APPELLATION SOCIETY \ COLLECTORS CLUB NOVEMBER 2017
GREETINGS, CLUB MEMBERS I love to host wine-tasting parties, especially around the holidays. I choose a wine theme, prepare hors d oeuvre, and ask guests to bring a bottle of wine in a specific category, such as a white wine from Italy, a red wine from Australia, or a Cabernet Sauvignon from anywhere in the world. Guests mingle, noshing on small bites and savoring sips of wine. At the end of the evening, the wines, each of which is anonymously wrapped in a brown paper bag, are scored by all, and their labels revealed. With this month s varied selection Charmstone Red Wine, Petit Verdot, and Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon you have an amazing presentation of the variety of wines Pine Ridge Vineyards offers, and the makings of your own mini wine-tasting event! To help you plan your holiday parties, please enjoy this month s newsletter, which features articles on how much wine to buy, how to decant, and large format bottles. Enjoy! Nancy Santiago, Wine Club Manager ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE A C C O L A D E S 2014 RUTHERFORD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 95 POINTS ANOTHER WINE IN BOTTLE IS THE 2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON RUTHERFORD. DARK, BROODING LICORICE, EARTH, BLACKBERRY CASSIS AND KIRSCH ARE ALL PRESENT IN THIS FULL-BODIED, MULTI-LAYERED, COMPLEX RUTHERFORD CABERNET SAUVIGNON, WHICH IS A BLEND OF 98% CABERNET SAUVIGNON AND 2% CABERNET FRANC. A STUNNER, IT CAN BE DRUNK NOW OR CELLARED FOR 20-25 YEARS.
WINEMAKING UPDATE I ll remember the 2017 growing season as being bracketed by two pretty intense heat spells: on Father s Day, our Oakville vineyard saw a high temperature of 111 F; the Friday of Labor Day weekend, we saw a high of 116 F. Such exorbitant temperatures are unusual in Napa Valley, but our grapes handled it. We made a conscious decision to let them hang until the flavors developed not just the sugar levels and I know it s going to pay off in some excellent wines. Michael Beaulac, Winemaker, General Manager CELLAR UPDATE As you ll read in our article about interns, we had folks from all over the world joining us for harvest this year. Five continents, six countries, and three U.S. states were represented in our cellar. Thankfully for those of us in charge of training, everyone spoke at least some English. What amazed me was when we shared a glass of wine or made a toast all the language barriers fell away! Michael Conversano, Assistant Winemaker VINEYARD UPDATE This year, the first day of harvest was just one of those days. In the vineyard, one of the lights we use for night picking went out, and then a truck loaded with grapes got a flat tire. A forklift leaking oil broke down, and then my truck battery died. On top of that, an auger in one of the presses at the winery stopped working. All I can say is thank goodness for our vineyard and winery mechanics. As usual they and a little ingenuity saved the day. Gustavo Aviña, Vineyard Manager WWW.PINERIDGEVINEYARDS.COM ( 800) 400-6647
APPELLATION SOCIETY WINE SELECTIONS HIGHLY ACCLAIMED AND RECOGNIZED, OUR 2014 WINES REFLECT A VINTAGE WHERE WORDS SUCH AS QUALITY, DEPTH OF FLAVOR AND EXCELLENT ARE BEING ECHOED ACROSS THE VALLEY. WITH AN ABUNDANT CROP AND GOOD FORTUNE, WE INVITE YOU TO ENJOY. 2014 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley $140 Member Price: $112 The ruby/black color of this wine tells you it is pure Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of floral sweet pea, sun-ripened plums, sweet oak, mushroom, and wet earth leap from the glass. The bold, rich, mouth-filling flavors of blackberry, black licorice, espresso, and cocoa powder combine with juicy acidity, tobacco, and tea tannins. Enjoy this well-structured, complex, and layered wine with a silky, lingering finish for years to come. Pair with this month s recipe, Lamb Tagine with Prunes. VARIETAL: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon APPELLATION: Stags Leap District ALCOHOL: 14.9% BARRELS: 100% new French oak, 24 months AGING POTENTIAL: Enjoy now or cellar another 15 to 20 years 2014 Petit Verdot, Napa Valley $75 Member Price: $60 This inky ruby-black wine offers intense, dark fruit aromas of spicy plum compote, molasses, and white pepper spice. Flavors mimic the aromas with dark fruit, molasses, and toasted walnuts, with a long, dense finish. The chewy tannins in this wine call for grilled sausages, pork belly, or a well-marbled steak. This big, juicy, deeply colored wine has a large personality with bold aromas and flavors. To match its intensity, pair it with Landaff, a firm, tart, herbaceous cheese. VARIETAL: 98% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc APPELLATION: Napa Valley ALCOHOL: 14.6% BARRELS: 50% new French oak, 18 months AGING POTENTIAL: Enjoy now or cellar another 10 years 2014 Charmstone Red Wine, Napa Valley $65 Member Price: $52 This deep garnet wine has a pleasing bouquet of cherry, mixed berries, and brown sugar tinged with a minty/menthol note. The palate shows red fruit flavors of strawberry and rhubarb pie, and a hint of root beer and black pepper. A sweet entry and a creamy texture, complemented by restrained tannins, make this an ideal quaffing wine. For a delightful cheese course, try this wine paired with Jasper Hill Moses Sleeper, a fine domestic rendition of French Brie. VARIETAL: 99.8% Cabernet Sauvignon,.2% Petit Verdot APPELLATION: Napa Valley ALCOHOL: 14.7% BARRELS: 40% new French oak, 18 months AGING POTENTIAL: Enjoy now or cellar another 7 years METICULOUS CRAFTSMANSHIP CONTINUITY CLASSIC BALANCE
COLLECTORS CLUB WINE SELECTIONS IN ADDITION TO THREE PRE-RELEASE WINES, COLLECTORS CLUB MEMBERS RECEIVE 3 LIBRARY WINES. BEFORE SERVING, ALLOW THE BOTTLE TO REST UPRIGHT FOR A MINIMUM OF 48 HOURS FOR ANY SEDIMENT TO SETTLE. AS OLDER CORKS MAY BE BRITTLE, USING AN AH-SO OR TWO-PRONGED PULL IS SUGGESTED. 2009 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley $180 Member Price: $144 This wine reveals an exceptional array of aromas, from caramel and espresso to plum, raspberry, and sweet brambly berries. The luscious wine has a round, plump entry deeply layered with flavors of red and black fruits, and hints of coffee that continue through the long finish, supported by supple tannins and mouthwatering acidity. Enjoy this complex wine with a curry of lamb or goat or with a cheese course featuring Abbaye de Belloc, made from sheep s milk. VARIETAL: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon APPELLATION: Stags Leap District ALCOHOL: 14.5% BARRELS: 65% new French oak, 18 months AGING POTENTIAL: Enjoy now or cellar another 10 years 2009 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley $130 Member Price: $104 Deeply brooding purple/garnet in color, this wine has inviting aromas of cherry vanilla, green olive, cinnamon, milk chocolate, and dried fruit. The flavors are old school Napa Cabernet, showing plum, dried fruit, red fruit, cola, leather, chocolate leading to tobacco, and sweet oak. The soft, round entry opens to chewy tannins and finishes soft and juicy with sweet wood. This complex wine will benefit from decanting before serving. Serve with a pork tenderloin with olive tapenade. VARIETAL: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot APPELLATION: Oakville ALCOHOL: 14.1% BARRELS: 55% new French oak, 18 months AGING POTENTIAL: Enjoy now or cellar another 5 years 2008 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley $130 Member Price: $104 Our 2008 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon opens with opulent aromas of dark fruit like plum and blackberry, dried herbs, sage, cigar box, and wood reminiscent of an old violin. The richly textured flavors show bright fruit of Bing cherry, plum, and mixed berries, with vanilla and coffee from oak aging. This focused wine has a velvety structure with an elegant grip and chocolaty tannins. An exotic pairing would be a baked sturgeon wrapped in pancetta. VARIETAL: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot APPELLATION: Oakville ALCOHOL: 14.7% BARRELS: 40% new French oak, 17 months AGING POTENTIAL: Enjoy now or cellar another 5-7 years WWW.PINERIDGEVINEYARDS.COM ( 800) 400-6647
Holiday Entertaining The holidays are an ideal time to get together with family and friends, co-workers, and neighbors, and to celebrate the season with good food and, of course, great wine. Here are some tips for serving wine on these special occasions. How much wine should I plan on serving? It depends on the type of event you re hosting. At cocktail parties where other drinks are being served, plan on two glasses per person; if it s a wine-only event, three glasses should suffice. For dinner parties, figure on approximately a half bottle per person, though that may include both white and red wines. A standard 750ml bottle of wine yields about five glasses. But remember, it s never a bad idea to have a few extra bottles in reserve! ungracious (or, worse, that you don t like the wine, which is a gift, after all). If you ve gone to great lengths to plan a dinner with courses paired to wines, see if you can find a way to make the wine work with one of the courses, or pour it as an apéritif. Remember, the point of entertaining is to make guests feel welcome and appreciated. What s the right proportion of whites to reds? Unless you know your guests preferences really well, this will be a bit of a guessing game. Nonetheless, white (or sparkling) wines are an excellent kickoff to a celebration, either as an apéritif or paired with a first course. Red wine will probably follow as your event unfolds. Some guidelines: Two bottles of white for each bottle of red for light luncheons and cocktail parties. Half white and half red for buffets and parties with substantial hors d oeuvre. Three bottles of red for every two bottles of white for a multicourse sit-down dinner. When a guest brings a bottle of wine, does etiquette require that I open it? The short answer is yes, unless you want to appear I d like to serve large format bottles. What is the best way to serve them? Lucky you! Nothing adds to the festive feeling of a party like a big bottle of wine. But pouring from a large bottle into a glass can be awkward, not to mention messy. We recommend decanting young red wines into a carafe well before guests arrive; older wines should be decanted just before dinner is served. METICULOUS CRAFTSMANSHIP CONTINUITY CLASSIC BALANCE
Does Size Matter? We re used to seeing wine in standard 750ml bottles, and perhaps even in magnums which contain twice the amount of liquid as a standard bottle. But what about those really big bottles with the funny names, like Jeroboams and Salmanazars? Often sold at auctions and occasionally seen on display at restaurants, these bottles generally hold multiples of standard-sized bottles. For instance a Jeroboam holds the equivalent of four standard bottles (or 3 liters), while a Salmanazar holds the equivalent of twelve bottles (or 9 liters). It is thought that large format bottles came into vogue several centuries ago after the invention of the cork, which sealed wine so that it would not spoil. That may account for the fact that so many of the bottles are named for Biblical characters and ancient kings figures who were larger than life to people hundreds of years ago. It may also be the reason that, in some cases, bottle sizes have different names, depending on what type of wine is stored in them. A Methuselah refers to a 6-liter bottle (8 standard bottles) of Champagne; a 6-liter bottle of Bordeaux (red) wine is often called an Imperial. While large-size bottles are not always as convenient as standard bottles, it is generally agreed that wine ages more slowly in these formats, which is why we so often see red wines, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, in large bottles. That s due to the smaller ratio of air to wine the air, or ullage, being the very small amount between the bottom of the cork and the surface of the wine. Less oxygen per liter of liquid means the wine can develop for a longer period of time. So, if you re buying a bottle to commemorate a birth, we recommend splurging on a big bottle as it will age more slowly. After it s opened, a big bottle makes a great keepsake, or an ideal place to collect spare coins! WWW.PINERIDGEVINEYARDS.COM ( 800) 400-6647
To Decant or Not to Decant? You ve been patiently waiting to taste your prized and carefully cellared older wine. Anticipating the magical moment, you gently remove the cork and pour your first glass. Holding it up to the light to view its ruby hue, you see it sediment. Gritty, but not harmful, sediment has ruined your perfect moment. There are essentially two reasons to decant a red wine. Young wines are often decanted to expose them to oxygen, which allows their complex aromas and flavors to more fully open, and softens the tannins for a smoother mouthfeel. Older wines are decanted to separate any (harmless) sediment that may have settled out of the wine. Because the objectives are different, so are the decanting methods. For current vintage red wines, it s best to use a wide-bottomed decanter if you have one. At least 30 minutes before serving, pour the wine briskly into the decanter, splashing it against the sides and giving it a vigorous swirl to expose it to as much air as possible. Older vintages (10 or more years) require a little more forethought. The wine should be stood right side up a day ahead in a cool place to let the sediment fall to the bottom. Be careful when choosing a corkscrew, as older corks are delicate and can break somewhat easily. We recommend using a two-pronged Ah-so cork puller, which allows for gentle extraction. When you re ready to open the bottle, take a flashlight and hold it under the neck or shoulder so that you can see the wine while gently pouring into the decanter. Be careful to minimize splashing or swirling, as an older wine does not need more exposure to oxygen. When you see the sediment approach the neck of the bottle, stop pouring. We recommend serving older wines as soon as they re decanted. METICULOUS CRAFTSMANSHIP CONTINUITY CLASSIC BALANCE
Interns: Our Global Community They came from as far as New Zealand and as close as the city of Napa, but they all had one goal: to learn what really goes into making fine wine at Pine Ridge Vineyards. This year we hosted 11 interns who spent 12 weeks side by side with our winemaking and cellar teams working the 2017 harvest. From driving forklifts and topping up barrels to hosing down picking bins and shoveling pomace out of tanks, these folks got an up-close, hands-on view of how grapes are made into wine. This year we rotated our interns through all the various cellar jobs during harvest so that they d get an understanding of the entire process versus just doing one task day after day, said Winemaker Michael Beaulac. It took a little more time to train them, but I think it was a much more valuable experience. Pine Ridge Vineyards has a tradition of hiring interns at harvest, and this year we had a veritable global community. There was Begum Korkamz from Turkey, a former pharmaceutical executive whose hobby making wine at home has turned into a new career. There was Hyungbin Lim, a native of South Korea, who is pursuing an advanced degree in enology and hopes someday to progress the quality of wine made in his home country. And there was Susan Wong, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America s wine and beverage program, a Pine Ridge tasting room employee, and a Pine Ridge club member since 2006 (!), who wanted to fully understand all the steps that go into making Pine Ridge Vineyard wines. Some interns were working their first harvest, others had quite a few under their belt, and a number were doing repeat stints at Pine Ridge. Says Enologist Colleen FitzGerald, who hosted lab intern Caitlin Duggan for the third time, It s really gratifying to see people come back, and the contributions they re able to make expand with each passing year. TOP ROW: Hyungbin Lim Seoul, South Korea MIDDLE ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Begum Korkamz Izmir, Turkey; Grace Pyne Dorset, VT; Caitie Duggan San Francisco, CA BOTTOM ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Joel Pagels Detroit, MI; Chris Braun Danville, CA; Antonella Cicilotto Mendoza, Argentina; Noah Vulk Napa, CA; Ignacio Garibay Michoacán, Mexico; Anton Luiten Hawkes Bay, New Zealand MISSING: Susan Wong. Visit our website at PineRidgeVineyards.com to watch a video on our interns and harvest this year. WWW.PINERIDGEVINEYARDS.COM ( 800) 400-6647
Lamb Tagine with Prunes A PAIRING FOR PINE RIDGE VINEYARDS 2014 STAGS LEAP DISTRICT CABERNET SAUVIGNON SERVES 4 THERE S NO MORE CLASSIC MATCH THAN ROAST LAMB WITH CABERNET SAUVIGNON, BUT THIS DISH DEMONSTRATES THAT OUR FRUIT-DRIVEN STAGS LEAP DISTRICT BOTTLING CAN HANDLE AN EXOTICALLY SCENTED LAMB BRAISE AS WELL. - SUSAN LASSALETTE, WINERY CHEF INGREDIENTS 3 lb lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cubed 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper Pinch of saffron ½ cup hot water 1 large onion, grated 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 large strips of orange peel 5 cilantro sprigs, tied together, plus extra for garnish 1 lb pitted prunes 3 tablespoons mild honey ½ 2 3 cup blanched whole almonds, lightly toasted Couscous or other side dish of choice 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted DIRECTIONS TO MARINATE: The day before cooking the tagine, place the cubed lamb in a bowl and rub with the olive oil, the ginger, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, salt to taste, and the pepper. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. TO PREPARE: A half hour before you begin to cook the lamb, crumble the saffron into a small sauté pan and gently warm over low heat. Add it to the hot water and let steep for a half hour. TO COOK: Put the lamb meat in a heavy-bottomed pot with the saffron infusion, onion, garlic, orange peel, and cilantro bundle. Add water to almost cover the meat and simmer gently on the stovetop for 1½ to 2 hours, until the meat is fork tender. While the lamb is cooking, soak the prunes in water to cover for 1 hour. Drain the prunes and set aside. When the meat is done, remove the cilantro bundle and orange peel and discard. Add the drained prunes, remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, honey, and almonds. Gently simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes for the sauce to thicken. TO SERVE: Place lamb meat on a bed of couscous or the side dish of your choice, and garnish with the toasted sesame seeds and extra cilantro sprigs. METICULOUS CRAFTSMANSHIP CONTINUITY CLASSIC BALANCE
CURRENT RELEASE WINES TO PLACE YOUR ORDER, CONTACT US DIRECTLY AT (800) 400-6647 OR WINECLUB@PINERIDGEWINE.COM. TO ORDER ONLINE WITH YOUR CLUB DISCOUNT, PLEASE LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITH YOUR ID AND PASSWORD. WINES (750ML) RETAIL BOTTL E PRICE MEMBER BOTTLE PRICE 2016 Chenin Blanc + Viognier $ 16.00 $ 12.80 2015 Dijon Clones Chardonnay $ 38.00 $ 30.40 91 POINTS 2014 Carneros Merlot $ 60.00 $ 48.00 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $ 64.00 $ 51.20 92 POINTS 2014 Charmstone Red Wine $ 65.00 $ 52.00 2015 Contemplate Red Wine $ 75.00 $ 60.00 2014 Petit Verdot $ 75.00 $ 60.00 2014 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon $ 100.00 $ 80.00 95 POINTS 2013 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon $ 100.00 $ 80.00 91+ POINTS 2014 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon $ 100.00 $ 80.00 93 POINTS 2014 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon $ 140.00 $ 112.00 93 POINTS 2013 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $ 150.00 $ 120.00 94+ POINTS 2014 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $ 150.00 $ 120.00 94+ POINTS 2013 FORTIS Cabernet Sauvignon $ 225.00 $ 180.00 98 POINTS 2014 FORTIS Cabernet Sauvignon $ 225.00 $ 180.00 2012 Epitome Cabernet Sauvignon $ 250.00 $ 250.00 * *No discount due to limited availability PRICES AND VINTAGE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. SOME VINTAGES ARE ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE WINE CLUB AND NOT AVAILABLE IN THE TASTING ROOM OR ON THE WEBSITE. APPELLATION 6-BOTTLE AND 12-BOTTLE AS WELL AS COLLECTORS CLUB MEMBERS RECEIVE 50% SAVINGS ON SHIPPING WHEN PURCHASING A MINIMUM OF 6 BOTTLES (PER ADDRESS). THE WINE CLUB STAFF WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR WINE ORDER, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, OR SET UP A COMPLIMENTARY TASTING AT ONE OF OUR SISTER PROPERTIES, WHERE YOU MAY ENJOY 15% SAVINGS ON YOUR DAY-OF-VISIT PURCHASES. SEGHESIO VINEYARDS IN HEALDSBURG, CA. CHAMISAL VINEYARDS IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA. ARCHERY SUMMIT WINERY IN DAYTON, OR. SEVEN HILLS WINERY IN WALLA WALLA, WA. THE ESTATES WINE ROOM, SEATTLE, WA. CONTACT US: (800) 400-6647 WINECLUB@PINERIDGEWINE.COM
UPCOMING WINE CLUB EVENTS FEBRUARY PICKUP AND TASTING EVENT SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10 5:00 TO 7:00 PM COMPLIMENTARY FOR 2 WINE CLUB MEMBERS $45 PER GUESTS (LIMIT 2) Join us in the winery cave to taste wines from the February selection 2015 vintages of Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, Cave 7 Cabernet Sauvignon and Tessitura Red Wine. Savor winery chef Susan Lassalette s specially paired bites for each wine, exploring the culinary versatility of our graceful new releases. Tickets available online beginning January 2, 2018 TO VIEW THE DETAILS OF OUR 2018 EVENTS, INCLUDING TICKET RELEASE DATES, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: WWW.PINERIDGEVINEYARDS.COM NEXT SELECTION - FEBRUARY 12, 2018 2015 OAKVILLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 92-94 POINTS (BARREL SAMPLE) ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE THE 2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON OAKVILLE DISPLAYS DEEPER, RICHER FRUIT, MORE SPICE, LOADS OF BLUEBERRY AND BLACKBERRY, AND A CONCENTRATED, FULL MOUTHFEEL. 2015 CAVE 7 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 TESSITURA RED WINE pine ridge vineyards 5901 silverado trail stags leap district napa valley california 94558 (800)400-6647 www.pineridgevineyards.com ZZNW00142