermore Valley, CA, USA

Price: $13

2012 Garnet Vineyards Monterey County Pinot Noir

Garnet pinot noirs have garnered rave reviews over the years and the 2012 Monterey County Pinot’s no exception. The wine is a tad more transparent in the glass than I would have suspected, it doesn’t lack in aroma and flavor. On the nose, the strawberry aroma is more prominent that the expected cherry. In the mouth, it’s silky and there’s lovely cherry flavor with notes of vanilla and oak.

Pairings: Roasted duck, chicken or turkey, mushroom dishes

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir

Region: Monterey County, CA, USA

Price: $14.99

2011 Renwood Winery Premier Old Vine Zinfandel

This is a big, beautiful baby. I really enjoy this style of Zin. It’s a big mouthful of dark, ripe berries with mocha and a bit of pumpkin spices on the finish.

Pairings: Barbecue ribs, grilled beef or lamb

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Zinfandel

Region: Amador County, CA, USA

Price: $19.99

2011 Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Leggy in the glass with ripe berry aromas with a bit of oak and pepper. Rich and bold with mocha and dark chocolate layers. Light tannins, elegant, long finish.

Pairings: Grilled meats

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 94.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.4% Petit Verdot, 0.5% Merlot, 0.2% Cabernet Franc

Region: Sonoma County, CA, USA

Price: $28

2011 Jamieson Ranch “Double Lariat” Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Gorgeous deep-red in the glass, this wine offers red berry aromas with complex licorice, spice and leather notes. Cherry and dark berry flavors abound with light-jammy fig and mocha notes – touch of oak on the long, velvety finish.

Pairings: Grilled beef, cheese plate

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Napa Valley, CA, USA

Price: $55

2011 Franciscan Estate Magnificat Napa Valley

Inky in the glass with fabulous dark berry and stone fruit aromas. The dark berry continues on the palate with ripe cherry mixed in – rich, elegant with a long, round finish from the Merlot.

Pairings: Barbecue ribs, grilled beef or lamb

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec

Region: Napa Valley, CA, USA

Price: $50

For those of you on Twitter, search for #WITS2014 and see all the fun conversations folks had during the virtual tasting. You’ll likely find interesting wine fans to connect with.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Food & Wine Events, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Red Wine, Sousao, United States, White Wine, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , , , , ,
21 April 2014 Easter with Frank Family Vineyards

Easter with Frank Family Vineyards

April 21, 2014 By

It’s rare that I don’t host Easter but this year, we joined some friends for brunch at a local BYOB restaurant. I’d seen the menu ahead of time so knew scallop Benedict, steak and eggs and fried chicken would be entrees we’d order, so opted to bring two wine samples I thought would fit the bill perfectly – Frank Family Chardonnay and Zinfandel. Here are my tasting notes:  

2012 Frank Family Vineyards Napa Chardonnay

Frank Family 2012 ChardonnayI’m not typically a huge fan of oaky Cali Chardonnay, but the nice level of acidity of this wine changed my mind. Ripe, juicy peach and sweet citrus with a kiss of toasty, oaky notes. I served it close to room temperature and it’s likely the way to go. Super wine that could only improve with cellar time.  

Classic Napa Valley Chardonnay at a very reasonable price-point.

Pairings: Seafood, roasted poultry.

Style: White Wine

Grape Type(s): Chardonnay

Region: Napa Valley, California, USA

Price: $35

2011 Frank Family Vineyards Napa Zinfandel

Frank Family 2011 ZinfandelDarkest red in the glass, this big boy isn’t a summer patio sipper, and I mean that in the best possible way. Not overly jammy like some California Zins can be with a noseful of dried herbs and dark berry. On the palate, it’s classic blackberry with some stone fruit. Finish is medium in length and welcomingly smooth with a hint of oak.       

Pairings: Grilled meats, especially lamb, hearty burgers, game.

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 89% Zinfandel and 11% Petite Sirah

Region: Napa Valley, California, USA

Price: $30

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Chardonnay, Petite Syrah, United States, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , , ,
23 July 2013 Sick of White Wine Yet?

Sick of White Wine Yet?

July 23, 2013 By

Wine SteakIt’s hot and muggy outside and for many, including me, the weather calls for light, refreshing white wines. While I’ve poured my share of Assyrtiko, Sauvignon Blanc and Albarino this summer, I’m now craving reds that pair well with burgers, ribs and steaks.

15 Red Wines to Uncork at Summer Barbecues:

Wines for Burgers:

  • 2007 Campo Viejo Reserva Rioja (Rioja, Spain) – $9.99
  • 2010 Alba Vineyards Old Mill Red (Musconetcong Valley, New Jersey, USA) – $11.99
  • 2011 Garnet Vineyards Pinot Noir (Monterey County, California, USA) – $14.99
  • 2009 Albert Bichot Pinot Noir Vielles Vignes (Burgundy, France) – $14.99
  • 2011 Hahn Pinot Noir (Monterey County, California, USA) – $15.99

Wines for Ribs:

  • 2010 Graffigna Centenario Malbec Reserve (San Juan, Argentina) – $10.99
  • 2009 Villa Puccini Toscana (Tuscany, Italy) – $10.99
  • 2010 Predator Old Vine Zinfandel (Central Valley, California, USA) – $11.99
  • 2010 Renwood Winery Premier Old Vine Zinfandel (Amador County, California, USA) – $19.99
  • 2011 Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel (Sonoma County, California, USA) – $23.99

Wines for Steaks:

  • 2008 Wyndham Estate BIN 555 Shiraz  (South Eastern, Australia) – $9.99
  • 2010 Montes Cabernet Sauvignon Carmenere (Colchagua Valley, Chile) – $10.99
  • 2010 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Barossa Shiraz (Barossa Valley, Australia) – $14.99
  • 2008 Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre (Valpolicella, Italy) – $16.99
  • 2009 Esporao Reserva Red (Alentejo, Portugal) – $18.99

What are some of your affordable reds?

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Argentina, Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, France, Italy, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Portugal, Red Wine, Rioja, Spain, Syrah / Shiraz, Tempranillo, United States, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
16 July 2013 WITS Virtual Wine Tasting 2013

WITS Virtual Wine Tasting 2013

July 16, 2013 By

I’ve detailed the concept of virtual wine tasting in previous posts and I try to participate in several of them each year. Last night was the Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS) and a virtual tasting of three California wines was hosted from my friends at WineTwits.

For those of you who are new to virtual wine tastings, this is what the concept entails:

  • Buy a bottle of the wine varietal or brand being featured.
  • Invite friends to come over to share the experience with you, or snuggle in your pajamas in front of the computer.
  • Sip and share your wine feedback with other tasters globally using the designated hashtag on Twitter and Facebook!

The virtual tasting was well-attended and the three wineries whose wines we sampled were very active with the virtual tasters. Cheers to Wente Vineyards, Garnet Vineyards and Renwood Winery for interacting with us to the extent they did. I’ll follow up and make tons of new wine friends today as a result of last night’s event.

Here are my tasting notes from the featured wines:

2012 Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay

LSK1042_MF CH 07 1upFor those of us who enjoy moderately-oaky Chardonnay, this is a nice option. 50% of this wine was barrel-fermented in French oak and the other 50% was fermented in stainless steel tanks creating a wine that’s not overly oaky/buttery and has some fruit freshness to it.

Aromas of Asian apple and lychee jump out of the glass. In the mouth, the 2012 Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay is medium-bodied with Meyer lemon and tropical fruit flavors. Finish lingers with some oaky notes and a nice level of acidity.

Pairings: Roast chicken, salmon, pasta in light creamy sauce

Style: White Wine

Grape Type(s): Chardonnay

Region: Livermore Valley, CA, USA

Price: $13

2011 Garnet Vineyards Pinot Noir

garnetGarnet pinot noirs have amassed rave reviews over the years and the 2011 Monterey County Pinot’s no exception. While it’s a bit more transparent in the glass than I would have suspected, it doesn’t lack in aroma and flavor. On the nose, it’s more jammy strawberry than the typical cherry one might expect. In the mouth, it’s velvety and the cherry is prominent with hints on vanilla and oak.

Pairings: Roasted duck, chicken or turkey, mushroom dishes

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir

Region: Monterey County, CA, USA

Price: $14.99

2010 Renwood Winery Premier Old Vine Zinfandel

Renwood.Zin.OVAmador_catalogAt 15.5% alcohol, this is a big, beautiful baby. This style of Zin is right up my alley. It’s a huge mouthful of dark, ripe berries with mocha and pumpkin spices notes. This wine screams for a hot grill and meat…and my glass.

Pairings: Barbecue ribs, grilled beef or lamb

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 92.5% Zinfandel, 5.8% Syrah, 1.7% Souzao

Region: Amador County, CA, USA

Price: $19.99

For those of you on Twitter, search for #WITS2013 and see all the fun conversations folks had during the virtual tasting. You’ll likely find interesting wine fans to connect with.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Chardonnay, Other Neat Things, Pinot Noir, Red Wine, United States, White Wine, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , , , ,
10 June 2013 2010 Cakebread Cellars Zinfandel Red Hills Lake County

2010 Cakebread Cellars Zinfandel Red Hills Lake County

June 10, 2013 By

2010 Cakebread Cellars ZinfandelI brought this California Zinfandel to a camping trip to pair with my World’s Easiest Baby Back Ribs and it was a nice pairing.

It’s deep purple in the glass with stone fruit and mocha aromas. For those of you who love huge fruit bombs, this is likely not the Zin for you. It’s medium-bodied with cherry and chocolaty flavors and a velvety mouth feel.

Pairings: Grilled meats, spicy food, barbecue

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 94% Zinfandel, 6% Petite Sirah

Region: Lake County, CA, USA

Price: $30

Filed Under: Petite Syrah, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , ,
29 April 2013 2011 Williams Selyem Papera Vineyard Zinfandel

2011 Williams Selyem Papera Vineyard Zinfandel

April 29, 2013 By

2011 Williams Selyem Papera Vineyard ZinfandelWas fortunate enough to have a friend bring this bottle of the 2011 Williams Selyem Papera Vineyard Zinfandel to a dinner party where I was able to sample it. What a big, bold, beautiful Zin.

The inky black color of the wine as it hit the glass was just gorgeous. The aromas of jammy dark berries with chocolaty notes were intoxicating. Who could pull away from this nose for a sip? Me, of course, but with difficulty. Ripe raspberry and blackberry flavors abound in the mouth along with fig jam and mocha undertones. Simply a big, concentrated and delicious mouthful.

Thanks Marty and Joan for sharing!

Pairings: Lamb, grilled beef or game, blue cheese

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Zinfandel

Region: Sonoma, CA, USA

Price: $70

Filed Under: Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , , ,
7 March 2013 2010 Predator Old Vine Zinfandel

2010 Predator Old Vine Zinfandel

March 7, 2013 By

2011 Rutherford Wine Company PredatorI sampled this wine at the New York Wine Expo last week and the first sniff of this Old Vine Zinfandel screamed – BACON! Simply a delicious Zin with all a Zin should be – big, bold, chewy, peppery, licorice-laced and in this case, smoky. At this price point and from a solid winery like Rutherford Wine Company, buy a case and cellar it for a few years.

Pairings: Grilled lamb, BBQ ribs.

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Zinfandel

Region: Central Valley, CA, USA

Price: $12

Filed Under: Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , , , ,
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