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FEATURED PRODUCTS ![]() |
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Ultramarine Sparkling Rose Heintz Vineyard 2010 Sourced exclusively from 20 year old Pinot Noir vines off the Heintz property. It is redolent with electric cherry fruit and a bounce in its step. It is joyous yet vinous and complex sparkling wine that certainly speaks of a place. I’ve never tasted anything like it. There’s nothing contrived in its presentation and the wine again has remarkable clarity, precision, and drinkability.
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Ultramarine Sparkling Blanc de Blancs Heintz Vineyard 2010
The 2010 Blanc de Blancs was tasted next to an equally priced bottling from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, a Grand Cru village in Champagne. I have to say the Ultramarine was more interesting to drink, with greater precision of fruit and some quality yeasty/doughy notes that framed a fabulous green apple core. The wine is complex, not heavy, balanced, but with an entirely different flavor profile than we’ve seen from the Champagne wanna-be’s in California.
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Cruse Wine Company Syrah Sonoma Coast Charles Heintz Vineyard 2013
From Michael Cruse: Syrah from Charles Heintz’ vineyard in Occidental. A cool vineyard at the extremes of ripening Syrah in western Sonoma county.
Fruit was partially destemmed into open head puncheons and 1 ton bins (~25% whole cluster). Fermentation occurred without any additions and punchdowns were carried out by foot. After 14 days on skins, the wine was lightly pressed and moved to old French oak barrels and puncheons. The resultant wine is dark and floral, slightly meaty, a pure expression of Syrah. Without being overly extracted, the wine has a fleshy mouthfeel with an assertively grippy finish. |
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Cruse Wine Company Valdiguie Rancho Chimiles Vineyard 2013
From Michael Cruse: Valdiguié (formerly called Napa Gamay) from Terry Wilson’s Rancho Chimiles vineyard in Wooden Valley, Napa Valley AVA. Vines are 40+ years old.
Fruit was destemmed into open head puncheons. Fermentation occurred without any additions and punchdowns were carried out by foot and tool. After 7 days on skins, the wine was lightly pressed and moved to old French oak barrels and puncheons. The wine is light, fruity, intensely floral with good acidity and a tannic backbone.
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