Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Tobin James Rhone style

GSM, Grenache , Syrah, Mourvedre.......these grapes are blended to make some spectacular wines in the south France. Since the '70's there has been a bit of a similar thing going on in Paso Robles and Sonoma as well. Tobin James always seems to put their own stamp on a grape varietal , maybe a bit less subtle than most but the wines are undeniable good. This 2012 GSM really is different than their other offerings. That is one thing I appreciate about Tobin James......there;s a theme to their winemaking but each wine is really distinct- a hard thing to pull off in a climate so hot that every grape is pushed to the limit in terms of ripeness. This one does not disappoint. We gave it 9 swiggs and you can find it at the winery.

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Top notch local Zin

This is the latest release of the Storr's Rusty Ridge Zin. No surprise here- as good as it could be. This is not a cheap wine but what it delivers is well worth the price and more . You can find this at the winery in Santa Cruz, local New Leaf bay area markets and other Santa Cruz stores. This is a very jammy , alcoholic wine so be prepared for something unique. It is about $26-29 depending on where you purchase it. We gave it a perfect 10 swiggs.

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Rare reserva Chianti bargain

Ever want to drink a mature wine but didn't want to break the bank ? Now's your chance . Shoppers Corner in Santa Cruz scored some of this 2008 Belvedere Chianti Reserva and is selling it for only $ 14.95. The original price is supposedly over $ 30.00. Money, however does not guarantee for a great tasting wine but in this case I feel that at this price it is unusual to find something this specatcular. It is wonderful with food and really should be enjoyed a.s.a.p. as I don't think that it will last much longer. We gave it 9 swiggs and rated it in the top-5 of the year so far.